So, I was watching Ring of Honor’s Bound By Hate DVD recently (a good purchase I should point out, and one of their best from the latter portion of last year), and a thought occurred to me as Bryan Danielson tussled with Tyler Black, and Kenny Omega in a triple threat match.

That was, that the WWE really, really, could do with this guy on their roster. And yes, Bryan did cut a promo at last weekend’s television tapings for the crowd that alluded to the fact that he may leave/retire, at some point in the near future. If this were to transpire, it would be a horrible shame, and we’d be robbed of perhaps Ring of Honor’s all-time MVP.

Regardless, if he is to remain in the business for a lengthy period yet, chances are he will head elsewhere sooner, rather than later.

The WWE have clearly already expressed interest… the former ROH World Champion has worked noteworthy dark matches at Raw tapings, including a rare occasion where he went over a member of the WWE roster. According to reports, observers from the company were impressed by Dragon’s WWE efforts, and when his contract with his current employers is up, I’m confident eye-brows will be raised.

But do they understand his true value? Do they realise that while, yes, he would be a worthwhile contributor to the roster, he could be so much more than a “good hand”? Has the thought crossed the mind of any of the big-wigs that this guy isn’t just what they want, but what they need?

Since Chris Benoit passed, there has been a gaping chasm in the WWE roster that the company has failed to fill. They are truly the deepest talent roster in North America, yet they lack someone who had the combined attributes of the “Rabid Wolverine”, or a modern day “Dynamite Kid”, and someone who has the personality, and smarts to go just as far. Here are five reasons they “need” him.

1. All-Round Skills

Bryan Danielson’s versatility in the ring has to be seen to be believed. I’ve followed his work closely over the past 5 years, and I’ve witnessed all manner of contrasting styles, and advancements in ability in that time. He can literally do it all.

Grounded mat-work? Yep. Not just of a solid standard mind… the guy is capable of a whole host of moves, sequences, reversals, and can take in the various wrestling cultures in the process. High-flying? He’s got that too. Ever seen this guy Springboard straight into the fourth row? Strong-style stiffness? Not my favourite brand of action, but Dragon can hold his own with the heavyweights and exchange impressive strikes. Street fights and Hardcore? Cripes, you need to check out his hard-hitting wars with Takeshi Morishima, if you doubt he has the nards to hold his own in that environment. Can he sell? You bet. Work a body part? Oh yes. What about tell a story? You’d know he can do this as well as anybody out there, if you’ve seen his epic battle with Colt Cabana from Gut Check.

In short, Dragon isn’t a master of any one type of pro-wrestling; he’s uniquely an expert in them all. In Stamford, that means he’s capable of working with anyone, and getting a result. Since Benoit died, and to a lesser extent, Kurt Angle, err, left, they haven’t had anyone with that degree of versatility in the ring.

2. Believability and Youth

The thing about younger wrestlers in the business, is that a lot of them lack a dimension of reality in their performance. For all his faults, Triple H is one guy who conveys an utterly believably persona, and never (except when he’s doing the DX shtick) allows the audience to lose their suspension of disbelief. In the ring, Chris Benoit was even better at this, and Dragon follows the same pattern, in the sense that he’s always convincing.

American Dragon brings the aggression, and intensity of Benoit, Dynamite Kid, etc, without being lumbered with the genuine issues, and drug problems that destroyed those men. Davey Richards communicates a similar intensity, but he’s far from as well-rounded as Dragon. Bryan truly understands the intricacies of making whatever character he’s portraying, believable for the fans. In the ring, he commits 100 per cent to delivering this, and that is definitely something the WWE could with having more of. It’s one of the reasons why Jeff Hardy is so popular – and it’s one of the key flaws in John Cena’s game, that has led to such resentment amongst the spectators old enough to differentiate between performance and reality. I get a strong inclination towards believing that many of the young talent are learning from the wrong role models these days, and that’s why so many Koslov’s are being churned out.

3. Positive Role Model

Danielson’s a person from whom parents have little to fear. He’s not a drinker, and certainly not a drug taker. Physically, he looks to be in shape, and works out, but clearly could not be accused of being fond of the ol’ bicep enhancers. A well-read, intelligent speaker to boot, but one who isn’t renowned for peeving people off in the manner that some of his peers are (ahem, CM Punk).

4. Crowd Pleasing Spots

On television, sometimes it’s hugely important to have a hook, a quirk, or a characteristic that makes you stand out from the pack. Obviously, this is tricky in wrestling, therefore cleverly defining moves and trademarks that are your own, is of great benefit. While detractors may see Bryan Danielson and the other ROH guys as bland performers who sprint through their work, they’re ignoring the intelligence and consideration behind his matches.

Dragon completely entertains the crowd, and without simplifying or compromising his art, works spots that elicit great reaction. His “I have till …5!” complaint garners huge reactions, thanks to its gentle rekindling of an innocent era in wrestling. His Surfboard stretch spot is a playful surprise that trades on how inherently obvious the “surprise” conclusion of it is. And his Elbow strikes cash in on the public’s current appreciation for MMA, and the potential for finishes coming suddenly, and viciously. Who in ROH has better established a key bunch of individual moves that they can pull out when appropriate, but can leave behind any time a match does not call for their use?

5. Microphone skills

Contrary to popular belief, Dragon does possess a wonderful character, and can communicate this on the stick. In fact, this is contradictory to much of what you’ll hear about ROH in general- that it’s crammed full of guys who can’t talk. Dragon is one of the best on the roster though. He can do comedy, and offers quick-witted banter with the crowd, while he also cuts serious promos with the best. He’s played the cocky heel to the letter previously, and is impressive selling it on the mic, but his real talent lies in transforming the meat-and-potatoes babyface into something that this century’s fans can relate to.

In short, I’d absolutely friggin’ love to see Bryan Danielson arrive in the WWE, and witness the chance to see this guy bring his art to a wider audience. Sure, some will lament the gaping chasm his loss would mean for ROH, but in reality, how much more can he do there anyway? And for how much longer can his body be expected to live up to the sometimes selfish demands of the Ring of Honor fan base?

But only, and I strongly emphasise only, if the WWE can both see his true value, and allow him to exhibit this in full.

Thanks for taking the time to check this out. I welcome any and all feedback and I can be contacted at www.myspace.com/michaelwrestlingetc or simply by emailing me at Michael@ifight365.com. I look forward to hearing from you, and will be back soon!