WWE Opinion: The Pros and Cons of Turning Daniel Bryan Heel

The WWE has set the wheels in motion of a very unlikely Daniel Bryan heel turn. I say "unlikely" as Bryan is by far and away the smallest of a three-man feud between him and gargantuan superstars Mark Henry and the Big Show. 

Bryan's overly celebratory actions following a victory over Cody Rhodes this past week on RAW seemed to be an indicator that the standout submission wrestler was headed to the dark side, and his actions this past week on SmackDown solidified this notion. 

After mocking the Big Show on SmackDown in true Napoleonic fashion prior to their main-event World Title match, Bryan celebrated a disqualification victory like Vince did when he got the Rock to agree to a WrestleMania match. 

With Bryan on the inevitable path to "heeldom," an analysis of the pros and cons of a Bryan heel turn becomes one of the more intriguing discussions in the WWE.

Pro: Daniel Bryan Will Be a More Interesting Character

Let's face it, fans just weren't buying the babyface Daniel Bryan as World Champion.  Given the massive losing streak prior to his eventual cashing in of the Money in the Bank briefcase, who can blame them?

Bryan's heel character will provide fans with a refreshing heel and almost a clean slate as world champion for Bryan. 

Bryan has previously portrayed a heel character in ROH and was strong in this role.  Should the WWE get behind him as a heel, he should be similarly as successful. 

Con: Daniel Bryan Will Not Win Many Matches Clean

And let's put a number on the amount of clean matches that heel Daniel Bryan will win: Zero. 

The WWE in this day and age has demonstrated a proclivity for inconsequential finishes, and tend to do so more often with heels. 

Sheamus—who was a monster who needed clean victories—had his two WWE Championship reigns littered with non-clean finishes that did nothing to further him as a legitimate champion. 

Expect more of the same from Daniel Bryan who, as a smaller heel, would be more compatible with BS victories in the eyes of an at-times incompetent WWE creative team. 

Pro: Michael Cole May Eventually Become Pro-Daniel Bryan

This is a positive in that Cole is doing Bryan no favors by burying him every week on commentary as lead announcer. 

The more Bryan heels out, the more Cole will likely take a liking to Bryan and, unlikely enough, could become one of his allies a la the Miz in 2010. 

As detrimental as Cole can be on commentary, a pro-Bryan Cole would help the cause in getting fans to buy into Bryan as World Champion. 

Con: Daniel Bryan's in-Ring Work Is Too Pretty

One of the challenges for Bryan as a heel will be to dial down his otherwise brilliant in-ring work in an effort to make him more booable.  Daniel Bryan in his truest form is a consummate babyface and one of the reasons for this is that fans enjoy watching him perform in the ring. 

Bryan will have to work more like a heel and rely on heel tactics such as shortcuts and cheap moves in exchange for the proficient submission wrestling fans have come to know and love. 

Pro: A Possible Match Between Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton Could Be Fun

With Daniel Bryan as a heel and Randy Orton an early favorite to win the Royal Rumble, a possible collision course seems to be set for WrestleMania.  Bryan has said in previous interviews that he would love the opportunity to face Randy Orton at WrestleMania since he perceives Orton as the best in the business. 

A Bryan/Orton match is a rarity—a rarity in and of itself given the saturated TV schedule in the current pro wrestling landscape—and if built up correctly, this is clearly a match that could steal the show at WrestleMania XXVIII.

Con: Daniel Bryan's Size Makes Him a Tough Sell as a Heel

With babyfaces such as Sheamus, Randy Orton, Mark Henry and the Big Show to likely contend with, Daniel Bryan will walk into many matches as the smaller individual.  It is unusual for heels to be of the smaller variety, and fans may have trouble buying Bryan in this position. 

The key is for Bryan to come off like a supreme athlete while still drawing heat as a heel—something much easier said than done. 

Pro: Daniel Bryan Is Better on the Mic Than You May Think

Bryan is often knocked by Michael Cole on commentary for a perceived lack of charisma, but this simply isn't true. 

Bryan is actually quite good on the microphone, and his heel persona will afford him more creative freedom to say whatever he wants in order to incite a reaction from the fans. 

Con: Possible Reaching by the Creative Team

If, for whatever reason, fans don't immediately latch onto Daniel Bryan as a heel initially, WWE may seek desperate measures in an attempt to get Daniel Bryan over as a heel.

Such measures could include, but may not be limited to, dying Bryan's hair, changing his gear, and even having Bryan growing out more of an epic beard. 

Worst case scenario, the WWE could demonstrate familiar tendencies of impatience and give up on a Daniel Bryan heel run altogether—a looming threat that always plagues young talent. 

Big Nasty won three Fantasy FaNASTY Football Championships in 2011 and he still had time to break down Chris Jericho's return.  See him do both on B/R Video.