5 Top WWE Superstars who had an awkward first meeting with Vince McMahon

#3. Daniel Bryan - An "awkward and uncomfortable" first meeting with Vince McMahon

Daniel Bryan and Vince McMahon backstage on SmackDown Live

Daniel Bryan took a few years to truly win Vince McMahon over, but his talent was quickly recognized. Interestingly enough, he was signed to a developmental contract with WWE in 2000-2001 and made a few appearances in the company without a contract between 2002 and 2003.

However, Bryan's first interaction with McMahon took place in 2008 when he was with Ring Of Honor. A blocked number appeared on Daniel Bryan's phone, but he picked it up anyway, with the person on the other line saying "Hi, this is Vince McMahon".

While Bryan thought he was joking at first, he went with it, and the WWE Chairman told him that Shawn Michaels spoke very highly of him. He called for a meeting and ended up in Oakland where RAW was being taped.

Bryan detailed his meeting with Vince McMahon to WWE.com, saying:

“I didn’t even know how to sit in a suit. He asked me things like, ‘What would you like to see happen?’ I told him that I’d like to come in and be a top guy, but I had concerns about not being very big. I have a very self-deprecating sense of humor and think of myself as a humble person, so it’s hard for me to say that I’m good at something. Vince said, ‘Shawn tells me you’re very good.’ And I just said, ‘Well, I’m okay.’ And I could tell instantly he disliked that."

Daniel Bryan summed up his first meeting with Vince McMahon as "awkward and uncomfortable.":

“It was very awkward and very uncomfortable. Vince takes these very long pauses after he asks you a question and you answer him. He’ll just look at you. Some will start talking, which I think he likes because it shows they’re uncomfortable. I was uncomfortable, but I just looked at him. I was waiting for him to talk and he was waiting for me to talk. It was surreal," added Daniel Bryan.

Thankfully, their relationship grew and McMahon recognized Bryan's potential. Five World Championships, a decade-long tenure, and two WrestleMania main events later, it's safe to say that Vince McMahon sees Daniel Bryan for the talent that he is.