USA Today Showcases Daniel Bryan and the Yes! Movement

USA Today spoke with WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan about his recent emergence in pop culture as of late, as the former WWE and World Heavyweight Champion’s “Yes!” chants have become popular throughout the world.

The article makes note that the traction began in January when he got a text from Titus O’Neil while in his hotel room.

“All of a sudden I get a text from one of our other Superstars, Titus O’Neil,” Bryan told USA TODAY Sports. “It said, ‘If you’re in your hotel room right now and have ESPN, turn it on.’ “

Bryan took O’Neil’s advice and saw Travis Jackson, a junior center on Michigan State’s football team, standing on the basketball court at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. Jackson pointed his index fingers to the sky, bent his arms at the elbow and led 14,797 people in a chant that Bryan has implanted in popular culture in the past year.

The article also mentions how WWE has become a part of pop culture when it comes to introducing words that catch on, such as “smackdown” in the early-2000s. Stephanie McMahon was even interviewed for the piece, and offered her own insight.

“Throughout WWE’s history our Superstars and their catchphrases have often become part of the pop-culture lexicon, and Daniel Bryan’s ‘Yes!’ chant is the latest example of this phenomenon,” said Stephanie McMahon, WWE’s Chief Brand Officer. “WWE is all about having fun, bringing people together and making them smile, and the Yes! Movement accomplishes all of this at WWE events and beyond.”

One of the themes explored in the piece is also the concept of being an underdog, as displayed by fans of St. Bonaventure, another school that has adopted the chants.

“That kind of embodies who we are,” said Steve Mest, St. Bonaventure’s Associate Athletic Director for Communications. We’re definitely an underdog story in the (Atlantic 10). We’ve always been an underdog, so I guess it fits.”

Bryan said, “With wrestling, you can’t describe how that connection with an audience happens. I can’t teach anybody how that happens. The bad things that have happened to me in WWE have made that connection stronger.

“I definitely think that’s part of it. I’m definitely an underdog.”

The entire read, which talks about the history of the chant as well, can be found here.