Where does Bryan vs HHH Rank All-Time on 'Mania Curtain Jerkers?

[IrishCanadian25]

The curtain jerk match. The first match of the night. It helps to set the tone for the night, and in some cases, get the crowd amped up foe what is sure to be a night they'll never forget.

At Wrestlemania 30, Daniel Bryan and Triple H put on a classic - a match with a story behind it, a match with emotion during it, and a match with physicality surrounding it. So it begs the question:

In the history of all 30 curtain jerker matches at Wrestlemania, where does Daniel Bryan vs HHH rank?

• Wrestlemania 1: Tito Santana vs The Executioner
• Wrestlemania 2: Paul Orndorff vs The Magnificent Muraco
• Wrestlemania 3: Rick Martel and Tom Zenk vs Bob Orton and Magnificent Muraco
• Wrestlemania 4: Bad News Brown wins 20-man Battle Royal
• Wrestlemania 5: Hercules vs King Haku
• Wrestlemania 6: Rick Martel vs Koko B. Ware
• Wrestlemania 7: The Rockers vs The Barbarian and Haku
• Wrestlemania 8: Shawn Michaels vs Tito Santana
• Wrestlemania 9: Shawn Michaels vs Tatanka
• Wrestlemania 10: Bret Hart vs Owen Hart
  
• Wrestlemania 11: Lex Luger and The British Bulldog vs Jacob and Eli Blu
• Wrestlemania 12: Vader, Owen Hart, and British Bulldog vs Yokozuna, Jake Roberts, and Ahmed Johnson
• Wrestlemania 13: Headbangers vs New Blackjacks vs Godwins vs Furnas and LaFon
• Wrestlemania 14: LOD 2000 wins 15 Tag-Team Battle Royal
• Wrestlemania 15: Hardcore Holly vs Billy Gunn vs Al Snow (Hardcore Title)
• Wrestlemania 16: Bossman and Bull Buchanan vs Godfather and D-Lo
• Wrestlemania 17: Chris Jericho vs William Regal (IC Title)
• Wrestlemania 18: Rob van Dam vs William Regal (IC Title)
• Wrestlemania 19: Matt Hardy vs Rey Mysterio
• Wrestlemania 20: John Cena vs Big Show (US Title)
  
• Wrestlemania 21: Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero
• Wrestlemania 22: Big Show and Kane vs Carlito and Chris Masters
• Wrestlemania 23: Mr. Kennedy wins Money in the Bank Ladder Match
• Wrestlemania 24: JBL vs Finlay
• Wrestlemania 25: CM Punk wins Money in the Bank Ladder Match
• Wrestlemania 26: Big Show and Miz vs John Morrison and R-Truth
• Wrestlemania 27: Edge vs Alberto del Rio (World Title)
• Wrestlemania 28: Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan (World Title)
• Wrestlemania 29: The Shield vs Orton, Sheamus, and Big Show
• Wrestlemania 30: Triple H vs Daniel Bryan

There you have it. The list. You don't need to rank them all, but where do you think HHH vs Bryan falls, and what matches, if any, are better then that one?

For me, I still look at Bret Hart vs Owen Hart from Mania 10 as the Gold Standard. The drama between Bret and Owen had been building for months, and it felt REAL. Nothing forced or wasted, and the match occurred because Lex Luger won a coin toss, giving him the first title match vs Yokozuna. Bret was co-winner of the Royal Rumble and would face the winner of Yoko vs Lex for the WWF Title at the end of the night. People DID NOT expect Owen to win, and the result was an epic match up with a shock ending. A clean, legit victory for Owen. The story was then "how will Bret recover from this loss?" It set up the Bret vs Owen World Title feud at Summer Slam perfectly.

I put Triple H vs Daniel Bryan 2nd. The only thing working against the match was its degree of predictability. Fans knew how disappointed we'd all be if Bryan lost that match, and how incensed that'd make everyone. Plus, the WWE World Title isn't going to be defended at Wrestlemania in a Triple Threat involving 3 heels. That aside, it was a clinic. Great lead in. Great execution. Fantastic finish.

Third I have Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero. Good build up, no title needed, and a terrific match, the likes of which turned millions of people on to WCW in the 90's with the fast paced Cruiser-weight action.

Matches such as the two Money in the Banks, Michaels vs Santana, Edge vs del Rio, and several others deserve consideration as well. Which matches do YOU think were the best curtain jerkers in Mania history?

 

[The Eighties]

I think Bret vs Owen and Bryan vs Triple H are head and shoulders above all of the others, just two fantastic matches that were not only great in their own right but also played into the overall bigger drama of the evening.

Like you I'd rank Bret vs Owen at #1, just such a wrestling clinic with a lot of sequences you just didn't see in WWF back then, and the result was a real shocker.

I think the back to back Regal IC title match openers deserve some recognition, perfect opening matches with a great wrestler and heel in Regal against exciting faces who were very over for a title that has a great lineage.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Hard to say, it's a week on so who knows how it'll hold up against Bret/Own. That's it's only competition. The rest are pretty average, even Guerrero/Mysterio. Given more time, a mask that fit Rey properly and the Mania 21 opener might've been something special. But it's terribly average. No better than Rey/Hardy, Finaly/JBL etc.

A more interesting question is which is the worst.

 

[Kidpolean]

Hard to say, it's a week on so who knows how it'll hold up against Bret/Own. That's it's only competition. The rest are pretty average, even Guerrero/Mysterio. Given more time, a mask that fit Rey properly and the Mania 21 opener might've been something special. But it's terribly average. No better than Rey/Hardy, Finaly/JBL etc.

A more interesting question is which is the worst.

really??? Hmm...its funny how different two peoples opinions can be. Rey vs Eddie is one of my favorite matches of all time. I'd actually put it above Bret vs Owen.

either way, I think everyone's top three will probably include hhh vs db, Bret vs Owen, and Mysterio vs Eddie.

I'd put HHH vs DB as the third greatest wm opener of all time

 

[MCMG]

The two MITB ladder matches were exciting and (besides the Rumble) there isn't a match the WWE put on where the winner is so anticipated. MITB give off that special Wrestlemania feel which is perfect for the opening match. Sheamus v Bryan was a fantastic way to shock the crowd at the beginning; something I quite liked.

Bret v Owen is obviously a classic. These two put on a classic wrestling match that is arguably in the top 10 WM matches of all time. Moreover, we got to see the underdog win. Bryan vs HHH was fantastic in every way. Bryan was beaten down and injured but STILL won the match. It was the culmination of 8 months of feuding and it delivered giving the fans exactly what they wanted.

I'd go Bret v Owen as number one. HHH v Bryan 2 and the WM23 Money in the Bank third.

 

[Kris Benwa]

This is easily number 2. Bret vs Owen is immaculate a classic wrestling match and probably in the top WM matches period. Triple H vs Bryan is only second to that. Great match. I wouldn't rank the Money in The Bank matches because it's hard to have a bad one of those. I actually really liked Mysterio vs Guerrero at 21 also and that was my number 2 until this year which blew that one out of the water. I didn't like Mania 30 that much but I really liked Triple H vs Bryan it was match of the night IMO. My list and reasoning is basically the same as the OP's

 

[Dragon Chief]

The only seven matches I consider solid WrestleMania openers are as follows:

- Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart - WM X
- Rey Mysterio vs. Matt Hardy - WM XIX
- John Cena vs. Big Show - WM XX
- Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio WM 21
- MITB - WM 23
- Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio - WM 27
- HHH vs. Daniel Bryan - WM XXX

Out of those seven matches I would rank HHH vs. Daniel Bryan as second, only behind Bret vs. Owen and above Eddie vs. Rey. Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan had the greatest build-up of all the matches and it delivered extremely well. Maybe once I re-watch the event again I will change my rankings but as of now it is definitely in the top three greatest opening matches in WrestleMania history.

 

[Hakushi]

I'd put it tied with second place.
1- Bret/Owen, not only the best "curtain jerker" matches, but one of the finest at any Mania.

2. Trips/Bryan & Y2J/Regal. Y2J and Regal put on an AWESOME match, which set the tone to one of the best Manias ever, same can be said for Trips/Bryan.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I'd put it tied with second place.
1- Bret/Owen, not only the best "curtain jerker" matches, but one of the finest at any Mania.

2. Trips/Bryan & Y2J/Regal. Y2J and Regal put on an AWESOME match, which set the tone to one of the best Manias ever, same can be said for Trips/Bryan.

Are you kidding me? A Y2J/Regal match that was basically a TV match, that was a HUGE disappointment at the time? Go back and watch it again. Usually I'm pretty cool with match quality opinions but that feels like trolling. Hardy/Rey was about as good as Y2J/Regal.

I'll put it up there with Bret/Owen and I believe some MITB matches opened Raw a few times.

 

[Trill Co$by]

Am I the only one that didn't find the Bryan/HHH match entertaining? Don't get me wrong, the story was told perfectly and I'm just as happy that Bryan won as the next guy, but that had to be one of the worst matches ever for HHH and Daniel both. I just couldn't get into it, which is sad because WM30 was otherwise a great PPV [except for that Miami Blur].

As for where it sits in history as the opener, I would say it's in sixth place behind Bret & Owen [best of all time], Rey & Eddie, Edge & Del Rio, and the two MITB matches. The match had psychology down, but it just wasn't entertaining. The matches before it, while not all of them were as psychological [MITBs really] they were far more entertaining to me than the Bryan/HHH match. But that's just how I feel.

 

[laodaron]

It was a great match, and HHH is just incredible to watch perform, even at his age.

I would say WM10 first and then WM30 second.

 

[LSN80]

Am I the only one that didn't find the Bryan/HHH match entertaining?

Yes, you are. That, and I think you're trolling, as you do this frequently with matches or wrestlers that are overall well-received.

Don't get me wrong, the story was told perfectly and I'm just as happy that Bryan won as the next guy.

If the match told the story perfectly, how was it not entertaining? This makes no sense.

but that had to be one of the worst matches ever for HHH and Daniel both. I just couldn't get into it, which is sad because WM30 was otherwise a great PPV [except for that Miami Blur].

Then you have no ability to appreciate or understand what makes for a good match. HHH has had a litany of matches far worse then this, in fact, this was one of his best. Saying that it falls in the bottom half of Bryan's top ten matches-as I am- is no insult to Bryan, it's simply that Bryan has had so many good matches. Not only in WWE, but in the Independent ranks as well.

As for where it sits in history as the opener, I would say it's in sixth place behind Bret & Owen [best of all time], Rey & Eddie, Edge & Del Rio, and the two MITB matches. The match had psychology down, but it just wasn't entertaining.

It wasn't as good as Edge and Del Rio? Are you nuts? No, just trolling again, I'm sure. Rey and Eddie was a fine match that told a logical story with Eddie not being able to beat Rey, but it hardly had the intensity or was the demonstration of true wrestling that Bryan and HHH was. As for the two Money In The Bank matches, they were spotfests. Fun, entertaining matches that kicked off the show well, but they didn't bring the high stakes that HHH and Bryan did, nor did they deliver from a wrestling standpoint in that sense.

The matches before it, while not all of them were as psychological [MITBs really] they were far more entertaining to me than the Bryan/HHH match. But that's just how I feel.

No, it's just what you think. You weren't describing emotions, you were providing your analysis regarding wrestling. The difference? No one can tell you your emotions are wrong, or at least, they shouldn't. With regards to thoughts, one can be plenty wrong.

And you are here.

I don't know that we'll ever witness an opener that will top the emotion, psychology, and follow-through that Bret vs. Owen provided. Owen going from annoyance to an absolute tirade as to how Bret was always in Bret's spotlight was perfectly demonstrated here. And when the match came, the psychology was off the charts. It wasn't so much that Owen beat Bret, it was that Bret got caught, and Owen took advantage. And once Bret won the title in the main event, it allowed for an organic feud for the title between the pair.

But when compared to that match, second place isn't bad, which is where I'd place HHH and Bryan. I wasn't surprised they delivered, I expected them to. And they did. What did surprise me-in looking over the list-was overall how weak the openers have been historically in the 30 years of Wrestlemania.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Not even close to number one. Years from now, if it does make it onto any sort of retropective DVD, itll be for the magnitude of what it meant for both guys, not for overall match quality, like Owen Vs Bret. It was very good, and I would say likely the stand-alone number 2, but certainley not number one.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I am going to have to agree with those who said Daniel Bryan VS Trips at Wrestlemania 30 is arguably the 2nd best opening match in the history of the Wrestlemania brand. When looking back at the past decade's worth of Wrestlemania shows, the only other opener that even touches it is Eddie VS Rey at Wrestlemania 21, while this year's first match was superior. Jericho VS Regal at Wrestlemania 17 is another opener that I really liked, although Wrestlemania 30's opener was better. I'd put Bryan VS Triple H at Wrestlemania 30 second behind only the Bret VS Owen match from Wrestlemania 10 when ranking all of the opening matches of Wrestlemania events, that one was amazing. Nothing will ever top it for openers.

My top 5
1. Bret VS Owen at Wrestlemania 10
2. Bryan VS Trips at Wrestlemania 30
3. Jericho VS Regal at Wrestlemania 17
4. Eddie VS Rey at Wrestlemania 21
5. Money In the Bank at Wrestlemania 23

 

[Hakushi]

I am going to have to agree with those who said Daniel Bryan VS Trips at Wrestlemania 30 is arguably the 2nd best opening match in the history of the Wrestlemania brand. When looking back at the past decade's worth of Wrestlemania shows, the only other opener that even touches it is Eddie VS Rey at Wrestlemania 21, while this year's first match was superior. Jericho VS Regal at Wrestlemania 17 is another opener that I really liked, although Wrestlemania 30's opener was better. I'd put Bryan VS Triple H at Wrestlemania 30 second behind only the Bret VS Owen match from Wrestlemania 10 when ranking all of the opening matches of Wrestlemania events, that one was amazing. Nothing will ever top it for openers.

My top 5
1. Bret VS Owen at Wrestlemania 10
2. Bryan VS Trips at Wrestlemania 30
3. Jericho VS Regal at Wrestlemania 17
4. Eddie VS Rey at Wrestlemania 21
5. Money In the Bank at Wrestlemania 23

Glad to see that someone else really enjoyed that Y2J/Regal match! Storyline was weak and petering, but the match (taken by itself) was quite good!

 

[nWoForever1138]

Too me it's either number one or number two. I'm not sure if it's ahead of Owen vs. Bret at WrestleMania X or behind it. It was that damn good in terms of workrate and crowd reaction.

 

[Trill Co$by]

Yes, you are. That, and I think you're trolling, as you do this frequently with matches or wrestlers that are overall well-received.

You should know I don't troll. And honestly, I happened to like The Shield's appearance at Survivor Series, and almost every match The Shield's been in since their inception. And other than Rock matches, I usually tend to agree on most matches that are well-received. But I just didn't find the Daniel Bryan and HHH match entertaining.

If the match told the story perfectly, how was it not entertaining? This makes no sense.

You're a very smart person, possibly one of the smartest I know. In saying that, I'm sure in your time, whether proof reading for a friend or whatever be the case, that you've read college essays that were grammatically correct and had all the bells and whistles. Yet in the end, you still didn't feel "hooked" to their essay. That's what happened here. The story was fine, but I personally didn't like it.

There are plenty of matches in history that told a story well, but still didn't live up to expectations.

Then you have no ability to appreciate or understand what makes for a good match. HHH has had a litany of matches far worse then this, in fact, this was one of his best. Saying that it falls in the bottom half of Bryan's top ten matches-as I am- is no insult to Bryan, it's simply that Bryan has had so many good matches. Not only in WWE, but in the Independent ranks as well.

I can list 10 matches each for both men that top this match.

It wasn't as good as Edge and Del Rio? Are you nuts? No, just trolling again, I'm sure. Rey and Eddie was a fine match that told a logical story with Eddie not being able to beat Rey, but it hardly had the intensity or was the demonstration of true wrestling that Bryan and HHH was. As for the two Money In The Bank matches, they were spotfests. Fun, entertaining matches that kicked off the show well, but they didn't bring the high stakes that HHH and Bryan did, nor did they deliver from a wrestling standpoint in that sense.

Yeah, it's weird right? Especially since I have a strong dislike for Del Rio. But for me, his work with Edge and Christian was some of the best programming at the time and didn't feel too forced on me. It's saying even more considering I'm on and off with Christian. As for the Money in the Bank matches, no they're not technically sound matches and are definitely spot fests. Most cluster fuck matches usually are. But they were still great to watch, and I can still go back and watch them over again in the future with excitement.

No, it's just what you think. You weren't describing emotions, you were providing your analysis regarding wrestling. The difference? No one can tell you your emotions are wrong, or at least, they shouldn't. With regards to thoughts, one can be plenty wrong.

And you are here.

You just helped me with a topic discussion later. Thanks for that.

I don't know that we'll ever witness an opener that will top the emotion, psychology, and follow-through that Bret vs. Owen provided. Owen going from annoyance to an absolute tirade as to how Bret was always in Bret's spotlight was perfectly demonstrated here. And when the match came, the psychology was off the charts. It wasn't so much that Owen beat Bret, it was that Bret got caught, and Owen took advantage. And once Bret won the title in the main event, it allowed for an organic feud for the title between the pair.

But when compared to that match, second place isn't bad, which is where I'd place HHH and Bryan. I wasn't surprised they delivered, I expected them to. And they did. What did surprise me-in looking over the list-was overall how weak the openers have been historically in the 30 years of Wrestlemania.

Owen vs. Bret was genuine, and it's nearly impossible to duplicate. It was a little brother breaking out from the shadows of his older brother and becoming his own star. It was brilliant, and not just my favorite Mania opener. It's definitely Top Five of my favorite Mania matches ever. Rey & Eddie are two that will always put classic matches together, as they proved in their Mania appearance together. Del Rio and Edge was told well and had excitement for me. If you must go back and watch, then please do.

And I don't see what's so wrong with placing Daniel Bryan vs. HHH at 6th place out of 30 WM openers. I had an opinion on the match, which was asked for by IrishCanadian25 so I gave it. Plus, 6th place out of 30 is a very respectable number.