7 Fastest Downfalls From WWE Champions

5. Daniel Bryan (2014)

Daniel Bryan Stephanie McMahon Brie Bella
WWE.com

The elation of WrestleMania XXX was almost overbearing. Watch Bryan's comforting smile now on the Network and it's still a spine-chilling example of audiences becoming one with a performer they admire. That only made what happened next all the more tragic.

After winning the big one at 'Mania, Bryan wrestled a mere four matches before being stripped of the title by The Authority due to injury. That means, from his highest of highs in April until announcing neck surgery and being stripped in June, one of WWE's best was barely around.

The number becomes even more shocking when realising that he had worked 228 matches in 2013 and 213 in 2012. A real busy-bee when healthy and the kind of man fans could count on to have five-star matches aplenty, Daniel had to come to terms with the fact his run stopped before it really got started.

Worse was to come when his situation worsened to the point of eventual retirement. He's back now, and looking awesome, but 2014 was a hellish year for Bryan. In the space of two months, he went from top man to all but down and out.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.