WWE: 3 Key Reasons Daniel Bryan's Boyhood Dream Came True
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2. Hes A Fireman, Not Superman
John Cena is a comic book character. As the biggest name and most promoted face in the business, Cena embodies just about every facet of superhero culture that you can imagine. Hes tall, handsome, ripped to shreds, aggressive, powerful, and he does it all with a giant smile. If you put a cape on his back and a big S on his chest, itd be all the same to everybody watching. Hes even booked like a super hero in most of the closing segments of Raw. Babyface A is getting beat down by Heel Faction B in the ring and everyone just sits and waits for the HRRRRAPANEW to blare of the speakers so that Cena can dart to the ring, clean house, and raise the arm of Babyface A as the WWE logo flashes over the screen.
Daniel Bryan, however, isnt that boisterous in his heroics. Hes grizzled and reserved. Hes in phenomenal shape and has an athletic build, but hes not a beast of a man. Bryans presence carries a wealth of realism to it. He resembles a true hero in the same sense that society always states that Firemen, Policemen, and Teachers are the true heroes in our lives. Its the understatement of what Bryan does in the ring and how he performs as a character that makes him more appealing across a wider audience, from little kids to smart fans. By not trying to be a super hero of a babyface, he has endeared himself more to the viewing audience.
Even in the storylines of the past few years, Cena has been involved in matches where the taglines revolve around being the best or defeating the super villain. The past two years he fought The Rock at WrestleMania. Which, by the way, both times Cena and The Rock generated fantastic builds to Mania and then delivered with absolute spectacles of matches, with the most recent being a Match of the Year candidate. Yet, these are situations that might as well happen in the cosmos on some unknown planet. It is cool to watch? Absolutely. Was it worth seeing? You bet. Did I walk away feeling like I won or lost the match because Cena or Rock was in it? Not so much.
The storylines that Daniel Bryan has been involved in are more grounded for the audience to relate to. Bryan has dealt with being the underdog World Champion, tried to do right by a crazy and manipulative girlfriend, tried to make a friendship work with a completely opposite personality in Kane, and most recently was trapped in a family decision between the WWE Universe and the Wyatt Family. These are all stories of displacement and purpose, where becoming the hero was reliant upon making the proper decision in regards to human connection. Defying the odds to win, dealing with crazy exes, trying to make friends, trying to be a part of family; these are all things that we all deal with every day of our lives.