The Problem With Daniel Bryan That No One Wants To Talk About

There's nothing Daniel Bryan can't do between the ropes and nothing a good booker can't do with him.

A natural babyface he may be (and really, it'd be impossible for AEW to push him as anything but a hero for at least his first half-year), but the 40-year-old's Planet's Champion run proved he is still elite on the other side of the alignment scale. Give him 5 minutes and he'll cram in more detail than most can muster in 25; give him 25 and he'll deliver you an epic. You can use him as a card-topping headliner or on the undercard, elevating less experienced talents to the next level. He can work whatever pae you require, be it brisk, methodical or anything in between, and can brawl, trade holds, fly when required, assert dominance, play the underdog, and complement any opponent's style.

Really - and this is the highest possible compliment in this regard - Bryan is comparable to Terry Funk in his versatility.

AEW will rightly debut Bryan as a big deal, because he is a big deal. Beyond the first year or so, they can slot him in wherever they want. He has ascended to the status of the most talented utility player in wrestling history and fans can expect Tony Khan to exploit the full range of his capabilities and, crucially, his star power.

Bryan may not pop initial numbers like CM Punk will but the guy headlined WrestleMania three months ago. Vince McMahon called on him to save a dying Edge vs. Roman Reigns program and save it he did, immediately making the Universal Title program more interesting. In AEW, he won't be the backup option, but a go-to guy, and his appeal to this more wrestling-centric fanbase is clear and obvious. He'll draw.

Intermittently.

CONT'd...