Former World Heavyweight and Tag Team Champion Daniel Bryan recently say down with RVAmag.com for and interview. During the conversation, Bryan talks about his beard, the differences between working a WWE show as opposed to a Ring of Honor event, not driving or riding with “The Ryback” anymore, dating Brie Bella, working with The Shield, and much, much more. Here are some highlights from the interview…
On his beard, and how it started as a “beard off” with Major League Baseball star Josh Reddick: “Oh my gosh! Yeah, I have no idea. I don’t know why he did it. I just can’t believe it. One of the guys who runs the YouTube stuff for WWE is the one who actually told me about it. I came back from a match and he said, “Congratulations!” I was like, “Uh, what are you talking about. I just did like a three minute match out there.” He said, “No, you won the beard-off. Josh Reddick just shaved his beard.” I’m still growing my beard, so if he wants to try and catch up, I’m more than willing to keep it up. Up to him.”
On wrestling Seth Rollins now as opposed to when they both were in Ring of Honor: “Well, I think we’ve both evolved as wrestlers, in some ways good and in some ways bad, but a big difference is the crowd. It’s way different wrestling in front of 500-700 people than it is wrestling in front of thousands of people, you know? Unfortunately we haven’t had a singles match yet, but I would love to be able to wrestle Seth Rollins in a singles match and really show people what we can do.”
Opinions about The Shield: “I think The Shield has done a fantastic job. It’s very difficult to come into the WWE, be put in the main spot, and to hold up your end of the deal. Those guys really have. I think it’s because Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins spent years in the indies before getting here. Then Roman Reigns, who had very limited experience before coming to WWE, has really stepped up and done a great job. I have nothing but respect for those guys and they’ve done amazingly so far. More than half the time, they go out there and steal the show.”
On traveling with Ryback: “Actually, The Ryback stopped riding with me! It’s unfortunate, but I don’t think it’s because of the constant hazing I’ve given him. We had fun together and it went both ways really, but he prefers to ride by himself. He has a very specific schedule that he likes to keep. It’s hard because when you’re riding with someone, your schedules have to coincide or else it just doesn’t work. I’m somebody who likes to go to bed early and wake up early. A lot of guys like to stay up later, wake up later, and get their stuff done. Different people require different riding partners really.”
On dating WWE Diva Brie Bella and her new reality show: “So I will be on the show, I think, but it’s strange. It’s reality television, so they film like thousands of hours of footage to do, I don’t how many episodes it is, but forty-four minute episodes. So it would be very easy for them to just cut me out of all of it. So as far as how much you’ll actually see me, I have no idea, but I know the actual focus is on the Divas. It’s been harder, actually, now that they’ve been filming this reality show because Brie has to go do certain things for the show, you know what I mean? Before Brie came back, I’d be on the road and come back and we’d have our time at home just together just completely by ourselves before I would go back on the road. Now, it’s a little more interesting because she’s on the road sometimes with me, sometimes on a different brand or something like that, but we’ll see each other more on the road and we get less quality alone time at home. So it’s an ever-evolving situation.”
Bryan goes on to talk about his “Yes!” chant phenomenon, eating as a vegetarian, and more. You can read the entire interview here.
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