10. Extreme Rules Match For WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Daniel Bryan vs. Kane (Extreme Rules, May 5)
The combination of a honeymoon and an unexpected family death marred the first month of Daniel Bryan's WWE Championship reign and the subsequent build to his Extreme Rules pay-per-view title defense against Kane. With his recently deceased father on his mind and a championship reign in desperate need of some rehabilitation, Bryan took to the ring in East Rutherford, New Jersey for what was one of the most important matches of his career. As he has done so many times in the past, he performed up to expectations, wrestling a match completely different from those fans were used to and ensuring that the May 5 pay-per-view was remembered as an undisputed success. A match straight out of the Attitude Era, Bryan and Kane brawled all over the arena, including the parking garage, where Kane put his hand through the back window of a car before Bryan commandeered a forklift and delivered an unconscious Big Red Monster back to the ring. The diving headbutt off of the forklift was beautiful but, in hindsight, likely only exasperated the injury to Bryan's neck, an injury that sidelined him shortly after the show. The flaming table bump from Kane was perfect for Extreme Rules and the type of bum that never happens in today's family-friendly WWE. It provided that one jaw-dropping display that would endure well past the end of the broadcast and was something that Kane simply could not recover from quick enough to dodge the running knee from the champion. Three seconds later and Bryan had successfully retained his title against his former tag team partner and WWE's resident "demon." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPTUqi3ecik The match itself was exactly what Bryan's title reign needed. With so many life events away from the ring keeping him from enjoying his spot atop the mountain in WWE, he needed that one match to reenergize the title run and regain momentum following a tumultuous few weeks. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, a neck injury put him action for the foreseeable future, leaving his championship dream in limbo.
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.
