By JENNIFER AMATO & TAYLOR LIER
Hundreds of wrestling fans will be throwing their arms up in the air for the popular “Yes!” chant when a WWE superstar makes a local appearance this month. Daniel Bryan said he is looking forward to his upcoming meet-and-greet at iPlay America in Freehold Township on June 28.
“I’ve never been to an iPlay America before. It sounds like a lot of fun,” the 34-year-old wrestler said of the indoor arcade and amusement center. “One of the most fun things for us to do is getting the chance to go out and meet the people who support us, the people who pay to come see us do what we love to do. We have the best fans in the world, and getting the chance to meet them is awesome.”
Having wrestled in New Jersey during WrestleMania 29 at MetLife Stadium in 2013, Bryan is no stranger to the Garden State. He said some of his biggest shows have taken place in the state, especially during his 10-year independent career. “I’ve had a lot of good experiences wrestling in New Jersey,” he said. What started out as a hot-and-cold relationship with his fans has turned into a true appreciation for his wrestling skills and persona.
Throngs of men, women and children can now be heard – and seen – chanting in Bryan’s favor, which Bryan describes as “really unique” and “cool.”
“People started doing [the “Yes!” chant] that I’m doing – and [they’re] doing it uncontrollably and all the time, everywhere I go,” he said. “Part of it isn’t necessarily me; part of it is it’s fun to throw your arms in the air with other people and say, ‘Yes!’ “The Washington native has also developed other important relationships during his career. He retains communication with the Michalek family of Pennsylvania. Connor “The Crusher” Michalek was just 9 years old when he passed away from cancer of the spine and brain in 2014. Connor was able to meet his favorite wrestler as a result of the “Help Connor Meet Daniel Bryan” campaign, and was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. “You realize sometimes you get caught up in something that’s not important,” Bryan said, noting that what’s “really important” is the way Connor and his father Steve loved each other, and how Connor always had a positive attitude despite the obstacles he faced.
“There’s something to be learned from everybody you come in contact with,” Bryan said. In the same vein, Bryan also learns from his wife, WWE diva Brie Bella. He said being in a relationship with a fellow wrestler can be difficult when one spouse is on the road, as was the case last year when he had neck surgery and now because of another injury. Since WWE superstars travel about 260 days each year, the two would wrestle during the week and fly home together.
Now, however, Brie usually tours from Friday to Wednesday and may not come home for almost two weeks if there are other appearances scheduled. “It gets to be taxing, and it gets to be hard,” Bryan said.However, being in a relationship has its advantages, he said, as people in the same line of work can explain their frustrations and difficulties while also realizing how important accomplishments are – as when Brie wrestled Stephanie McMahon at SummerSlam last year during one of the biggest matches in diva history. “Being able to appreciate and share in the successes and comfort each other in times when it’s hard is really, really important,” Bryan said.
The self-described “normal dude” and “small-town guy” always had aspirations to be a wrestler. He started his professional career under the guidance of WWE Hall of Fame superstar Shawn Michaels. “I feel like, when you start training to wrestle, it’s borderline terrifying,” Bryan said, “and especially training with someone you really look up to. “Bryan said wrestling is “not intuitive” and likened it to painting – how a painter never stops learning, constantly critiques his own work and perfects his craft. “You have to acknowledge how dangerous [wrestling] is to do it safely,” he said, “And that’s a little bit nerve-wracking, too. And then once you get over that fear of falling back hard and that sort of thing, it’s just a continual learning process.”
Having relinquished his Intercontinental Championship title weeks ago because of an injury sustained during a subsequent match, Bryan said his career goal – besides “getting healthy again” – is to create “little pockets of perfection” in his craft. As for others who want to pursue their dreams – especially the contestants he will judge on the upcoming WWE series “Tough Enough,” which begins June 23 on USA Network, or the children he expects to meet at iPlay America – Bryan said the goal should be to overcome any obstacle.
“Working hard at wrestling never felt like I was sacrificing anything,” he said. “If you do something you’re passionate about and you work hard … and devote your entire being to it, you’ll succeed or, at the very least, find happiness.”
For tickets to the iPlay America meet-and-greet, visit www.iplayamerica.com. For more information on Daniel Bryan, visit www.wwe.com/superstars/danielbryan.