1. Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H - Winner Gets Main Event Slot (WrestleMania XXX)
The race for #1 really was close, but when the top matches were viewed for a second and third time, it became clear that Bryan vs. Triple H was the winner by a nose (no pun intended, Trips fans). There was not a better storyline all year than Bryan vs. The Authority, though there was arguably an equal tale in The Shield's implosion. Bryan, perhaps more so than any wrestler in this century, was able to capture the imaginations of fans young and old alike. The diminutive star was part underdog story and part revolutionary tale of the people speaking their minds, unabashedly stating their desire to see WWE change their creative direction. It was quite easy to get wrapped up in it all, making the moment that Bryan finally stepped into the ring with Triple H quite satisfying. If you explore the details of the match, the crowd was in the palm of their hands. No audience invests more energy, typically, than Mania's. They have paid more than any other group of people and they want their voices heard. It is not a corporate event, generally. Bryan and Trips wrestled the most technically sound match of the year, as well, making the reaction drawn that much more impressive. Notice how the other top candidates could rely on multi-man scenarios that WWE books so well or gimmick matches that can push the envelope. Trips vs. Bryan was a straight-up wrestling match with expert psychology and a phenomenal built-in story (aided and abetted by a ringside Stephanie McMahon). Its legacy may already extend beyond just 2014 Match of the Year. Some have called it the greatest opening match in history, meaning that it has passed - in some minds - the iconic Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart match from Mania X on the list of finest bouts on the grandest stage.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
