WWE told 5-time world champion he wouldn't be "the next John Cena" right after main eventing WrestleMania
Multi-time world champion Bryan Danielson (fka Daniel Bryan) recently recalled WWE telling him he would not be "the next John Cena" right after he main evented WrestleMania.
Danielson has had multiple runs in the Stamford-based company. His third, which lasted nearly 12 years, was arguably his most successful. The 41-year-old won many titles, including five world championships. He also main-evented several premium live events, including WrestleMania XXX.
In a recent interview with Uproxx, Danielson disclosed that despite winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XXX, the management did not see him as "the next John Cena."
"After WrestleMania 30, when I had won the championship and just main evented WrestleMania, they had a meeting with me where it was like, 'Okay, what we'd really like is to do is to set this other guy up to be the guy.' I think the phrase was the next John Cena. And I was like, 'I would like to be the next John Cena,' [and they said] nobody can be John Cena," he said.
The former World Heavyweight Champion disclosed why he appreciated being told that the company did not see him as "the guy."
"I literally just main evented WrestleMania, and you're already telling me directly — and I actually appreciated that — that you don't see me as the guy. That's good for me because [I knew] this is what I have to overcome if I want to be that. I never got there in WWE as far as being the company's guy," Danielson added. [H/T: EWrestlingNews]
Wrestlemania 30. Daniel Bryan beats Batista and Randy Orton to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion. https://t.co/B4HEgoc81K
Bryan Danielson recently opened up about his last WrestleMania match. Check out his comments here.
Bryan Danielson left WWE to join AEW
In April 2021, Bryan Danielson ended his 12-year run with WWE and left the company after his contract expired. A few months later, the former leader of the "Yes!" movement debuted in AEW.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Danielson disclosed why he decided to join Tony Khan's promotion.
"It allows me the ability to have a little more freedom with my wrestling and wrestle different people with different styles, but it's also to spend more time with my family." [H/T: TheSportsRush]
The wrestling world wants Bryan Danielson to make WWE return after his last match against Roman Reigns. Check out the details here.