I see it though I thought Backlund had the additional attribute to not only being the best wrestler at the time but someone who had freaky strength to take on bigger opponents. That is something you will not get from Bryan. But you can modify it as his straight technical skills are so much better than everyone else that he has that big advantage.

He strikes me as more of a Bret Hart than a Bob Backlund. Heck, they even pinched the Wrestlemania X injury story.

I would say that's essentially how Bryan worked as an ace on the indies, though he went through different shadings depending on face/heel status. He's certainly capable if the powers that be aren't bothered by the size thing.

 

It seems to me that "he was plucky, courageous, never-say-die, etc., but booked STRONG" is a standard description of a company ace. If the question is whether Bryan can be booked like most top babyfaces, I suppose the answer is yes.

I guess the point was a bit more nuanced than that.

 

Bruno's style of ace was that he'd just fucking deck heels for breakfast. You wouldn't describe Bruno as "plucky", you'd describe him as ... I, dunno, a dignified beast. A gentleman who just might happen to kick your head in if you cross him. I'm pretty sure that's what Dylan had in mind when he said that "Bryan couldn't play Bruno". The narrative arch of a Bruno match is "don't fuck with Bruno".

 

Hogan's style of ace was all about the superman comebacks. He was booked "strong" in terms of wins and losses, but WITHIN matches Hogan would sell a lot for opponents. As we all know. The Hogan formula has been replicated time and again in WWE main events, it's the most basic wrestling formula (shine - heat - comeback). The narrative arch of a Hogan match is "no matter the odds, Hogan will overcome them and win".

 

Backlund didn't work that formula. Not at all. Backlund matches are a totally different ball game, and that's really what I had in mind when I made this thread. The narrative arch of a Backlund match is "Backlund is the best wrestler around and he's the champ for a reason".

 

So this is as much about how Bryan could be booked to work individual matches as it is about character or week-to-week booking.

 

 

Those all strike me as differences of degree rather than of kind. Just about any top babyface is going to be presented as someone who wins because he's the better wrestler rather than because he got lucky. At the same time, he has to show enough vulnerability to keep fans emotionally invested in the outcome. Bruno and Backlund may have showed less vulnerability than Hogan, but they didn't routinely steamroll opponents like Goldberg either.