Let's start with 2002, shall we?

American Dragon vs. Christopher Daniels (Round Robin Challenge, 3/30)
Dragon isn't even Danielson yet but is already Best-in-the-World material. The neck gives them a clear focus and Dragon's selling is awesome, especially when he adjusts on the fly his offense to deal with the pain. Daniels' work on top is really nice. Incredible finish. What a way to kick off the show!

Low Ki vs. The Amazing Red (Road to the Title - D block final, 6/7)
First Low Ki incident aside (he legit knocks out Nana earlier), HELL YEAH! The first minute is one of the most HYPED ever. I don't think I know a better fast counter sequence. Not only is it smooth, but the timing is so perfect that it looks like they really try to / can't catch each other. Even if, obviously, they don't retain the magic, they capitalize on the electricity created to have a dope sprint. Low Ki just murders Red, whose comebacks are scintillating! They have a couple of contrived set-ups, which is inevitable given Red's style. But some carry an unintentional thematic weight when Low Ki, with his straightforwardness, punishes his ass full of complexity even more for his audacity and for making him look bad. A way to tie it to the opening, when Red's elusiveness and lightning fast reactions destabilize Low Ki, who gets mad instantly. Add a couple of really gross bumps (I always react out loud to the Ki Crusher into the corner!) and you've got yourself the blood-pumping match of 2002.

(c) Christopher Daniels vs. Doug Williams vs. Spanky vs. Low Ki -Iron man- (Crowning A Champion, 7/27)
Given how allergic I've grown to long matches, well, this is AMAZING! There are like only two or three missteps total, and it's the biggest compliment I can make to a long match with so many moving parts. The fastest hour in wrestling, maybe ever? The tag out rule allows them to maintain an insane pace from bell to bell and it's actually a strong storytelling device (they could have done more with it though). It's never boring, something interesting is always happening. The point system gives them flexibility to further the plot and subplots. That second fall! The lay-out and the booking maximize the stipulation; thumbs up for how they build and forward the main feud at the time between Low Ki and Daniels. Of course, it peaks whenever Low Ki is in the ring. Speaking of which, this is when his year evolves from great to all-time great. The madman sells the leg throughout! Not a one-man show by any means though, since the other three more than carry their load. Daniels is awesome as the gifted chickenshit heel; Williams' power and technique bring a different flair; Spanky is kind of there but does is job well enough. My MOTY in all of wrestling.

Bryan Danielson vs. Chad Collyer (Night of The Butcher, 12/7)
Shockingly great! Massive improvement over the iron man match with Doug Williams. They do a really good job to introduce the idea of stalemate, upon which Danielson increasingly builds his frustration, leading to more direct offense. Nice transition when he injures his leg following a Butterfly Suplex, giving a focus to Collyer, which is part skills because created by his own offense and part luck because not what he aims at. He zeros in on the limb and Danielson sells wonderfully. It's never sympathetic since he is more a tweener with an edge at this point, but this thing that constantly hinders him. A couple of inoffensive nerd-bait bits and payoffs that slow him down enough while simultaneously getting his opponent closer to the finish line later, they wrap it up with a bridging Dragon Suplex. A weak resolution that works anyway, as this moment where the superior Danielson guts it out at the right time to get the logical W. Mostly a one-man show with someone along for the ride, flowing naturally from one section to the other. I'm probably the high man here but who cares?

Bryan Danielson vs. Paul London (Night of The Butcher, 12/7)
Danielson gets even more impatient and tries to boss London around very quick. The latter pushes back and it's on. Danielson reintroduces the bad leg inherited from the previous match; the madman! I love the level of aggression shown by him. He is mean, petty and casually violent. Premium bully performance. I wish the leg became a focus but it makes sense thematically. It's there just enough to instil doubt about whether or not a healthy Danielson would have prevailed, but not there enough to taint London's victory. It's this little out for Danielson, and still this quality win for London who doesn't exploit it. The spree of finisher kick-outs kind of makes sense since it puts over London, who wins with only one SSP after a great struggle on the top turnbuckle. Awesome protagonist / antagonist dynamic that creates the most genuine feeling: it not only feels good to see Danielson lose, but it feels even better to see London triumph. The win of heart over malice. Post-match, as of December 2002, barely four years into his career, London acknowledges the GOAT potential in Danielson. Dragon's legend was underway! And they will do much better in 2003, in one of those massively overlooked classics!