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Editorial: Thank You Daniel Bryan, We Are Grateful

Written by

Jonathan Fisher

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“I am not the biggest, I am not the strongest, but I am damn sure the toughest!” – Daniel Bryan

For those that watched last night’s edition of Monday Night Raw, the WWE Universe watched one of the WWE’s best hang up his boots after 16 years in the industry. It’s moments like those that portray what it’s like to be a wrestling fan.

In the last seven years, Monday Night Raw has been the place for retirement ceremonies. Ric Flair retired on the WWE’s flagship show after WrestleMania 24. Shawn Michaels told the WWE Universe his goodbyes after WrestleMania 26. WrestleMania 27 showcased Edge’s final match in the WWE.

Some say that was the worst of them all because it was completely unexpected. It wasn’t as if Edge tweeted earlier in the day, or that he lost a retirement match at WrestleMania. A surprise MRI had doctors break the news to Adam Copeland that he could never wrestle again.

Yesterday was an emotional day for the WWE Universe.

Around mid-day yesterday, Daniel Bryan sent out a tweet that said he was retiring due to medical reasons.

All day, wrestling fans thought it was just a work by the WWE and Bryan was truly returning to competition. However, that wasn’t the case. If anybody is still skeptical, Bryan and his wife, Brie Bella, shared a powerful moment backstage in the gorilla position.

It was real.

The theme of Bryan’s speech on WWE Raw last night was gratitude. He mentioned that the fans don’t owe the WWE stars anything. Every wrestler in the back wants to go out and perform because they love it and it’s their passion. That’s what Bryan is all about.

For all intents and purposes, Bryan should’ve never made it to the WWE. He was six feet tall and under 200 pounds. The American Dragon was an Indy wrestler who had a knack for connecting with fans across the world.

WWE noticed him and he was on the inaugural season of NXT. This was the time where the wrestling world got a look at Bryan Danielson for his innate ability to perform. He wasn’t an entertainer. He was a wrestler. A wrestler he always remained, which is the only way anyone wanted it.

Throughout the years, Bryan not only devoted his life to his craft, he sacrificed his well-being for the betterment of entertaining the fans. To encapsulate the top Daniel Bryan moments, here are five that made the cut:

  1. Daniel Bryan’s World Heavyweight championship loss in record time to Sheamus
  2. Bryan doesn’t give into Bray Wyatt’s demands on WWE Raw inside a steel cage
  3. Daniel Bryan and the fans Occupy Raw.
  4. In Seattle, the fans hijacked WWE Raw.
  5. Daniel Bryan defeats Triple H, Randy Orton and Batista at WrestleMania 30 to become the WWE champion.

That doesn’t include Team Hell No or his title win against the Miz to win the United States title.

Throughout his WWE career, Bryan was always considered as a B+ player. In fact, that was the gimmick WWE officials used to describe him while chasing the WWE championship. That wasn’t only a gimmick, it was real.

Much like CM Punk, multiple roadblocks always got in Bryan’s way. He broke them down and went on to be a future-WWE Hall of Fame wrestler. Triple H, who never shied away from telling Bryan he was a B+ player, commented on his retirement with the only way logical.

 

Even several hours later, it still feels like a nightmare that Daniel Bryan won’t wrestle again. Just like Edge, it was the right move and proper decision for his health. He even mentioned it last night. Bryan and Bella want to start a family.

At this point in his life, starting a family is the most-important thing to him. WWE fans shouldn’t be upset about Daniel Bryan retiring. It’s not as if he won’t appear on WWE TV ever again.

Bryan is still under contract with the WWE. He will make random appearances and help promote WrestleMania 32.

What echoed throughout the WWE Universe last night was sadness and joy. Cameras were on random fans in the crowd with tears rolling down their face. That’s the power and beauty of pro wrestling shining through.

Wrestlers make a connection with the fans that can’t be measured. Like Edge, Bryan is not only a special talent, he’s a special person. There will never be another Daniel Bryan in the history of pro wrestling.

After all the matches wrestled, blood poured, sweat drawn, injuries sustained, stress taken, sleepless nights and unforgettable moments, there’s only one thing to say:

Thank you, Daniel Bryan. We are grateful.

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