5 Best Wrestling Matches of 2008

#3 Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness – ROH Rising Above 2008

In this tough match, Bryan faced English wrestler Nigel McGuinness, who had the size and power advantage over the famous grappler. But Bryan wouldn’t let that get in his way, and resorted to his superior mat wrestling skills to try and win the match. This worked for a while, as Bryan showed everyone his technical skills.

He had great transitions, showed tremendous ring psychology, and seemed to have a bottomless pit of endurance. As has become the trend in these lists, Bryan Danielson is one amazing worker that really did earn all the praise that was given to him.

But McGuinness was dangerous in his own right, showing true remorselessness as he ravaged Bryan’s legs. Unfortunately, Bryan’s arm work wasn’t enough to put away McGuinness, who hit Bryan with a lariat so stiff it would make JBL’s look weak in comparison.

This is a great match for anyone that wants to know why Bryan had such a strong reputation before coming to WWE. He was great at playing the babyface in peril and controlling the audience, even if the said audience was much smaller than a typical WWE show. He was a natural in the ring, and this match showed everyone how he could work the different size dynamic into a patch perfectly.