1. Daniel Bryan vs. Batista vs. Randy Orton - WWE World Heavyweight Championship - WrestleMania 30
The culmination of Daniel Bryan's eight-month journey back to the WWE title, the triple threat match featuring he, Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton is everything one could ask for from the main event of the biggest show of the year. Three of the top stars in the industry battled it out for the right to leave New Orleans' Superdome with the most prestigious prize in the sport. It featured great wrestling, crowd-pleasing high spots, a hot side story, interference from the biggest heel in the company and a huge, memorable bump involving all three competitors. Bryan entered the bout with an injured arm, the result of a heinous attack by Triple H earlier in the evening. He never let it affect what he was capable of, though, as he opted to utilize his feet and lay into Orton and Batista with hard kicks to the legs torso and head. He was even able to trap Batista in the Yes Lock. Before the Animal could tap, however, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon appeared to the dismay of the audience and pulled the official out of the ring. Bryan, distracted, fell prey to the spinebuster and Batista bomb but even the appearance of crooked referee Scott Armstrong could not provide the finish The Authority so desperately wanted to see. Bryan exploded through the ropes, taking Triple H, McMahon and Armstrong down before turning his attention back to the action in the ring. Soon, however, he found himself on the receiving end of a two-on-one assault at the hands of his opponents. Moments later, he was hoisted into the air in Batista Bomb and caught coming down with a neckbreaker through the announce table. It looked like the storybook ending would be out of the question as he was carted away from ringside. Then it happened. Bryan's will and determination fueled him, as did the 70,000 fans hoping to see him achieve his childhood dream. He got off the stretcher, returned to the ring and, minutes later, forced Batista to tap out while in the clutches of the Yes Lock. The fans erupted and the confetti fell once again as Bryan took his place atop the WWE mountain.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
