10 Wrestlers You Won't Believe Got The Better Of Vince McMahon

7. Daniel Bryan

cm punk vince mcmahon
WWE

Daniel Bryan was a "deformed" "vegan nerd" who didn't even own a television set nor eat meat.

He was a pale, unambitious submission expert who embodied two of Vince McMahon's least favourite traits. He was millennial wrassler. He was short, too, and he was of course senselessly buried for these perceived flaws in a predetermined medium of fiction promoted by a wrestling promotion. His attributes were considered as bad, for f*ck's sake.

If you could go back and tell somebody in 2007 that Bryan Danielson would one day help book SmackDown as a former WWE Champion, that person would erupt in delight and embrace you like a long-lost relative.

"Hell f*ckin' yeah!" that person would say, convinced that WWE had finally abandoned the sports entertainment bullsh*t and cosmetic bias to usher in a new philosophy of serious wrestling.

That of course has not happened. WWE became worse, exponentially so, by positioning murderous clowns as main event talents who succumb to distraction finishes, having babyfaces pelt heels with organic produce, and booking back-to-back impromptu matches with DQs and count-outs. All of these things happened in April.

But Daniel Bryan has emerged with his dignity intact because he is universally considered a genius.

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!