10 Best Wrestling Matches That Ever Happened In New York City
6. Takeshi Morishima Vs. Bryan Danielson - ROH Manhattan Mayhem II
From its inception in 2002 until today, Ring of Honor has earned a reputation as presenting some of the best wrestling action in the entire world. Though dozens of men and women have done their damnedest to make sure every paying fan has gotten his or her money's worth, there's arguably no single star in the company's history who's done as much for the promotion as Bryan Danielson.
Whether a heel or a babyface, Danielson was an integral part of the company for the first seven years of its existence, and he even anchored the promotion as one of its longest-reigning world champions. Even after he lost the title in late 2006, Danielson remained the group's top star. He also found himself turning face after a long run as a heel.
That brought him into a conflict with the new heel ROH World Champion, Takeshi Morishima. A big bear of a man, Morishima used his size to maul opponents en route to victory after victory. Danielson, meanwhile, continued to perform well, and he got his shot at Manhattan Mayhem II.
The match was as physical as wrestling gets, with Danielson holding nothing back when it came to his body kicks and Morishima using hard elbows and lariats. Early in the bout, Danielson suffered a detached retina, but it didn't stop "The American Dragon" from fighting with all his might. Still, Morishima was superior, and even Danielson's Cattle Mutilation hold couldn't get the job done. One Backdrop Driver later, and Morishima had retained the title.