Daniel Bryan’s meteoric rise to the top of WWE remains one of the most memorable fan-driven success stories in modern wrestling history, and a recent discussion on Talk Is Jericho shed more light on how Bryan was viewed behind the scenes during that period.
During an episode of the podcast, guest Paul Petrone reflected on Bryan’s popularity between 2012 and 2014, a stretch that ultimately culminated in Bryan headlining WrestleMania XXX and capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
According to Petrone, fan support for Bryan reached a level that WWE could no longer ignore.
“The fans are so pissed they’re hijacking everything. Just for people who don’t know, Daniel Bryan was like the most over guy in the company at that time. Maybe him, [CM] Punk, and maybe you, [Chris] Jericho. He was getting these huge reactions, but it was very similar to how Vince [McMahon] was booking Bret Hart in the early days. Great in the ring, but he didn’t think he had that larger-than-life personality that could be his next Hogan.”
Throughout that era, Bryan became the centerpiece of the wildly popular “Yes Movement,” with audiences routinely hijacking shows by chanting his name and demanding a bigger role for him on WWE television.
Jericho then added an anecdote about Vince McMahon’s reported perception of Bryan, recalling one particular reason he believed McMahon wasn’t immediately sold on the future WWE Champion.
“He [Vince] didn’t like Bryan because Bryan was a vegan. Classic Vince. There were other reasons, but I remember that was one of them. [Jericho does impression] ‘He doesn’t eat steak, ugh.’”
Whether serious or partially tongue-in-cheek, Jericho’s recollection highlights the often-discussed differences between McMahon’s traditional vision of a WWE superstar and Bryan’s unconventional path to stardom.
Despite any reported reservations, Bryan ultimately became one of WWE’s most beloved performers of his generation. His popularity reached such a level that WWE adjusted its WrestleMania XXX plans, inserting him into the main event where he defeated Batista and Randy Orton to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in one of the company’s most celebrated WrestleMania moments.
More than a decade later, Bryan’s rise is still frequently cited as one of the clearest examples of fan support influencing WWE creative direction, turning a performer many viewed as an underdog into one of the defining stars of his era.
