10 Times WWE Didn’t Learn Their Lesson

6. Daniel Bryan's Royal Rumble Woes

Seth Rollins
WWE.com

The 2014 Royal Rumble has to rank as one of great tradition's absolute worst - even more appalling than those mid-nineties wilderness years, in which the talent roster was so depleted the WWF had to rely on nobodies like Timothy Well and Tom Brandi just to make the numbers up.

Daniel Bryan was the most over man in all of wrestling in January 2014. Vince McMahon is notoriously impervious to the whims of his fanbase. And, if those rumours have any foundation, he's losing his sight. But he's not deaf. Even he could hear the clamour for Bryan's ascension.

And yet, in an ill-fated attempt to protect the returning Batista, Bryan was absent from the Rumble match altogether. That in itself was almost understandable. Had he been been eliminated, the atmosphere would have been even more toxic. WWE should have booked Bray Wyatt, the man he fell to in the opener, to eviscerate and incapacitate him in the post-match. It was the hope which killed those Pittsburgh natives.

What was birdbrained in the extreme was the decision to promote the bejesus out of Bryan's 2015 Royal Rumble comeback - and have him ejected after just ten minutes. The decision underscored WWE's single-mindedness, and the apathy it directs towards its fanbase.

Does one year even count as history?

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!