WWE: 5 Greatest Openers in WrestleMania History

Credit: WWE.com

#2 – Daniel Bryan vs Triple H – WrestleMania XXX

If you were a fan of old school wrestling, this was the match for you. If you were a fan of compelling storylines, this was the match for you. Heck, if you were a fan of Bruiser Brody tributes via footwear (check out Bryan’s furry boots), then yes, this was the match for you.

Simply put, this match had something for everyone. For almost 30 minutes, Bryan and Triple H held the gigantic Superdome (not Silverdome, brother) crowd in the palms of their hands, with some of the best in-ring psychology seen in WWE in years.

There were three main stories heading into this match. The first, and the reason the match was signed, was the culmination of the “Yes Movement vs The Authority” angle, which saw Bryan, fed up with being held down by the powers that be, demand a match with the COO, so that he could get respect the old fashioned way–by earning it. The second was Daniel Bryan’s shoulder injury, which Triple H, summoning the power of his NWA fandom, worked on throughout the match. And the third was the added stipulation that the winner of the match would get a world title shot in the show’s main event, facing Batista and champion Randy Orton in a triple threat match.

The combination of all three of these stories turned the match into an instant classic. Given the underdog story that Bryan was telling, the fans were solidly behind him. The shoulder injury meant that the fans were grimacing with every arm-based move or submission performed by Triple H. And the title shot being on the line added drama, making every near-fall that much more nerve-wracking.

Was this one of the best WrestleMania openers of all time? YES! YES! YES!