10 Classic Matches Bettered By Spiritual Sequels

1. Triple H Vs. John Cena - WWE WrestleMania 22

Backlot Brawl Chicago Street Fight
WWE.com

Bettered by: Triple H Vs. Daniel Bryan - WrestleMania XXX

Both matches, 20-minute plus WrestleMania epics, saw Triple H get his trusty shovel out in the build-up. He famously belittled Cena (and the prospect of the match itself) by stating that he 'wasn't afraid of the guy whose big move is pumping up his Reeboks'.

More astoundingly still - bearing in mind that he was promoting the main event of the biggest match of the year - he told Cena that he 'happened to not be a very good wrestler'. With Bryan, he constantly referred to the American Dragon as a 'B+ player' - even when plans for the match were shelved.

It's not really surprising, then, that the smark-heavy Chicago crowd greeted Cena with thunderous jeers in a trendsetting display of outright rejection. In truth, this reaction is the match's lasting legacy. It has carried it through the years just as Trips carried Big Match John on the night.

HHH Vs. Bryan will require no such bias. A fantastically-executed epic with genuine emotional heft, Bryan's underdog victory was somehow both assured and doubted. It was fought at WrestleMania...but it was also fought with Triple H, a man more than capable of a nonsensical burial. This reality-infused variable lent every sequence meaning.

It was an evolved performance from Triple H, who in meta fashion succumbed to his own arrogance in his failed attempt to beat Bryan at his own, submission-based game.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!