10 WWE Wrestlers That Changed Everything
3. Daniel Bryan
The meteoric rise of Daniel Bryan changed a lot of things about the wrestling industry and has shaped how the company now recruits new talent.
As a smaller man, it seemed that Bryan was never going to be a big WWE star. The fans loved him, but such as the likes of Rey Mysterio, it seemed that his time as a legitimate main-eventer might be limited and underdeveloped. The work of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels had dissipated a little, and WWE was genuinely becoming the land of the giants again. However, Bryan proved that his connection to the fans was not to be ignored and showed that smaller wrestlers have a place at the top.
Secondly, he brought in a newfound confidence in the role of the indie darling. Although CM Punk was arguably the first star from the Independent scene to reach the heights of the company, Bryan clenches the victory as he was granted one of WWE's greatest honours, a main event victory and celebration at their grandest event of the year, WrestleMania.
If it weren't for Bryan, then we wouldn't have so many decorated Independent stars in the company as we do now.