Why Rusev Pinned Daniel Bryan Cleanly: The Best Theories

In a shocker of a main event, Rusev defeated Daniel Bryan cleanly in the ring to advance forward in the Money in the Bank match while Bryan sat stunned and disappointed in his loss. Bryan, who was on a major role and looking like he could take on and beat anyone, lost to a man WWE has been obviously trying to hold back over the past few months despite the WWE Universe being clearly behind him and his Rusev Day gimmick. Finally, WWE decided to give Rusev a big win but amazingly did so over a wrestler fans may love even more.

The question is, after all this time that WWE has been giving Rusev the shaft, why have him finally get a big win over arguably the most popular WWE Superstar in the company? WWE had to know fans wouldn't understand it and they could have picked anyone for Rusev to beat. Won't this hurt Bryan?

Here are the best theories as to why WWE chose to go this route.

Selling The Big Cass Beating

The first logical thought here is that WWE was trying to sell the fact Daniel Bryan was still recovering from the beating he took at the hands of Big Cass on Sunday. Even though Bryan won that match, Cass attacked him after the bell and left him laying. If you add that to the fact Bryan just broke a record for the longest run in Royal Rumble history and he's back after three years on the shelf, perhaps WWE wants fans to believe that eventually the schedule and the workload was bound to catch up to him.

WWE wants to run with another Big Cass and Bryan rematch and putting him in the Money in the Bank match wouldn't have allowed those two to have their final bout to settle the score.

Keeping Him Away From The Miz

Eventually, WWE is going to put The Miz and Daniel Bryan in the ring together. But, it wouldn't be wise to have that showdown happen in a match that involved a number of other competitors. That's what a Money in the Bank match would have been and neither Bryan nor Miz would have been center stage in a match like that. This war is too big for that match and if The Miz already qualified, WWE needed a way to make sure Bryan didn't get in.

Miz vs. Bryan is the main event match on a major pay-per-view. WWE had to hold off on putting them in the ring together until they could give it the proper platform.

Soften the Blow

If the idea is that people can accept Bryan losing to anyone, they'll take Rusev because fans have been dying for Rusev to get a win for so long, they'll overlook the fact it was against Bryan. The WWE audience has revolted before when Bryan isn't placed in a spot they believe he should be. If WWE was worried fans would lose their minds over Bryan not getting a spot in the Money in the Bank match, the company might have figured they'd soften the blow if fans were so busy cheering for Rusev the didn't notice Bryan got shafted.

Vince Is Trolling The Fans

One theory that seems a bit out there is the concept that Vince McMahon is mad at the fans. While he touts the fact that he listens to the WWE Universe, he couldn't have been happy with the way fans rejected the main event of Backlash when fans booed, chanted "this is boring" and walked out during the match. It's unlikely, but perhaps this is payback.

If Vince is choked fans are rejecting his chosen guy in Roman Reigns, perhaps he's sticking it to the WWE Universe by pitting the two fan favorites against each other and making one man lose. Bryan is the fans clear choice over Reigns and by making Bryan lose, the fans, in a way, are getting a taste of their own medicine.

If this is in any way true, it's petty and absent of long-term logic but stranger things have happened in WWE.

WWE Has Lost Touch

The final theory here, and one many fans will cling to, is that WWE has simply lost touch with what the fans want. Their refusal to give Rusev the time of day until now, their consistent pushing of Reigns despite him being rejected by fans and their having Bryan take a clean pin in the middle of his triumphant comeback just wreaks of a company that is confused about which direction it should be going.

It is difficult to explain some of the choices the company is making. Having a Universal Champion who is never on television, changing direction with characters on a dime and not listening to the audience are all signs WWE is lost and confused and making poor decisions. It could really be that simple.