12 Essential Daniel Bryan WWE Matches

The shocking revelation by Daniel Bryan that he was retiring from professional wrestling, the result of numerous health issues and injuries, has shaken the sport to its core and left fans to discuss his greatest matches and moments. When Bryan makes the announcement official on the February 8 episode of Monday night Raw, the loss of true in-ring artistry will finally set in. For well over a decade, the Aberdeen, Washington, native has been the standard-bearer for in-ring workers. One of the most gifted wrestlers to ever lace a pair of boots, he was responsible for five-star classics across the globe. Arriving to WWE in 2010, he was forced to adapt to the company's style of work, and he did so masterfully, delivering numerous Match of the Year candidates against wrestlers of different sizes, styles and backgrounds. He did so in various match types, including straight one-on-one bouts as well as death-defying Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches. And in the process, he left a legacy for himself that extends beyond the squared circle and into the hearts of fans. His matches are of the utmost importance, the emphasis for the connection that spawned the Yes Movement and his incredible journey to WrestleMania. It will take time to properly digest the news delivered by the man himself Monday afternoon but as you do that, think not about how sad it is that Bryan will not perform in a WWE ring again (or at least for now), but how lucky the wrestling world is to have classics such as these 12 matches that will endure for eternity.