wrestling / Columns

A Big Hell Yes For Team Hell No

July 5, 2018 | Posted by Steve Cook
Team Hell No WWE Smackdown 62618 Image Credit: WWE

I think one thing that fans don’t do enough of is take account into what the people they’re fans of actually want. Fans want certain things out of the people they support. In the case of professional wrestlers, fans want classic matches every night, constant reigns with championships & a perpetual spot in the main event.

Daniel Bryan’s fans are more vocal about these things than most wrestlers’ fanbases. I’ve argued that they’re the most impatient of any fanbase of a professional wrestler. If Bryan isn’t in the main event, it’s bad. Should Bryan not be World Champion, or at least fighting for the title, it’s bad. If Bryan isn’t facing one of the workrate favorites, it’s bad.

WWE hasn’t been doing these things with Bryan, for the most part. They’ve held off on feuds the IWC would like to see, like Bryan vs. AJ Styles or Bryan vs. Shinsuke Nakamura or Bryan vs. Samoa Joe. They’re even doing a slow burn on Bryan vs. The Miz, which even Bryan isn’t sure they can pull off. They’re making Bryan’s fans wait for what they want to see.

It sure shows that they think he’s going to extend his contract. Bryan talked about it recently with The Gorilla Position. Everybody jumped on his comments about WWE Creative, but there was something else that caught my ear even more. Thanks to Fightful for the transcription.

I’ve been talking to WWE about maybe doing a lighter schedule because when Vince told me to send the letter to Dr. Maroon he said for me to say ‘for a limited schedule,’” said Bryan. “They clear me and I’m just on everything. I wasn’t expecting this. When people asked me before ‘what’s your ideal schedule?’…anywhere between 50 and 100 matches a year,” he added.

It’s simple logic. Bryan knows the risk he takes into the ring with him every night. One bad bump means the end of his career, this time for good. With that in mind, stepping into the ring on every single show featuring the SmackDown brand doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for him. It does make sense to WWE. Even if they value Bryan’s long-term health, they also value the boost he brings to SmackDown’s bottom line. Shows with Bryan advertised as wrestling have more viability than shows without him.

I believe that WWE has happened into something of a compromise here. They want Bryan on more shows, but Bryan’s current workload is pushing the limit of what he should be doing. What’s the best way to keep somebody on shows while placing a limit on their physical activity?

Stick them in a tag team.

Kane Kane's

Say what you will about Kane. I’ve certainly said plenty about Kane over the years. One of the highlights of his & Bryan’s careers was their time together as Team Hell No. It showcased a different side of the Devil’s Favorite Demon while pushing Bryan to another level with the WWE Universe by putting him on the same plane as one of the company’s longest-running acts. The anger management counseling alone was enough to cement their status as one of the most popular tag teams of this decade.

They’ve certainly had an up & down relationship over the years. I prefer them as tag team partners & friends, so I was happy to see them get back together. It cuts Bryan’s work in half. It gives Kane something important to do in his last run before becoming the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee.

Perhaps most importantly of all, it gives the Bludgeon Brothers something to do. Harper & Rowan are impressive looking dudes & work well together, but so far things have been way too easy for them. After going through the Usos & the New Day like a hot knife through butter, Harper & Rowan haven’t had a whole lot going on. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson are good brothers, but if the Usos & New Day can’t compete against these guys, the Club doesn’t stand a chance.

Kane & Bryan are another story entirely. Even with the ring rust & the fact that Kane was trying to kill Bryan the last few times we saw them together, people still buy into them against whoever they step into the ring with. Harper & Rowan are big, scary dudes. Kane’s bigger & scarier, & Bryan’s unafraid & more gifted than almost anybody in the ring. It’s a great combination of skill, strength & experience.

I’d like to see Team Hell No win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships & have a brief run with them before losing them back to Harper & Rowan. I feel the Bludgeon Brothers would benefit from the loss, as it would make them even meaner & angrier. The fans would get to celebrate the victory, and everybody would be happy for at least a few minutes or so. Kane & Bryan can part amicably afterwards & attend to their own business.

I feel it’s more likely that Kane will turn against Bryan, sooner rather than later. After all, it’s Kane we’re talking about here. The guy is known to have violent outbursts when he’s angry, which is pretty often. They might get a title reign together, but the story likely ends with Bryan & Kane on opposite sides.

Some might wonder if Kane’s political career might keep such a thing from happening. Those wondering about that haven’t been keeping up with American politics. Not only do we cheer heels at wrestling shows, we vote for them. I would think that Kane’s mayoral duties might keep him from wrestling…but if other politicians can focus so much attention on their golf game maybe Kane can still attend to his business in WWE.

OK, probably not. But if WWE is looking for things for Daniel Bryan to do other than what the Internet crowd is suggesting, Kane’s at least a step up from Big Cass.

Being a Daniel Bryan fan these days is all about patience. Unless you’re more of a casual fan, then you’re giving it a big HELL YES because he’s teaming with Kane again. Sounds like a nice way to see things, doesn’t it?