10 Best Daniel Bryan Vs. Samoa Joe Matches To Watch Before WWE SmackDown
1. Chicago Spectacular Night One - 8 December 2006
The final contest between Joe and Bryan for over eleven years saw the culmination of their 2006 feud end inside a steel cage. Fans didn’t realize at the time that it would be so long until their next meeting, but they surely knew it was to be a special match. For one good reason especially: Ring Of Honor rarely hosted cage matches at the time. Frankly, it was called for in the case of this long-running rivalry and it did not disappoint.
Early in the contest, Daniel Bryan tried to flee the cage in an attempt to retain his Ring of Honor Championship, but Samoa Joe took him to task for his cowardice. Eventually, the champ took control as he targeted Samoa Joe’s leg and was able to trap it and Joe using the cage. As Bryan again attempted to climb over the top to freedom and victory, Joe followed behind, clutching onto the champ with a sleeper hold. Unfortunately for the Samoan Submission Machine, his strategy would backfire. While the sleeper was effective in disabling Bryan, it also allowed the American Dragon to win - as he fell unconscious from the submission hold, his limp body dropped from the cage to the floor. The mistake by Joe had secured Daniel Bryan the victory in what would be their final encounter before SmackDown’s qualifying match for Money in the Bank.