Daniel Bryan: Is His Surprise Title Victory Really Worth Celebrating?

You heard the chants as soon as Big Show's head was hit by the chair. The crowd wanted Daniel Bryan to leave Baltimore with the World Heavyweight Title, and the moment seemed absolutely perfect.

I personally watched the whole thing and didn't think it would happen. Daniel Bryan said that he would patiently wait and cash his briefcase in at the biggest Wrestlemania of all time. Like an idiot, I thought that's exactly what he would do.

The man has waited years for an opportunity like this. He wouldn't go back on his word and not only cash it in, but take the belt from his friend, right?

Wrong. Once you get a taste for gold, I guess all friendships get thrown out the window.

The ultimate underdog did exactly what the crowd wanted, the ref counted to three, the roof exploded and Daniel Bryan was your new World Heavyweight Champion.

I feel for Big Show honestly, but that's beside the point. 

For the IWC, and fans of real wrestling for that matter, this may have been even more satisfying than CM Punk's victory back in July. Forget all the "indy schmucks" nonsense for a second and just celebrate it for what it is, a deserving victory for one of the greatest wrestlers in the world.

Bryan's victory was another big step in the right direction for the brand, and professional wrestling as a whole.

I mean, Daniel Bryan? Come on, this is the kind of guy that the WWE completely misuses for years and years. He was destined to be just another lost opportunity for McMahon and Co. 

Instead, the WWE continued to listen more and more to the people (or at least B/R for that matter), and gave Daniel Bryan his shot to headline Smackdown. What a way to enter 2012.

But in reality, there's just too much speculation to jump to a conclusion that Bryan is a new star.

This move by the WWE might not mean "We think Daniel Bryan will make a great champion," but more along the lines of "We don't think Daniel Bryan is anywhere near ready to headline Wrestlemania, maybe ever.  Better give him the Alberto Del Rio treatment before we make a huge mistake."

Only time will tell obviously, but former writers are already beginning to read between the lines and realize that Bryan's reign may go away as quickly as it came. 

Everyone has heard of Mark Henry's injury at this point, and the fact that the original plan was for him to leave TLC still a champion. Bryan was clearly not the WWE's first choice, and maybe this was just a way to give Bryan his 15 seconds of fame and then push him back into the midcard again.  

Bryan has improved lately in all assets of his game, though. The wrestling skills were always there, but his improved mic skills are also worth pointing out, although that might not be able to save him from a very premature reign as champion.

The WWE has done stuff like this before, constantly, and there's no doubt they'll do it again.

Still, only time will tell what will happen to Bryan. Hopefully, like Punk, the WWE will not be able to ignore this man's growing popularity, and he'll stay in the main-event scene that he clearly deserves.

Either way, this is still a great day for wrestling. Daniel Bryan is our World Heavyweight Champion, and that alone is worth celebrating.