ECW Original Steve Corino recently spoke with the Shining Wizards podcast and discussed Daniel Bryan’s popularity:
“We over-think sometimes as fans. I watch Raw and Smackdown as a fan. I never try to over-analyze and say they’re doing this or that wrong. There is no doubt that Daniel Bryan is so over, right? But, you don’t think WWE knows this? You don’t think a money making machine like WWE doesn’t see what’s going on? I think us as wrestling fans want Daniel Bryan to be in that main event spot right now, whereas the WWE says we’re making money off this guy right now. Let’s string it along and see how far we can go because we’re going to need a main event for Wrestlemania 31. Stone Cold Steve Austin was over at King Of The Ring 1996, but go back and see how long it took him, as they strung him along, and people wanted to cheer, and they were cheering him at Survivor Series 1996 with Bret (Hart). They were cheering him in every match, and finally they did the turn and put the rocket up his ass a little bit after WrestleMania 13 and he didn’t get the belt until the next WrestleMania, so you have a year and a half where they knew he was over and he was going to make big money for them and they just took their time, and I think that’s what they’re doing here with Daniel. They know he’s over and he’s not going anywhere. Think about how genius it was putting him with The Wyatt family for 3 weeks. They literally turn him heel and the crowd said no way. The fans feel like Bryan is one of them and he is doing everything they would do if they were wrestlers. I think it’s great. To me, if I’m Vince McMahon or Triple H or Stephanie McMahon, I have it in my mind how Daniel Bryan vs. CM Punk is my main event for WrestleMania 31.”
