WWE: DANIEL BRYAN RETIRES -- Thank you, Bryan

[Disclose]

i dont know what to think. in some interviews i get the vibe that he's retiring (or theyre forcing him to retire), in others i get the feeling hes ready to return.

i mean i dont know how credible this site is, but they ask him about his return, he answers like its gonna happen, then they talk about how WWE asked him if he wanted to work commentary or at the performance centre, etc....
its so weird. i hope to see him in the ring again in the future, weather its with this company or not.

-Where will Daniel Bryan fit in when he finally returns?

-Ever consider changing your ring style in anyway once you’re back?
here’s the problem with that – I’m the underdog. I’m five foot eight and 185 pounds, so I am going to get thrown around.

-What were your other considerations while you were out on the mend?
They [WWE] asked me a bunch of stuff of what I’d like to do like announce or be a trainer at NXT. I’m sure at some point in my life I would but right now it would be too soon.

full: http://www.passthepopcorn.my/tale-of-the-underdog-an-interview-with-daniel-bryan/

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Daniel Bryan says the company has asked him if he'd like to announce or be a trainer if his career had to end.

 

[George Binks]

I mean....it's something

 

[RockLobster]

I mean....it's something

Yeah, but it's not doing the thing he loves, and the thing that brings in viewers--wrestling.

He's been cleared by an independent doctor, one who works with an NFL team (Arizona Cardinals). So it's not DB's personal Dr, or WWE's Dr, it's someone who works in an industry right now that is under intense scrutiny when it comes to concussions, and he said he's not only "all good to go", but that his brain is healthier than most with his concussion history.

So either he has something else that neither side is disclosing, or the WWE is purposely keeping him out because they don't want to make as much money as they can make.

 

[S A W F T*]

I'm guessing it's a work. But if it's true, I'm sure they will find a place for him somewhere in the organization of he wants to stay.

 

[Kimi]

He has to stay. He has a contract and they're still paying him.

 

[S A W F T*]

He has to stay. He has a contract and they're still paying him.

I meant long term.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

He has to stay. He has a contract and they're still paying him.

This is not true.

 

[ColePens]

If DB never wrestles again, as a fan I will be disappointed but be at peace with it knowing I got to see the guy achieve the one of the greatest moments in wrestling. From the night after WM where he lost to Sheamus in 8 seconds to beating HHH & Orton/Batista in the same night 2 years later... just amazing. The moment was unreal. He got to do it with his family there and Conner.

DB's career is nothing short of amazing. If it's over, I definitely got to see him achieve everything I hoped for and more.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

If DB never wrestles again, as a fan I will be disappointed but be at peace with it knowing I got to see the guy achieve the one of the greatest moments in wrestling. From the night after WM where he lost to Sheamus in 8 seconds to beating HHH & Orton/Batista in the same night 2 years later... just amazing. The moment was unreal. He got to do it with his family there and Conner.

DB's career is nothing short of amazing. If it's over, I definitely got to see him achieve everything I hoped for and more.

If it's over, the only thing left for them to do is induct him into the Hall of Fame. It's exactly why I don't think his career is over. If they had confirmation of their suspicions and weren't going to let him in, they'd do what they did with Edge. And if that was their idea, I don't think they'd be able to hide that.

But his career as is, if it was over, is quite easily Hall of Fame caliber.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

He's had one of the best careers in recent memory for a guy who was fired at one point and never expected to be anything more than a good in-ring worker who can go out in the opening match and fire up the crowd.

WWE Champion - 2 times
WWE World Heavyweight Champion - 1 time
World Heavyweight Champion - 1 time
Intercontinental Champion - 1 time
United States Champion - 1 time
WWE Tag Team Champion - 1 time
Money in the Bank winner

*only pinned to lose a major title in one of his four reigns in a clean match, never lost the IC Title.

He has held every title a male competitor could hold on the main roster, is a triple crown and grand slam champion, won the Money in the Bank. The only thing he didn't do is win the Royal Rumble and win King of the Ring, although the latter isn't even an accomplishment anymore, it's just a free pass to be buried for a year. He's won 12 WWE Slammy awards and won 9 HF Slammy awards (these are the ones that matter most, folks!).

He's pretty much done everything.

He is easily Hall of Fame material.

 

[Sammy225]

Did we not get the results from the third Doctor that the were consulting with?

 

[Pinkfloyd]

He's had one of the best careers in recent memory for a guy who was fired at one point and never expected to be anything more than a good in-ring worker who can go out in the opening match and fire up the crowd.

WWE Champion - 2 times
WWE World Heavyweight Champion - 1 time
World Heavyweight Champion - 1 time
Intercontinental Champion - 1 time
United States Champion - 1 time
WWE Tag Team Champion - 1 time
Money in the Bank winner

*only pinned to lose a major title in one of his four reigns in a clean match, never lost the IC Title.

He has held every title a male competitor could hold on the main roster, is a triple crown and grand slam champion, won the Money in the Bank. The only thing he didn't do is win the Royal Rumble and win King of the Ring, although the latter isn't even an accomplishment anymore, it's just a free pass to be buried for a year. He's won 12 WWE Slammy awards and won 9 HF Slammy awards (these are the ones that matter most, folks!).

He's pretty much done everything.

He is easily Hall of Fame material.

The neat thing is that each passing WrestleMania, he competed for every male title the company had. US title at 27. World title at 28. Tag titles at 29. WWE World title at 30. IC title at 31. I don't know of anyone who has had a run of Manias like that.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I've read that the suspicion is that WWE won't clear him for legal reasons. Because of the concussion lawsuits they feel that if he suffered another in one of their rings its an instant slam-dunk law suit.

Though it does beg the question if that is true, why he doesn't hightail it to the indie circuit instead of having to sit on the sidelines here.

 

[Kimi]

The legal issue is that the WWE's own doctor says that he can't wrestle. If the WWE was to ignore this, and let him wrestle again (even if other doctors have cleared him) and he got hurt, then down the road Bryan (or his family) could sure for damages. This could be decades down the line, maybe post his death.

If that was to go to court, it's a 100% chance for Bryan to win. The WWE wouldn't be able to do anything as they went against their own doctor's orders. The fact that he has had other doctors clear him doesn't matter.


More lawsuits like that are bound to happen for the WWE. It's just a case of waiting for them to happen.



As for why he hasn't left, he can't. He's got a contract with the WWE and they're not willing to release him from it.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

The legal issue is that the WWE's own doctor says that he can't wrestle. If the WWE was to ignore this, and let him wrestle again (even if other doctors have cleared him) and he got hurt, then down the road Bryan (or his family) could sure for damages. This could be decades down the line, maybe post his death.

If that was to go to court, it's a 100% chance for Bryan to win. The WWE wouldn't be able to do anything as they went against their own doctor's orders. The fact that he has had other doctors clear him doesn't matter.


More lawsuits like that are bound to happen for the WWE. It's just a case of waiting for them to happen.



As for why he hasn't left, he can't. He's got a contract with the WWE and they're not willing to release him from it.

I don't think the legal issue really matters here. Family can sue for damages regardless of how this situation is handled. Whether they clear him or not or how they clear him doesn't change that possibility from happening.

And no, it would not be a 100% chance for Bryan's family to win. And yes, having other doctors DOES matter in this situation.

And again, you are wrong about his contract status. He's an independent contractor. He can leave to do work anytime he wants and that's one part that WWE will not challenge a damn thing on since their entire pay model is based on ripping off the talents' complete lack of rights. That's why they release guys practically anytime they ask for it.

 

[Kimi]

I didn't meant that it would open the WWE up to being sued later, it's that it makes it very easy for Bryan/others to win if the WWE were to go against their own doctor.

It was how Meltzer was describing it on his show. I'm going to go with him over you as I'm sure he knows more about it than we do (on if the extra doctors matter or not, he says the fact they'll be going against their own doctor will be the damning fact against them). But he's also not a legal guy so I've no clue.



And just 'cos he's in independent contractor, it doesn't mean it's free to just walk away for nothing whenever he wants. There are plenty of cases where wrestlers have been stuck in a contract with the WWE and been unable to break it when they've wanted to leave. Rey Mystero was one such case last year (wanting to leave WWE and go to AAA).

And I don't think a 'right to earn a living/work' kind of thing would get him out. He's being paid good money still, more than he'd make on the indy circuit or in NJPW. And it's not like he isn't being used by the WWE, as he's doing all the non-wrestling rolls (which I assume are also in his contract).

But it's employment law. It's complicated and I've no idea how it all works. But I know the WWE has some really questionable stuff going on that people have issues with.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Meltzer is a journalist...not a lawyer.

As for the independent contractor thing, you talk about Rey Mysterio but that's actually an example of one leaving. He was still appearing in AAA through various means while the issue was settled but it didn't stop him from appearing there and he didn't go back to WWE when they extended his contract on a technicality.

If WWE tried to push any of that stuff to the point that a talent takes them to court, they would get taken to the cleaners based on the fact that they're not actually independent contractors to them. That's why they always settle these issues. DB is free to quit anytime he wants. He is free to ask for his release and would likely get it if it was presented to them in such a manner that they don't want it to go to courts. WWE avoids courts at all costs when it comes to talent.

 

[Kimi]

I know he's a journalist, I said he wasn't a lawyer. But he is a guy who's entire job is to look into these kind of things and say words about them. I'm going to side him over you, unless you're a lawyer or something.


I thought Mystero had been trying to leave for a while and wasn't allowed, and ended up leaving when his contract finally ended. I didn't follow it much so can't really remember the details.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I know he's a journalist, I said he wasn't a lawyer. But he is a guy who's entire job is to look into these kind of things and say words about them. I'm going to side him over you, unless you're a lawyer or something.


I thought Mystero had been trying to leave for a while and wasn't allowed, and ended up leaving when his contract finally ended. I didn't follow it much so can't really remember the details.

His job is to report news as best he can. Contract details aren't exactly readily available to him. Nobody is really an authority on the contract status of these guys and nobody really knows how the courts would deal with it because WWE has a habit of settling these issues before it ever gets that far. There's likely a reason for that.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Daniel Bryan - "The doctors have yet to clear me. I've passed every test, but the doctors haven't cleared me yet."

From his interview with Yahoo News Singapore.

 

[Frankie Spankie]

I don't know how true some of the dirt sheets are but it seems to be generally accepted everywhere that Vince doesn't care what fans want, he just wants a big, strong man to be his lead baby face, no matter how much the fans dislike him.

Part of me wonders if they're refusing to let him wrestle again because the WWE knows DB will once again be the fan favorite and he doesn't fit the mold. He's getting the pass from outside, reputable doctors, but only the WWE doctors won't clear him. Forget about these concussion lawsuits/stories because as was stated, Tommy Dreamer is wrestling now in WWE and he's seen his fair share of concussions over the years. Higher ups never wanted DB to succeed and the fans forced it on WWE to make it happen. They're probably bitter and won't take any chance on letting that happen again.

 

[George Binks]

He'll be at the rumble

 

[Emperoreddy]

Daniel Bryan - "The doctors have yet to clear me. I've passed every test, but the doctors haven't cleared me yet."

From his interview with Yahoo News Singapore.

This definitely could be a work. By most accounts it sounds like he is clear. Don't know what to think at this point.

 

[KesselBuiltMyHotrod]

If I were him and had the option I'd retire of my own volition. The long-term effects of concussions are terrifying and by all accounts he has had more than his fair share.