10 Times WWE Squandered A Genuine Crowd Reaction

Coming into the Royal Rumble match at the 2015 iteration of the event, there wasn't a superstar on the roster who came close to being as over as Daniel Bryan was with the WWE Universe.

This was the same man who had conquered Triple H, Randy Orton and Batista all in one night. The same man who had fought against all the odds to become the top guy in the company. The same man who had gone from supposed B+ to a full blown A* and it was all thanks to his bond with the paying public.

So, why, why, WHY (!) did anyone in their right mind think that it would be a good idea to have Bryan eliminated from the titular 30-man match a few minutes after he had entered the fray, with no plan in place to use the negative moment as a catalyst for an angle inside of the ring?

Instead, Bryan found himself in a multi-man ladder war at WrestleMania 31 that - while admittedly a fun match - didn't provide him with the main event platform that fans were desperate for him to receive upon his return to the ring.

The narrative was there for WWE.

Beloved babyface vacates title due to injury, returns to win the Royal Rumble and vanquishes The Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar, at 'Mania.

It could've all gone so much smoother for both Bryan and (unfortunate Rumble match winner) Roman Reigns off the back of the 2015 over-the-top rope stinker, yet they both found each other in a tailspin thanks to this blown opportunity.