6 things you didn't know about Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan is one of, if not the most popular superstars in WWE in recent memory. From his 2010 debut, he has made a connection with the fans that so few other superstars have been able to emulate.

In 2014, Bryan accomplished a life-long dream, winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 30. Defeating the majority of Evolution in a single night, Bryan proved that size didn't matter.

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However, two months later, he would have to forfeit the title due to injury, and Bryan would later retire from in-ring competition in 2016.

Through training and dedication, Bryan has been able to return to the squared circle. As a wrestler, general manager, husband, and father, the WWE have seen plenty of D-Bry, but here are 6 things you (probably) didn't know about Daniel Bryan.

Daniel Bryan was a vegan

Earlier in his career, Bryan, for health reasons, adopted a vegan lifestyle.

The choice to abstain from any animal products was a heavily mentioned point on WWE TV, with then-heel commentator Michael Cole lambasting him over his alternative views.

In his book, Bryan revealed that shortly after debuting in WWE, his vegan lifestyle drew the ire(all in good humor) of the boss, Vince McMahon. The excerpt reads:

"My first NXT match against Chris Jericho went really well and when Chris got to the back, he expressed to Vince McMahon what a great job I’d done. As Chris tells it, Vince responded almost in disgust, a grunting and then saying, ‘Him? He doesn’t even eat meat!’"

He nearly had a different name

Before competing in WWE, Bryan wrestled in the indies under real name Bryan Danielson.

When he joined WWE, the company wanted to give him a different name, eventually deciding on Daniel Bryan.

However, other names that were strongly considered included 'Buddy Peacock' and 'Lloyd Boner'.

Interestingly, the name Bryan Danielson was never considered.

His World Championship win was a shock

At Money In the Bank 2011, Bryan won the SmackDown Money In the Bank ladder match, earning a World Championship match.

At TLC that year, Bryan won his first World Championship, defeating a downed Big Show to capture the Big Gold Belt.

But Bryan did not find out until earlier that day, that he would be winning the coveted prize.

It was looking like I wouldn’t be at WWE TLC either, but at the last minute I got booked at a Kmart to do a signing with Kelly Kelly before the show.

After my signing, I came to the building, not expecting to be doing anything. I was just chatting and goofing around (at one point, I was browsing the Internet for the best paper airplane design, as I recall)."

He was supposed to wrestle Charlie Sheen

By the summer of 2012, Bryan had lost the title, and failed to capture the WWE Championship from CM Punk.

On the 1000th episode of RAW, actor Charlie Sheen appeared via Tout (remember Tout?!) and taunted the Goat-faced superstar, who had been left at the altar earlier that night by AJ Lee.

Apparently, a match between two was supposed to take place but never occurred.

"Even though it was a goofy match to be in, it would’ve put me in one of the top matches at SummerSlam. Unfortunately, whoever brokered the Sheen deal never got him to sign any sort of contract to do the event, and in typical Charlie Sheen fashion, he bailed."

He got the YES! from Vince McMahon

Shortly after winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011, Bryan found his confidence, turning into a cocky heel, who celebrated every small victory in an over-the-top fashion.

According to Bryan, the idea for the YES! chant came from McMahon.

"The one thing he did want was for me to be the happiest guy in the world as champion. Every time I went out, I had to treat it as if I had won the lottery. ‘In this instance, there’s no such thing as too over-the-top,’ he said"

He collects Baseball cards

Every WWE superstar needs a hobby, and Bryan is no different. According to the YES! movement's leader autobiography, Bryan would offer favor lesser known stars from Seattle.

I ended up collecting a lot of players who were good but not necessarily stars. In baseball, instead of liking Ken Griffey Jr. — who was on the Seattle Mariners and whose cards were always worth a lot — I liked Roberto Alomar and Paul Molitor."