Ya'll are kind of playing "What came first, the chicken or the egg?"
Fact is, Bryan, since coming on NXT, had the fans attention and even made himself a star by the end of the 1st episode. Since then its been a combination of his AMAZING ring work, character development and making the best out of bad angles/situations that led to good booking.
Sure, the YES chant played a major part in getting him over, but look at fukkin Ryback. FEED ME MORE was over as shyt but because Ryback wasn't able to hold his own as a character, was bad in the ring and didn't develop his character look at him now.
Bryan DID luck up with the YES chant but he smartly developed his character from the NXT rookie, to the up and coming mid carder to the snarky heel to Team Hell No to a viable main eventer to the most over guy in the company in the time frame the WWE gave him. Ryback and countless others could have done the same with their opportunities but did not or could not.
AT SOME POINT, you and everyone else has to acknowledge Bryan may have lucked up in getting over but his hard work and determination KEPT him over and that's why he's a level above the rest.
ryback was inaccurately booked.
which is why, he is mired where he is mired.
ryback never did anything wrong at all.
it really isn't a good comparison to mention, ryback.
ryback, del rio, barrett, cody/golddust, and a few others.
have all been booked inaccurately.
which stole their thunder and why they are where they are.
barrett, has a good chance to make it.
yet, once again....
his character lacks the key props/elements that could get him over.
which is not on him, it is on the booking and the writers.
del rio, is not over because a long time ago.
when, he won the rumble.
the book did not reward his original heel run properly.
they gave edge a send off save face mania win, after jobbing to Jericho at mania the previous year.
when, adr should have went over.
in wrasslin, sometimes you really only get one chance.
for guys like del rio, barrett, ryback, and a few others.
they have been victims of piss poor booking and it really is not on their watch why they are not over.
del rio, for instance.
just had his convinceability taken from him in one decision and he will never recover.
jack swagger is another guy who was booked inaccurately and the stain of that low quality of his eagle costume/whc run.
still kill his convincability, to this day.
which is all on creative and the wwe writer/booking staff and not the performer.
art barr