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2013 may not have been successful in terms of business for the WWE, but the year had some nail biters even after the creative team being criticized for emotionally dead storylines.
From WrestleMania to Raw, there were many matches that redefined the dynamics of professional wrestling. Some showed the fall of established star while others witnessed the rise of the underdogs. Everything apart the year gave some exciting edge of the seat stuff that could be saved in the archives for a long time. So here is a look at those top ten matches of the past year.
10. Alberto Del Rio vs. Christian (SummerSlam)
- Del Rio vs. Christian
Alberto Del Rio has been getting much heat for his inability to evoke emotions among the fans. But many wouldn’t doubt the in ring skills that he possess and this match was one of the prime examples for that. Christian on the other hand showed how he is still in the business.
It was an action packed outing for the fans and Christian gained a lot of fan backing despite falling short and losing out. A look into this match would make the fans realize how valuable Christian and his presence were to the mid card of the company. And his return would be one exciting thing to look forward to next year.
9) Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan ( Raw)
Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan
Bryan took the WWE by storm this year and gave more than hundred percent in all his matches. The Indy darling was pitted against all the main eventers and had numerous matches with Randy Orton too. But this no-disqualification match at Raw stood out from the rest because the two gave it all despite not having anything on the line.
The match happened before the heel turn of Orton and Bryan was supposed to face John Cena just six days later. It seemed like two faces going at it and with Bryan being split from Kane, it also proved to be a launching pad to reestablish Bryan as a singles competitor. Orton and Bryan showed brilliant chemistry and kept the fans on the edge of their seats throughout the match.
8) CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho (Payback)
Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk
After failing to break the streak of Undertaker at WrestleMania, the straight edge superstar was taken off television for more than two months. Then without appearing in Raw or SmackDown, Punk was directly booked in the Payback pay-per-view in his hometown against Chris Jericho.
Paul Heyman set up the match and Jericho was fresh off from a win over Fandango. The match produced fireworks and the fans were clearly behind their hometown hero. It started of slow but picked the pace up as it progressed and the returning Punk triumphed over Jericho with two consecutive Go To Sleeps.
7) The Undertaker, Kane, and Daniel Bryan vs The Shield- (Raw)
Team Hell No and Undertaker
It’s a rare thing to see The Undertaker perform at Raw and it’s much rarer to see him teaming up with Kane on Raw, add in Daniel Bryan and Shield into the match and we have a bout that is worthy of a PPV main event.
At the time, the Shield were undefeated and that gave the faces a great backing from the fans as the WWE universe expected the trio to put an end to Shield’s run. And was certainly the story in the opening minutes but Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins came back into the match with some interesting moves before pinning Bryan for the win.
6) CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar ( SummerSlam)
CM Punk and Brock Lesnar
The “Beast vs. Best” angle was one of the most intriguing and highest points of the year for the WWE writers. The inclusion of Paul Heyman promises to take the feud to a different level but the in ring outcome of the feud also complimented to make this one of the best storylines of the year.
The old formula of booking David against Goliath paid off to the core while giving the fans an incredible rollercoaster ride. Both the individuals gave their career best performances and showcased a various mixture of moves unlike the same old pro wrestling ones. The match also carried a lot of emotions turning into a milestone in the career of both the stars.
5) Antonio Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn ( Two out of three falls – NXT)
- Antonio Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn
This could arguably be the biggest surprise of the list; to be frank many would have missed this match only because of it being on NXT. For starters, NXT gives matches which would be much more superior technically than the main events on Raw. The superstars perform with their hearts in the mouth for getting a cut into the main roster and this match was no different.
Cesaro is one of the most underrated stars in the company now and Zayn is known for El Generico gimmick which is pulls off. The match went to and fro with Zayn getting the first fall in just 10 seconds. Cesaro would then snatch the win after hanging in for another 14 minutes.
4) CM Punk vs. The Undertaker (WrestleMania 29)
CM Punk vs. The Undertaker
No one put their money on Punk to break Taker’s streak at WrestleMania but as the match started, the fans started to think about the impossible. Despite his age, The Phenom survived the full match, which had a lot of finishers and lag time.
Punk was redefining the word, heel with his every move while Taker was shown as a wounded veteran trying to recall his fossilized moves. This was not one of those classics involving Undertaker and Punk was not in the league of his former opponents but the match definetly stood out from the WrestleMania card.
3) John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (Summerslam)
John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan
Another one from SummerSlam, the match carried a good storyline, a great quality and most importantly it stirred the fans.
The buildup to the match was brilliant with Bryan showing the world that he deserves to headline a prestigious PPV like SummerSlam. Not even one move seemed to be wasted as all of them were executed with clinical precision. And surprisingly Cena fell for the rise of Bryan and saw the flying goat establish himself as a top star in the company. It was also fresh to see Cena lose a match to a clear fan favorite.
Another dimension which was there is the fact that it was a company vs. fans match because Cena was clearly the face while Bryan was the representative of the fans.
2) Rhodes Brothers vs. The Shield (Battleground)
Rhodes Brothers vs. The Shield
The Rhodes brothers getting their job back in the company after winning the match against the Shield was one of the most emotional angles that the creative made this year.
Though it wasn’t a main event, the match carried all the hype for the right reasons. It also turned out to be the turning point in the tag team division which was well on its way to extinction. The sub story, which featured the rise of Goldust, added more dimension to the whole feud. His emergence was nothing short of a fairytale and Shield played an important role rather than being overshadowed.
The moment after the match still resounds on the minds of the fans and was one of the emotionally satisfying moments of the year.
1. John Cena vs. CM Punk ( Raw)
- John Cena vs. CM Punk
It was some sort of a buildup to the WrestleMania clash between John Cena and The Rock but this match on Raw proved to be much bigger as Cena and Punk showed why they are the top guys in the company.
It had an array of moves being thrown at eachother and both of the superstars managed to kick out of each other’s finishers as they approached to the end. The whole face vs. rebel understory also spoke loud as the fans remained engaged throughout the match.
And even though Cena picked up the win, both men left with their heads held high after giving an epic show on the squared circle.
