Corrigan’s Corner: YES! Buy Daniel Bryan’s Book ASAP

If you thought the ending to Daniel Bryan’s title reign was tragic, wait until you read the ending of his book.

Despite laughing at his Brie Bella sex story and cheering for his confrontation with Triple H and marveling at his global indy adventures, the tragic ending was my favorite part.

In his autobiography, “” Bryan buckles you in for a roller coaster ride through his professional wrestling experiences, from rooting for the Ultimate Warrior as a young fan to finally winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship the night after his idol was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

While readers may expect the final chapter to focus on surgeries and heartache, only the latter rings true. Bryan’s father, an avid supporter who maintained a close relationship with his son even after divorcing his mother, passed away suddenly just after Bryan’s honeymoon.

Bryan’s mourning leaps off those last pages and evokes a sense of regret. Not for the countless flying headbutts that have kept the warrior out of action, and certainly not for surrendering the championship he worked so hard to attain, but for all of the sacrifices he made while pursuing his dream.

The holidays, birthdays, weddings, family gatherings; simply put, the time away from his father that he’ll never get back.

Reading this on the train, I actually teared up. I was hundreds of miles away from my dad for only seven months and still wondered every night if I was making the wrong decision. It’s the perpetual struggle between building your career and caring for your family. You have to have a strong bond with your parents to understand, and if you do, you’ll echo Bryan’s heartbreak. But at least you’ll be determined to make the most of every moment with your parents.

It seems unusual for a wrestling autobiography, produced by the industry’s leading company, to end with such an emphatic rejection of wrestling. Yet, that’s why it hits such a nerve. It’s raw, brazen and genuine—everything you hope for in a Daniel Bryan story.

Even though he didn’t write it ala Mick Foley, Chris Jericho and Bret Hart, D-Bry’s book deserves ranking among those mentioned for its honesty and entertainment. For more than 300 pages, you’re glued to his journey through school (or lack thereof,) wrestling school, Europe, Japan, Ring of Honor, and eventually, WWE.

Who came up with American Dragon?

What similarities does he share with CM Punk?

Who was the only WWE Superstar to truly disrespect D-Bry?

I’ve read reviews complaining that co-author Craig Tello’s chapter-intro diaries were unnecessary, but I enjoyed them. They added a unique perspective, an outsider view into the minutia of Bryan’s WrestleMania 30 week. Imagine if we had that day-to-day coverage for Hulk Hogan heading into Mania 1 or Stone Cold heading into Mania 17.

Besides several grammatical errors, (of which I’d happily edit if WWE wants to hire me,) and Tello laying on the Bella compliments a bit too thick, YES! is a pretty great read that I highly recommend you add to your shelf.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect is when Bryan was a trainer at ROH and in California. He says he sucked at inspiring people.

That’s unfathomable considering D-Bry has been one of the most inspiring performers in the history of pro wrestling.

He inspires us to achieve our dreams, fight the establishment, battle back from injury, go eco-friendly, and most importantly, stay true to ourselves.