Fansided

Why Daniel Bryan is a WWE Hall of Famer

By Daniel Yanofsky

Professional Wrestling: WWE Hall of Fame Induction: Daniel Bryan at podium with Ultimate Warrior statue behind him during ceremony at SAP Center. San Jose, CA 3/28/2015 CREDIT: Jed Jacobsohn (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X159444 TK1 )
Professional Wrestling: WWE Hall of Fame Induction: Daniel Bryan at podium with Ultimate Warrior statue behind him during ceremony at SAP Center. San Jose, CA 3/28/2015 CREDIT: Jed Jacobsohn (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X159444 TK1 ) /
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As we look back on Daniel Bryan’s career, one has to wonder if he is a legitimate candidate for the WWE Hall of Fame

The news of Daniel Bryan’s retirement on Monday Night RAW this past week has rocked the internet. Fans, fellow wrestlers and various promotions have sent their regards to the leader of the “Yes Movement.” His retirement on RAW was a very emotional segment, on par with Ric Flair’s and Edge’s a few years ago. If this is truly the last hoorah for Daniel Bryan, it was an honor watching his matches and various accomplishments. After all of that, there is one question that needs to be asked:

Is Daniel Bryan a WWE Hall of Famer?

An interesting question considering he has not spent that much time in WWE. Then again, neither did “Stone Cold” Steve Austin when he reached his peak of popularity with the company. Just like Steve Austin, Daniel Bryan has been one of the hottest commodities in WWE history. A simple chant of “Yes!” made this man a beloved underdog, and someone that fans can truly relate to.

If you want to see how over Daniel Bryan was with the company, check out one of my favorite moments of his WWE career:

Wow! That was truly spine-tingling. If he was to come back for a small appearance I’m sure he would still receive that type of reaction. While we are looking at career highlights, let’s check his resume. In only a few years with WWE, this is what Daniel Bryan has accomplished:

Let’s not forget all of the great matches he has had against the following wrestlers: Dolph Ziggler at Bragging Rights in 2010, Triple H at WrestleMania 30, John Cena at the 2013 SummerSlam PPV, all of the CM Punk matches in late 2012 as well as with Bray Wyatt at the 2014 Royal Rumble. His 2-out-of-3 falls match against Sheamus at the 2012 Extreme Rules PPV was refreshing after getting screwed out of his title at WrestleMania XXVIII.

The list can go on and on. Even when he is facing big guys like Kane or Big Show, Daniel Bryan made sure to put on a classic.

If you were to combine his 16+ years in the indies and Ring of Honor with his WWE career, I believe that would also be enough to allow him into the Hall of Fame. He transcended the way a wrestler was reacted to in WWE. Whenever the company put him down, the fans were there to cheer him on. His “Yes!” chants are also a national phenomenon, being used by various professional sports teams.

While the WWE Hall of Fame has been criticized for their questionable inductees, solidifying Daniel Bryan would make fans okay with it. As a wrestler, he was a true role model for kid with a simple message: never give up your dream, no matter how many times people put you down. He loved wrestling, and he gave all he had to the business. It’s only fitting that he gets something back.

There is clear evidence that provides Daniel Bryan a chance to be invited into the WWE Hall of Fame. All we have to do now is wait. When/if it happens, the world will collectively yell, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” at the man known as Daniel Bryan.

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