10 Classic WWE Matches (That Nobody Remembers As Classics)

10. Roman Reigns Vs. Daniel Bryan - Fastlane 2015

AKA The Royal Rumble Rubber Reigns won when Daniel Bryan should've.

For that reason alone, few remember this 20:11 thriller for what it actually was: a gripping, dynamic contest. The opening few minutes followed the anticipated formula. Bryan attempted to evade Reigns' brutal power game, Reigns powered out of Bryan's early takedown attempts.

Reigns then assumed the advantage with a lethal tilt-a-whirl slam and by recklessly smashing Bryan into the barricade. Bryan recovered, at which point he organically transitioned into a tweener role - a tacit acknowledgement that he was in the maw of a genuine threat, and a clever psychological means of dividing an audience unified against his opponent.

He kicked Reigns as soon as he reappeared on the apron, much too quickly for a loveable babyface, before levelling wince-inducing kicks to his inner thigh, dangerously close to the groin. This brought something unseen out of Reigns, who laid thudding forearms into the side of his head to break free of a leg lock. The big moves made an appearance once the playing field, unfairly, had been levelled. Reigns dropped Bryan with a stunning top rope powerbomb. Bryan evaded a Spear by sending Reigns into the ring steps. He countered another in the best spot of the match, when he caught Reigns with a roll-up. The athleticism required of Reigns to contort into that position made a fool of those who chanted "You can't wrestle!" at him.

Bryan's babyface last stand "Yes!" chants seemed incongruous within the context of the preceding twenty minutes. Almost fittingly, they got him nowhere. He was a battered and bettered shell of himself, removed from both the WrestleMania 31 main event and his standing as a hero.

Reigns punished this transparent desperation with the match-winning Spear in a fabulous, borderline literary finish.