After a hard hitting match at Elimination Chamber, Daniel Bryan started teaming with his harshest critic, Drew Gulak, with the duo defeating Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura on 3/20's empty arena episode of WWE Smackdown. They've also furthered their partnership on social media, creating the #HeadlockSqueeze Challenge in the process.
On March 17, Bryan took to Twitter and asked his "coach" for solo drills to help him improve his skills. Gulak recommended he do a Duck Walk. After Bryan shared a video of him doing the exercise, Gulak, in keeping with the storyline that brought them together, critiqued Bryan's form. He also demanded Bryan "practice like he plays" and wear his ring gear when he worked out in his backyard.
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On March 18, when Bryan asked for his drill of the day, Gulak told him to find a ball. He wanted Bryan to practice headlock squeezes. This led to the spectacle of Bryan and Gulak working headlocks on rubber balls in their WWE ring gear.
Beyond giving Bryan and Gulak a chance to fill some of the free time they have on their hands right now, these tweets also helped establish their team dynamic. Veteran former world champion Bryan asking a relative unknown like Gulak for training advice is an interesting development, but it's also abrupt. Gulak didn't have a lot of time to establish himself on Smackdown before his angle with Bryan started. Coronavirus shutdowns have also kept them from doing any supplemental work on WWE's official social media channels or talk shows.
These Twitter interactions have helped build up the new Bryan and Gulak Connection (or Gulak and Bryan Connection, depending on which one you ask). It gives them something to build on while also entertaining wrestling fans who might be more attentive to Twitter angles than usual.
Bryan recently revealed that he's planning to stop wrestling a full time schedule soon. Training with Gulak over Twitter could help him remain an active presence with fans even if he becomes a part time wrestler. As for Gulak, being associated with Bryan has already helped him tremendously. It would continue to, whether he remains a babyface and feuds with the likes of Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn, or turns on Bryan to set up a bigger match down the line.
While Bryan and Gulak have been training, some of their peers have found other ways to stay occupied during social distancing. The Undertaker advocated for tigers. Consistent Twitter delight Big E put on an impromptu fashion show. Kurt Angle worked on his guitar skills. AEW wrestler Allie, Impact's Rosemary, and the NWA's Allysin Kay provided commentary on their "Masters of the Multiverse" web show on Twitch.
Other stars from WWE and AEW advocated lending a helping hand to the parts of the wrestling business that have been hit even harder than their mainstream counterparts. CM Punk promoted merch company Pro Wrestling Tees, which is taking $1 donations for staff that can't work due to Illinois' Stay at Home order. AEW World Champion Jon Moxley donated €1,000 ($1,069.40) to OTT, an Irish Indie, whose Scrappermania 6 show he was set to main event before it was cancelled.
Like all of us, wrestlers are trying to find ways to cope with the effects of quarantining. When their profession is a "work," working from home takes on a new meaning. Bryan and Gulak were among the wrestlers who were able to do that and still entertain fans.
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