Wrestling legend discloses backstage reason why WWE abruptly ended Daniel Bryan's 2018 heel run (Exclusive)
Daniel Bryan's 2018-2019 heel run was nearly unmatched, and it was all the more surprising because many fans viewed him as a lifelong babyface. There was also disappointment when this heel run ended abruptly. Former SmackDown writer Brian James fka Road Dogg revealed the reason behind the end of his epic run.
Brian James was a critical backstage figure on the blue brand during that era. It was filled with great talent, and Daniel Bryan, in particular, had only been back in the ring for a little over half a year when he turned heel.
That was perhaps one of the few reasons why it came as such a surprise when he not only turned heel but went on to have the best run of his career from a character standpoint. However, the run would quietly end in the summer of 2019 when he turned face again.
On the latest episode of The Wrestling Outlaws, Brian James told Vince Russo and Dr. Chris Featherstone that he convinced Daniel Bryan to spend money on a hemp title - a key component of his "champion of the planet" run:
"If you remember, he had a title, and it was during my era. I talked him into spending money for a hemp title. I said, 'You can sell these things', he was the earth guy," James recalled. (2:00-2:10)
Vince Russo quickly pointed out that the incredible run ended so quickly and asked James why. The latter said that the backstage reason was simply to even out the roster at the time and there wasn't too much thought put into it:
"We're going to turn him babyface and we're going to do this because we need to even out the roster. And look, sometimes those late nights, you get a look at that roster and all of a sudden you're turning people heel on Tuesday. As a lead writer, let's give this great wrestler who is a funny guy some character and here we go - with Team Hell No," James added. (2:27-3:05)
You can watch the full video below:
Daniel Bryan's heel run culminated with Kofi Kingston's WrestleMania moment
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Perhaps the high point of Daniel Bryan's incredible "champion of the planet" run was the fact that it directly resulted in KofiMania and the rise of Kofi Kingston.
While we all know the circumstances and Mustafa Ali's injury leading to the run, not enough credit has been given to Bryan.
The entire stretch from February to April 2018 was nothing short of genius from a character perspective. Daniel Bryan, who once used the "Yes" chant along with the WWE Universe, began to get detested and only used it as a way to mock his opponents and other fans.
Without Bryan's incredible character work, it's unlikely that fans would have been as invested in KofiMania.
Do you think Daniel Bryan's 2018-2019 run was the best of his career? Sound off in the comments below.
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