Bryan Danielson / Daniel Bryan vs. Nigel McGuinness / Desmond Wolfe for the ROH World Championship, from Ring of Honor 8th Anniversary Show

There are at least two better matches between Daniel Bryan and Desmond Wolfe that predate this encounter, but I’ve the feeling this might work with a bigger audience than those matches. This match, for instance, uses wrestling’s soap opera tendencies along with more clearly defining who we’re supposed to cheer and jeer, making it easier to make sense of their sometimes convoluted chain wrestling sequences. There’s a bit of fat that could have been trimmed and oh boy does playing McGuinness’s concussions concerns for heel heat not hold up well, but I still feel comfortable calling this a handsome success.

8