8. Shawn Michaels Vs Ric Flair, WrestleMania 24, (2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSp2U5U9LY4 Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24 was WWE storytelling at its very best. The much loved veteran Flair was putting his career on the line against his friend Shawn Michaels. The emotional conflict and pride on the line was far more dramatic than any heel vs face story told in 2008. While Flair may have been limited in his range of physical attributes, this was still more real and emotional than the majority of matches in the entire last decade. Revisit the ending where Michaels mouths "I love you, I'm sorry" to Ric before decking him with Sweet Chin Music. It's raw emotion and HBK's reaction to the victory along with Flair's wiping away of tears is heart wrenching. Few matches have ever achieved what this contest did in the way it made us feel. In truth, the in-ring wrestling was also very good. This didn't get over merely on the emotionally connecting story, it was packed with great action. Flair seemed to have rolled the clock back twenty years, he popped off transitions and reversals with the smoothness of his glory days. Michaels was his usual brilliant self, his selling was a lesson for all aspiring wrestlers. A few moments in particular stand out - Michaels going for sweet chin music but not following through due to guilt of not wanting to retire his friend, only for the Nature Boy to put the Figure Four Leglock on. HBK sold it so good that you believed Naitch could nick it. HBK didn't make the same mistake again. He hit sweet chin music and then gave us another superkick in the emotional finale.