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That was an extremely interesting segment, more so than Vince McMahon's segment with Finn Balor, Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman and Paul Heyman. Unlike that segment, it didn't feel too dragged out and we got some solid character work from it.
Daniel Bryan continued his "save the planet" schtick, to much success. AJ Styles also got over more as a babyface and seeing Vince McMahon between the two added a very interesting dynamic to it.
It helped that both superstars were really solid with their promos. AJ Styles didn't even need to do too much talking. Bryan alone ranted and got a lot of heat for it. It's going to be interesting to see how the WWE Championship match at Royal Rumble plays out, but either way, Daniel Bryan stood tall after drawing the ire of the boss himself. Without going much further, let's take a look at a few points to note from the segment.
#5 They aren't the hottest program on SmackDown
As sad as it is, the truth is that AJ Styles himself isn't as hot as he was last year. Granted, we're very used to seeing him in the main event scene because he was WWE Champion for over a year.
With that being said, the truth is that Styles and Bryan don't have the hottest program on the blue brand. Anything that Becky Lynch touches these days seems to turn to gold, and it's clear just based on the reactions. Asuka didn't even need to speak a word and the reaction for the segment was off the charts.
While Bryan did get a lot of heat, the overall reaction of the crowd wasn't anywhere as strong as the first segment. You could attribute that to the fact that the Becky Lynch segment was the first one, but the reaction would have been the same regardless of the placement.
#4 Daniel Bryan is finding his stride as a heel
Last year, when Daniel Bryan returned, no one could ever imagine that he could possibly be a successful heel. However, come November, he changed things up and finally turned heel. While he initially stumbled when trying to find his footing, he's really beginning to find his stride as a heel.
You could see based on the heat that he got today that the crowd loves hating him. His preachy "save the planet" attitude may not be fully wrong, but it's easily detestable and he's getting the reactions he desires while also getting Styles more over as a babyface.
This is the indication of a great wrestler. Bryan still ranks as one of the most over babyfaces in WWE history, and yet, today, he's getting booed like it's nobody's business. It's going to be interesting to see how he becomes more hated by the week.
#3 AJ Styles is still a Vince McMahon favourite
Mick Foley once said that in order to get pushed in WWE, Vince McMahon needs to be a fan of you. It's become very clear over the last 3 years that Vince McMahon is more than just a big fan of AJ Styles. Given his instant rise to the top in WWE over the course of just nine months, it was evident that McMahon wanted to push Styles as a "Top 5" star in the company.
Since then, he's become a bonafide main eventer and a 2-time WWE Champion. His year-long reign speaks volumes of McMahon's faith in him as a top star and babyface, and whether he wins at the Royal Rumble or not, AJ Styles will continue to be presented as a main event star.
McMahon saying that Styles truly lives up to his "Phenomenal" moniker speaks volumes of his perception and faith in him.
#2 Vince McMahon makes more of an impact on a segment than Shane and Stephanie
Over the last many years, we've seen the Mr McMahon character take a backseat, rarely ever appearing unless really required or to put over a superstar big time, such as Roman Reigns.
In his place, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H and from 2016, even Shane McMahon began to appear as authority figures. Shane McMahon was a fan favourite, but both he and Stephanie would often overstay their welcome and the latter got a lot of go-away heat.
When Vince McMahon is in the ring, eyes are glued on and the crowd listens. Despite all the "What" chants, it's clear that Vince McMahon has an impact that both his children lack.
His conviction and sense of authority add to the dynamic and the best part is that he doesn't make the segments about him. In this case too, the segment was clearly about Styles and Bryan, and McMahon knew that his role was just that of a prop to further their storyline.
#1 WWE wants us to believe that AJ Styles is winning
The rule of thumb with WWE is that whoever stands tall in the go-home show to a PPV is the one who ends up losing. While there have been many exceptions to this rule, it mostly holds true.
In this case, Bryan stood tall at the end, and AJ Styles, the fired-up babyface looks to be set for his third world title reign in just three years.
However, we believe that this segment is one of the exceptions to the said rule and that WWE is purposely making us believe that AJ Styles could win at the Royal Rumble. While he'll obviously get a great reaction, and fans would love to see him win it back, it's very unlikely that Bryan is losing the title.
It's his longest WWE title reign yet, and he could very well end up taking the title all the way till WrestleMania.
