Number 4: Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz at Night of Champions 2010
A young and hungry superstar named Daniel Bryan challenged his “mentor” from NXT in The Miz. The hatred felt real. The personal conflict between mentor and student was perfect for both of these guys. To this date, this was the perfect feud for The Miz. With Bryan returning from his firing a few months before, he had only one Pay Per View Match. He came back in popular fashion at SummerSlam and helped Team WWE beat Nexus. Bryan was destined for much more. He would fight Miz in a fantastic exhibition of technicality and intelligence. Miz, with Alex Riley at ringside, would put his title on the line. Bryan would beat Miz in his first attempt and capture the first of many championships he would hold. This was “match of the night” considerations. With a storyline that told itself, Miz and Bryan really showed us that you can put on a match under 15 minutes and execute it to perfection. This was the coming out party for Daniel Bryan. We witnessed a star in the making getting his first shot at championship gold.