2. AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan (SmackDown, June 12, 2020)
When looking back at Styles’ many iconic matches, this one truly stands out, falling just short of the number-one spot on this list. Both Styles and Bryan have long been praised for their incredible technical ability; having them share a ring was a perfect match, like peas in a pod.
The bout was so exceptional that it is still praised as one of the best televised matches in WWE history, a pay-per-view caliber encounter that took place on a standard episode of SmackDown.
The match took place during the pandemic with no fans in attendance. Despite the empty arena, the two managed to put on an incredible clash, with an intensity that made you forget the building had no live audience. Competing for the vacant Intercontinental Championship, they delivered nearly 40 minutes of pure, uninterrupted technical wrestling, which is almost unheard of for a televised match.
The finish was exceptional: as Bryan went for a Running Knee, Styles caught him mid-air and delivered a devastating Styles Clash. He immediately followed up with a Phenomenal Forearm, pinning Bryan to become the new Intercontinental Champion, winning it for the first time in his career.
At a time when the Intercontinental Title had lost some of its prestige, this bout single-handedly restored it. By giving two legends nearly an hour of television time to wrestle, WWE signaled that the championship once again belonged to the best performer on the roster.
