WWE Smackdown general manager Daniel Bryan is the guest on this week’s sit-down interview hosted by Michael Cole, talking Shane McMahon being beaten down by Brock Lesnar, his first month on the job at Smackdown, the injury of Finn Balor and more.
On the injury of former Universal Champion Finn Balor:
That kind of stuff happens. The most tragic part to me is that it happens as soon as he gets up here. ANd I think of the things that really upsets me about the whole situation is that Finn Balor should have been up here a year and a half ago. And I understand that NXT is a very important part of our programming, and a very important part of the Network, but he was a Superstar when we signed him. Some people have to adjust to the WWE style, but that takes no more than – for a guy like Finn Balor – that takes no more than six months. He’s in the prime of his career right now. He just turned 35 the day he debuted on Raw. He should have been here a year and a half ago.
On world class stars who remain in NXT instead of being brought up to the main roster:
Samoe Joe should already be here. Shinsuke Nakamure should already be here. Those are guys in their primes, and their down in NXT when they should be here; either on Smackdown Live or on Raw. The longer we wait, the more bumps they take, the more bruises they get and the more susceptible they are to injury. Everyone knows there’s a finite amount of hits you can take in your career, and you don’t know what that number is, and the more times you take those hits down in NXT the less hits you’re going to be able to take while you’re here.
On Smackdown commissioner Shane McMahon being attacked by Brock Lesnar at WWE SummerSlam:
I wish I was cleared. My dream match was always against Brock Lesnar. One of the things that appealed to me about the fans is that I’ve always been an underdog. And what bigger underdog match is there than Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan. That’s like David vs. Goliath. He’s never fought someone like me. I was working on this new style, before they told me I couldn’t wrestle anymore, that’s really unlike anything else, just in the way that I move.
