5 times WWE delivered great moments
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin's heel turn at WrestleMania 17 was a turning point for WWE. It effectively signaled the end of the Attitude Era, and the company has never been able to consistently reach heights of that period. The years since have been marked by a decline in the quality of the product and fan discontent.
Even though there has been a malaise around WWE's offerings over the last 2 decades, the company has on occasion delivered moments that their audience has enjoyed. Here are five of them:
#1 Daniel Bryan's win at WWE WrestleMania 30:
In the main event of WrestleMania 30, Daniel Bryan defeated Batista and Randy Orton to win the WWE Championship, concluding one of the most memorable storylines in professional wrestling history.
After a year of being held down by the Authority, 'The American Dragon' overcame insurmountable odds to win two matches in one night and walk away with WWE's biggest prize. It almost never was for Bryan, as the initial plans were for CM Punk to work with Triple H while Batista faced Orton in a singles match.
However, Punk's departure from WWE started a chain of events that culminated in a moment fondly remembered to this day.
#2 Shawn Michaels' fairytale comeback
Shawn Michaels stunned the world when he announced his return to in-ring action at Summerslam 2002. 'The Heartbreak Kid' didn't miss a beat in his unsanctioned street fight with Triple H as the pair put on a classic.
After Michaels narrowly pulled out a win, his former best friend attacked him with a sledgehammer and ensured the 4-time World Champion would leave the arena on a stretcher.
But the best part of this story was yet to come. Michaels was announced as one of the participants in the first-ever Elimination Chamber at Survivor Series 2002. 'The Showstopper' outlasted five other men and exacted revenge on Triple H to win the World Heavyweight Championship.