Wade Keller: What are your thoughts on Daniel Bryan winning the WWE World Title? Will he draw well and sellout shows and draw TV ratings?
Steve Austin: First of all, I’m glad to see Daniel Bryan as the champion and I think it’s got to be a tremendous feeling of pride for himself after everything he’s accomplished. He’s not the biggest guy in the world, he’s not the best looking guy in the world, he’s a hell of a damn worker, he’s a unique personality, and I just hopes he carries the belt to the best of his ability. I know without a shadow of a doubt that’s what he’ll do. Now, whether he maintains ratings, whether he draws houses in the arena, that is gonna be - the proof will be in the pudding, so there’s no use in me speculating about that. When the receipts come in, that’s when we will know.
Keller: I know a lot of people who look at the crowd reactions that Daniel Bryan gets and go, “That is enough reason to put the machine behind him and see how far they can ride him.” And then there is a wide range of people, in the industry and on the outside, who go, “Look at him. Yes, he’s getting a crowd reaction, but it’s just because it’s fun to chant Yes! and he’s a great hand in the ring, he’s got great energy,” but the gimmick with Triple H and Steph is a reflection of how people feel about him behind the scenes. Which is that the crowd reactions are intense, but the only people who will pay to see him are the people in the buildings, and they want someone who can draw from the mainstream and represent the brand. How do you feel about those two arguments, because I haven’t seen in a long a crowd reaction like Daniel Bryan gets. I want to see what they can make out of it. I don’t want there to be a sense that they’re trying to prove right that he’s not a draw. I want the machine him to see what he can do, because those crowd reactions are unorthodox and worth exploring.
Austin: It’s the damnedest crowd reaction I’ve seen in a long, long time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it - that Yes! chant and everyone pumping their fists like they do. So the fact that he took the belt at Mania, damn right the machine needs to get behind him 120 percent and push him to the moon.
Keller: Is there anyone as a worker in the ring that he reminds you of in terms of his style and what he brings to the table? What do you most respect about what he does in the ring as a worker? His offense, his selling, playing to the crowd, his comebacks? From a great worker’s perspective, what do you see that is really good or great about Daniel Bryan?
Austin: I just like his body of work. Sometimes I’ve seen shades of Japanese style in him, shades of Steve Regal in him, which are obviously two tremendous styles. Just as a mechanic, pretty much peerless. Everything looks good. Great offense. No gaps. He’s a damn good worker. I give his work an A+.
