10 Best Daniel Bryan Matches Since His WWE Return

The feud between Daniel Bryan and his former NXT Pro The Miz, several years in the making, finally took place in 2018 over the latter half of the calendar year. It's viewed by most as a disappointment in hindsight, mainly because of a squash match at the Australian Super Showdown event that WWE viewed as the final chapter in the feud for now. It's depressing that one of the main roster's best ever arcs of long term storytelling ended so flatly, and it's the dream of many fans that they get to revive their hatred towards each other sometime down the road.

However, disappointment in the resolution doesn't take away from their underrated technical war at SummerSlam 2018, a match that arguably stole the entire show. At the time, many were slightly put off by the slower malicious style, with both men seemingly uninterested in more conventional WWE spots and more interested in crafting their own unique match payoff. It's clear that they're saving themselves for a future contest here to a certain extent, but the way it naturally generates momentum and crowd investment is breathtaking, with the tired Brooklyn crowd becoming invigorated by the second half of the match.

Miz's abrasive disruption of the momentum through a brass knuckles spot and quick pinfall is brilliant, in terms of the long term narrative and the confines of the match. It feels like a genuine heel moment, getting a visceral impact from a spot that could have easily felt tired. It's breathtaking that Miz and Bryan got a chance to have another singles match together after their Talking Smack promo, and even more so that it ended with a punch to the face. A fantastic encounter.