The Top 10 WWE Moments of 2010

2010 saw many shocks and surprises in the WWE. New superstars debuted, whilst old favorites left the company. 

There were pushes for the likes of Sheamus, Wade Barrett and Alberto Del Rio, but Matt Hardy and Christian failed to catch a break after over a decade of service.

This was also the year of the inaugural Money in the Bank pay-per-view which provided everyone with some electrifying spots and intense moments.

From the excitement of Money in the Bank to the drab and boring Fatal Four Way pay-per-view, this year certainly had its ups and downs.

Here's a list of the 2010 WWE moments to remember!

10. Airbourne at Wrestlemania

The moment of the match saw Evan Bourne forfeit his opportunity to retrieve the Money in the Bank briefcase, in exchange for his first Wrestlemania moment.

One of the most exhilarating moves in the WWE performed from a ladder encapsulates how far superstars will go to make their mark at the Showcase of the Immortals!

9. HBK Superkicks the Undertaker, Costing Him the World Heavyweight Title

This was the moment when everyone knew we were going to be treated to one more match at Wrestlemania between two of the all-time greats.

After so many disappointments and bumps in the road, HBK finally got his wish. From The Undertaker's initial rejection to Shawn's soul-destroying elimination from the Rumble, everyone was willing the WWE to book this match.

This was the moment HBK versus The Undertaker Part 2 truly began!

8. Daniel Bryan Returns at Summerslam

From the day Bryan Danielson was announced as one of the competitors on Season 1 of NXT, wrestling fans that were familiar with his work in ROH and Japan started to pray that the WWE would not drop the ball with him.

Initially, all of our fears seemed justified, with the newly packaged Daniel Bryan going on a losing streak on NXT before finally unceremoniously eliminating himself from the competition.

Then the Nexus attacked, and Bryan was part of the group that viciously beat down Cena. But then it was revealed that the WWE had let Danielson go after he used excessive violence on Justin Roberts.

Whether it not this was a work, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the former American Dragon as he did not get lost in the shuffle of the Nexus but instead received a singles push as the US Champion.

The moment was incredible for every fan who wanted the hero from the so-called minor leagues to fulfill his dream of becoming a successful WWE superstar.

7. Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan's Inter-Promotional Match at Bragging Rights

An incredibly exciting back-and-forth match between two great workers. This was the match that put Dolph Ziggler on the map for me as a potential main-event talent.

The match had passion, electricity and psychology in abundance with Bryan and Ziggler showing the best of their equally varied movesets.

Without a doubt, the highlight of an otherwise lackluster Bragging Rights and arguably one of the matches of the year! 

6. Miz Cashes in Money in the Bank

An incredible moment that combined the excitement of all the Miz marks around the world with the disgust of those who despise the Miz, particularly the angry young girl in the crowd.

It was an extremely well done cash-in, as there was still the possibility that Randy Orton would win with an RKO out of nowhere. The real emotion shown by Miz after his victory summed up the years of abuse and bullying he had suffered at the hands of the locker room and the WWE fans.

Finally he had shown that he was not Marty Jannetty; he was not just a reality TV star.

He was the WWE champion! 

5. Cena Joins the Nexus

The horrified reactions of the kids in the audience made this moment special. The looks of shock and horror at the unexpected result give this moment its place in the Top Ten.

It was the best thing that could have happened to the Cena-Nexus feud, and it provided us with some interesting moments down the line.

This moment would have been remembered much more fondly by WWE fans if it had led to a more exciting finish at Survivor Series with a potential Cena heel turn in the cards!

4. HBK Farewell Address

Not quite the same reception or tribute as Ric Flair's retirement, which is extremely unjust if you consider the respect Michaels has shown by honoring his last-match stipulations.

However, the sheer emotion of the fans and the real tears of the greatest performer to ever grace a WWE ring made this extremely special.

The embrace between Triple H and HBK and the final salute from the Phenom provided the perfect tribute and the best way for Shawn to say goodbye.

3. Edge Returns and Wins the Royal Rumble

After almost six months away from active competition due to a torn Achilles tendon, the Rated R Superstar returned at the Royal Rumble and won the match, inspiring a hugely positive crowd reaction.

His presence on Smackdown was sorely missed, and he went on to have an entertaining feud with former partner Chris Jericho.

2. Bret Hart Makes Vince McMahon Tap out to the Sharpshooter

This moment was huge for everyone who witnessed the Montreal Screwjob and wanted to see Vince get his comeuppance after 13 years.

After a terribly booked match with the heel Vince being outnumbered and beaten down, this moment saved the match and the feud, as it brought nostalgia and satisfaction to every single Bret Hart fan.

1. Undertaker Versus HBK: Streak Versus Career

A fantastic match that saw so many near falls, so many classic Mania moments and such drama and emotion.

From the epic moonsault to the final act of defiance and rebellion from HBK, this match will go down in history as one of the all-time greats

But it was the moment after the match that captured the hearts of the fans. The Undertaker showed the ultimate respect to his greatest-ever opponent by breaking kayfabe and embracing the Heartbreak Kid.

One of the best matches of their respective careers, this was far and away the moment of 2010.

Honorable Mentions

Here are some of the moments that nearly made it onto the list:

CM Punk teasing Stone Cold's return on Raw.

Rey Mysterio reversing Swagger's ankle lock by losing his boot a la Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero.

Kofi Kingston Boom Drop through the announce table at Money in the Bank.

Bret Hart's initial return.

The reconciliation between Hart and Michaels.

DX as tag team champions!

Nexus debut.