If this is all storyline and Bryan eventually gets into the main event...

[Messiah]

How much is forgiven and how much is not?

More and more, I just find it EXTREMELY unlikely they would run a Batista/Orton match in the main event of WrestleMania. KaiserGlider made an excellent point - Batista is in a huge, prominent movie this Summer so it kind of makes sense (albeit still horrific). I don't buy for a second he will win the title, but that might be giving the WWE too much credit. Nonetheless I just can't really picture a scenario (then again, I am thinking logically and the WWE does not sometimes) where Bryan isn't involved. So, say his tweets do mean something and this all just goes to be a storyline where Bryan continues to fight the system and finally walks out of WrestleMania with the WWE Championship. Will this be forgiven and if so, how much?

[Everlong]

They've already tremendously pissed off millions of fans with what they did at Royal Rumble. While obviously people still want to see Bryan pick up the title at Mania, it'd feel completely disingenuous now. Last night was a pretty clear "fuck you" symbol to Bryan and to the fans, and they got appropriately shat on for that decision.

To make an analogy, it's sort of like a situation in which a prominent person, let's say a politician, does something wrong that completely fucks with millions of people, and then only after hearing the uproar does he or she apologize and make amends. Sure, it's nice that they issued the apology and tried to change things, but are people really going to be quick to forgive the initial transgression? Probably not.

A lot of the emotion that would have occurred in a WrestleMania ending with Daniel Bryan on top was lost because of WWE's decision last night. There'll still be tons of excited fans if Bryan has his big WrestleMania moment, but that excitement will also come with an air of cynicism rather than unbridled exuberance.

[Hanley!]

Yeah, I'm with Tim on this. If they dig their way out of this hole, that won't suddenly make the Royal Rumble pay per view any less of a disappointment. And this is a show that people paid money for, so the fact that they came away underwhelmed is definitely a bad thing.

I remember the same conversation coming up when Jericho did his ridiculous troll return a couple of years ago. People were saying that it'd be all worth it if it ended up going somewhere good. I always held the opinion that even if it led to a good pay off, it wouldn't redeem the shitty return. Then it DIDN'T lead to a good pay off and proved that debates like this, while interesting, are usually redundant when it comes to the WWE. Things probably are not going to get better.

[Viazon]

I just don't know how they could come to the conclusion that anyone other than Bryan should be the Royal Rumble winner. If the WWE were smart then they would no that no one wanted Batista to win. When the 30th entrant came out and it was clear that Bryan wasn't going to be in the Rumble, the crowd started booing immediately. Listen to the boos after Batista won. That is not the reaction the Rumble winner should be getting. The Rumble is done. What happened has happened. I just hope that they fix this and eventually give Bryan the push he deserves.

[Chewy]

They could have a number one contenders match tonight on Raw and have Bryan absolutely squash Batista and it wouldn't even come close to saving themselves.

[ShaneOfan]

The thing is they screwed the fans. Even if it WAS a storyline thing it was a very bad one. Anything that loses viewers and pisses off your fans is a bad idea.

[The Legend]

The thing is they screwed the fans. Even if it WAS a storyline thing it was a very bad one. Anything that loses viewers and pisses off your fans is a bad idea.

I'm going to disagree with this in a pretty major way. A lot of wrestling's best historic angles were things where it seemed like they weren't going to give fans what they want and a delayed gratification angle that builds up anticipation. Now that's not to say I think Batista winning the Rumble is a good idea, because it isn't. However, if all the WWE did was give the fans what they think they want (first of all, as if that's a unanimous concensus ever) then people would start bitching about it being boring and predictable.

[Everlong]

The thing is they screwed the fans. Even if it WAS a storyline thing it was a very bad one. Anything that loses viewers and pisses off your fans is a bad idea.

I'm going to disagree with this in a pretty major way. A lot of wrestling's best historic angles were things where it seemed like they weren't going to give fans what they want and a delayed gratification angle that builds up anticipation. Now that's not to say I think Batista winning the Rumble is a good idea, because it isn't. However, if all the WWE did was give the fans what they think they want (first of all, as if that's a unanimous concensus ever) then people would start bitching about it being boring and predictable.

Predictable doesn't always mean boring, though. Look at the way the final season of Breaking Bad went. Even a lot of the best storylines in WWE history were incredibly predictable. Everyone knew Chris Benoit was going to fight his way up from the first spot in the Royal Rumble and win the title at WrestleMania. Everyone knew that Batista was going to turn on Triple H and take him down in WrestleMania 21's main event. But these storylines still got over huge anyway, because they were executed well.

This isn't even a delayed gratification storyline with Daniel Bryan. It'd be different if Bryan was actually involved in a storyline on screen at WrestleMania that prevented him from even being included in the Rumble match. It would plant the seeds for a story that would basically be Bryan fighting the authority, who refuses to give him a fair shake, etc. What happened yesterday was pretty obviously either incompetence or spite, not delayed gratification.

[Chewy]

The thing is they screwed the fans. Even if it WAS a storyline thing it was a very bad one. Anything that loses viewers and pisses off your fans is a bad idea.

I'm going to disagree with this in a pretty major way. A lot of wrestling's best historic angles were things where it seemed like they weren't going to give fans what they want and a delayed gratification angle that builds up anticipation. Now that's not to say I think Batista winning the Rumble is a good idea, because it isn't. However, if all the WWE did was give the fans what they think they want (first of all, as if that's a unanimous concensus ever) then people would start bitching about it being boring and predictable.

Predictable doesn't always mean boring, though. Look at the way the final season of Breaking Bad went. Even a lot of the best storylines in WWE history were incredibly predictable. Everyone knew Chris Benoit was going to fight his way up from the first spot in the Royal Rumble and win the title at WrestleMania. Everyone knew that Batista was going to turn on Triple H and take him down in WrestleMania 21's main event. But these storylines still got over huge anyway, because they were executed well.

This isn't even a delayed gratification storyline with Daniel Bryan. It'd be different if Bryan was actually involved in a storyline on screen at WrestleMania that prevented him from even being included in the Rumble match. It would plant the seeds for a story that would basically be Bryan fighting the authority, who refuses to give him a fair shake, etc. What happened yesterday was pretty obviously either incompetence or spite, not delayed gratification.

Exactly, if it had any semblance of being part of something more than just Batista winning and that it was just another road block to Bryan, then why didn't they put Bryan into the rumble. Even if Batista was to eliminate Bryan last, the most ardent WWE sympathiser could buy into it a bit longer.

The only way that anyone could make the WWE take notice is to have the WM audience walk out before the Batista Orton match. Fat fucking chance though.

[SKS]

I can see Daniel Bryan winning the Elimination Chamber match and facing Batista or Brock Lesnar at 'Mania. I don't think there's a chance in hell that Orton is champ after that night.

Lesnar vs Batista at Elimination Chamber with the #1 contender spot on the line should happen, for the sole reason of getting Batista out of the main event at 'Mania.

The Royal Rumble match was a mess, especially the ending. I'd hope the WWE aren't stupid enough to ignore the chants and boos. They can either keep Batista face and have the crowd boo him, or turn him heel to "justify" the boos. Either way, if Batista headlines 'Mania and walks out as champ, it's a complete joke. He hasn't had an actual match in 4 years, and to just throw him in the main event of 'Mania after being back for like 6 days is ridiculous.

I'd be satisfied if Bryan is in the main event of 'Mania. Won't make the decision to have Batista in the main event any less stupid though, I'd much rather have Lesnar.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Also, having caught the last ten mins, if Bryan was to be in the main event somehow and considering the boos at the end, the commentators might have dropped a line mentioning the reaction or Bryan but they stayed on script which says to me that Bryan's hopes a main event have dimished, if not ended already.

[SortaCreative]

Also, having caught the last ten mins, if Bryan was to be in the main event somehow and considering the boos at the end, the commentators might have dropped a line mentioning the reaction or Bryan but they stayed on script which says to me that Bryan's hopes a main event have dimished, if not ended already.

They did mention the chants and boo's during the World Title match.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Also, having caught the last ten mins, if Bryan was to be in the main event somehow and considering the boos at the end, the commentators might have dropped a line mentioning the reaction or Bryan but they stayed on script which says to me that Bryan's hopes a main event have dimished, if not ended already.

They did mention the chants and boo's during the World Title match.

But that was just the general boos for that match though wasn't it?

They didn't mention the boos for Batista (but tbf they wouldn't want to shit on the Rumble winner no matter who it was but would have been fun if Cole had ripped into like he did with a Jericho segment last year I think it was lol) but I would have thought if there was something planned for Bryan they might have said, something like "Batista wins but the crowd here don't seem too happy with one superstar not appearing in the Rumble" but again, goes back to the point of not shitting on the Rumble winner but had they had some angle planned for Bryan then they would have mentioned something about him.