The culmination of “The Yes Movement” occurred at WrestleMania 30 in 2014, and now, with its 10th anniversary behind him, Bryan Danielson has reflected on the match that opened the event, pitting him against Triple H. This bout determined who would join the World Heavyweight Championship match later that night, featuring Batista and the defending champion, Randy Orton.
In a recent appearance on “Inside the Ropes,” Danielson revealed that he learned about his opponent and the match stipulation a few weeks prior to WrestleMania. “It was around four to six weeks, I think, before WrestleMania,” he shared. He noted that several factors influenced the plans at that time, including CM Punk’s dramatic exit earlier that year, which inadvertently cleared a path for his rise.
The narrative of the ultimate underdog played to Danielson’s advantage. He triumphed over Triple H in that opening match, securing his spot in the main event Triple Threat, even though he hadn’t been formally informed about it when the match was first discussed.
“I was just excited,” he expressed, adding that while he wasn’t officially told until the week before, he had a strong sense that he would end up in the main event. In the end, his instincts proved correct. Danielson captured the title by forcing Batista to submit with the “Yes Lock,” marking a moment in wrestling history.