10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About Night Of Champions
9. Daniel Bryan Wasn't On The Show (2011)
Since his retirement, WWE has made creative usage of retroactive continuity to make it seem like Daniel Bryan was one of the most successful superstars in WWE history. That isn't really true. While the fans were always behind the ultra-talented performer, there were times - 2011, especially - when it was clear that the company didn't have the same faith in him.
Bryan spent most of 2011 struggling to get a decent position on TV and losing to heel midcarders. When he won the Money in the Bank briefcase, it looked like that might change, but it didn't - he still lost all the time, and he was tentatively scheduled to be the first MITB winner to fail to cash in his contract successfully.
Night of Champions that year was a perfect example of what an afterthought he was considered to be at the time. While men like Ted DiBiase, Jr., Jack Swagger, and Alex Rilebryy all found their way onto the PPV proper, there was no such slot for the future WrestleMania headliner. Instead, he was relegated to a dark match, beating Heath Slater prior to the PPV's opener.
Odds are that's a fact WWE won't be bringing up during any of their many Bryan hagiographies.