Daniel Bryan says WWE told him to stop talking about environment during heel run

Ranting about pollution and the environment was a key element of Daniel Bryan’s heel run once upon a time ago, but WWE was not a fan of it.

Daniel Bryan remains one of the most beloved babyfaces in WWE today, but this time last year, he was hated as a heel World Champion. With Erick Rowan by his side as his big muscle, the self-proclaimed Planet’s Champion frequently ranted in the middle of the ring against the WWE Universe, blaming fans for not caring about the environment by polluting.

The pro-environmentalist part of Bryan’s new character was a key aspect to him as a heel and perhaps the most noticeable change in his demeanor that separated him from his former babyface self. However, as Bryan recalled recently to MySanAntonio, WWE themselves were not so thrilled about how he incorporated environmentalism to his schtick.

Bryan went in depth in the interview, speaking how someone within WWE (he did not specify who, but it appears it was a top executive who approached him) told him to stop doing the environmental talk on WWE TV because it came off as too political and the WWE did not want to get too political on their product onscreen.

Bryan, meanwhile, would argue that issues within the environmental is far more scientific issues than those of political substance. He argued that rather than an issue stemmed in right wing or left wing politics, it is a “bulletproof idea” that calls for everyone on both sides of the fence to help their surroundings for the betterment of everyone on the planet.

He did not specify if this was the last that he heard about WWE having an issue or how often he got pushback for his environmentalist character.

The interview continues, so check out the link above to hear Bryan talk more about his past with Bray Wyatt, shaving his hair for the storyline, and holding the longest Royal Rumble match record.