(2.) WWE WrestleMania 30: Daniel Bryan vs. Batista vs. Randy Orton (2014)
Like the top entry on this list, Daniel Bryan’s victory at WrestleMania 30 gives me goosebumps. The triple threat match in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome was the culmination of the “Yes!” Movement, a wave of passionate support from the fans that propelled Bryan to this main event. The match itself told an incredible story; at every turn, it made the fans question whether the underdog could actually overcome Randy Orton and Batista, two prototypical WWE superstars. Plus, the powerful narrative heading into the match was already at a fever pitch due to Bryan’s win over Triple H earlier in the evening.
At WrestleMania 30, practically every fan in the arena wanted to see Bryan win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. On paper, the triumph seemed like a pleasing payoff waiting to happen. But many fans still questioned whether WWE would go through with it; Bryan was the antithesis of what Vince McMahon sought in his WWE champion. When Bryan won the match, the fans’ reaction was spectacular; it showed that WWE does listen to its fans, the company is willing to take risks and change its ways to deliver what is, in the words of Triple H, “best for business.”
(1.) WWE WrestleMania 28: The Rock vs. John Cena (2012)
Every wrestling fan has “the match,” the one they’ll always remember, the one that, both in the moment and in retrospect, makes them say, “That’s why I love wrestling.” For different reasons, the top two entries on this list are “the match” for me. The first in-ring clash between The Rock and John Cena narrowly earned this spot. As long as I live, I’ll never forget it. I still get chills when I think about the video package with “We Are Young” by Fun playing in the background, and when I remember the electric atmosphere when both icons finally faced off in Hard Rock Stadium.
Like other legendary WrestleMania matches, the match wasn’t a technical masterpiece. A heated year-long build with brilliant promos built the match up so much that should have made it impossible for it to live up to the hype. But it did. Thrilling near falls and excellent performances by both competitors, combined with an energetic crowd, made this match an instant classic. Sure, the rematch at WrestleMania 29 might, in hindsight, have cheapened the legacy of this bout. But on its own, the match that was initially billed as “Once in a Lifetime” should be considered the best WrestleMania main event of the 2010s.
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