10 WWE Superstars and their childhood wrestling idols

#5 Daniel Bryan & Dean Malenko

Daniel Bryan was also a big fan of William Regal

Given the kind of performer he would go on to become, it’s no surprise that Daniel Bryan’s idol growing up was one of the most technically gifted wrestlers of his generation, Dean Malenko.

Bryan first knew he wanted to become a wrestler when he watched a WCW match between Malenko and Rey Mysterio in 1996. He said he admired Mysterio’s high-flying abilities but, feeling he would never be able to replicate them, he began to base his style on Malenko, who now works as an agent in WWE.