Match of the Week: Daniel Bryan vs Jack Swagger/Antonio Cesaro/Ryback (WWE RAW 7/22/13)

Match of the Week: Daniel Bryan vs Jack Swagger/Cesaro/Ryback (WWE RAW 7/22/13)

Last week Daniel Bryan announced his retirement as years of in-ring punishment finally caught up to him. I was fortunate to watch him live in person few times. One of the times was this live RAW I attended. This was build to Summerslam which then champion John Cena handpicked Bryan as his opponent. On this night they had contract signing and Daniel Bryan got booked in a gauntlet match against three wrestlers to showcase he truly belong on WWE PPV main event. I called this RAW moment "30 Minutes with Daniel Bryan" because he wrestled 30 minutes or more on main event of RAW. Think about it and put this in mind. They put Daniel Bryan to wrestle on RAW main event for more than 30 minutes minutes. Before this match the last time I remember RAW given lot of time to wrestler(s) in a match was Shawn Michaels and John Cena in near hour battle.

This entry feature the photos I took of this match. His first match was against Jack Swagger who vanquished him in three minutes with a Yes Lock. His second opponent is Swagger's partner Antonio Cesaro as they had hard-hitting back and forth match with Bryan winning after countering Cesaro's Swiss Miss into inside cradle. TV timing have it for almost 15 minutes. Match was good on TV, but far superior live in person. Being there live I can tell this match of the year candidate while the two commercial breaks took it away. His last opponent was Ryback who bullied and dominated a tired Bryan in the match. Bryan made small comeback only get knocked back down. Ryback set up a table outside the ring only get met with flying Daniel Bryan. It started another comeback ending with Bryan putting Yes Lock on Ryback which he used the ropes to break it. He went for one too many high risk move as Ryback catches and counter with powerbomb on the floor. He powerbombed him again this time through a table resulting DQ and victory to Daniel Bryan. The match reached around 10 minutes. In the post match John Cena saved Daniel Bryan beating Ryback up. At the end of the gauntlet Daniel Bryan lasted more than 30 minutes.

You think that was end of this? Wrong! This post RAW dark match featured John Cena taking Mark Henry. The Shield came out attacking both wrestlers with Daniel Bryan making the save. The match turn into six men tag with John Cena, Mark Henry, and Daniel Bryan taking on The Shield which ended in a DQ. On that night he wrestled in four matches in likely total of 40-45 minutes.

There are moments you have to be there. This is one of those moments. Thank you Daniel Bryan!

Rebel's Top 10 Wrestling Matches of the Year - Part 2 (1-5)

This is part 2 of my 2012 Top 10 wrestling matches of the year. They are based on matches and shows I saw throughout the year. You can part 1 here. This list ranked no. 1-5.

 5. John Cena vs Brock Lesnar - WWE Extreme Rules

This match is far different than the cookie-cutter matches WWE puts out. The entire match had a big time fight club feel with a cocky Brock overpowering and completely destroying over-confident Cena most of the match. At the end over-confidence prevails over cockiness. I haven't questioned the finish.

 

4. Robert Evans vs Portia Perez - ACW Guilty By Association 6 (Grudge Match)

  

This match filled emotional hatred and it showed throughout the battle. Short story of a year long build Robert Evans confessed his love to Portia Perez and she responded with a superkick splitting up the team. While Evans gone marching, Portia terrorize ACW til fall of 2011 when Evans came marching back costing her matches. After Evans first match in ACW in almost year Perez return the favor back superkicking him and issuing a grudge match challenge at Guilty by Association 6. What a match they produce. Before the match I could feel the hate between these two as Evans stared down at Perez. Once the bell rang they fought, battle, brutalize each other all over the ring trying to break each other will for almost 30 minutes. After the brutal hard-fought battle Evans came out on top in one of best emotionally invested hatred of a match....and its not the end to this saga yet.

 

3. Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan - WWE Extreme Rules (2 out of 3 falls match)

After 18 second match at Wrestlemania 28 these two got another go this time at Extreme Rules in a 2 out of 3 falls match.This time crowd nearly split based from aftermath of their Wrestlemania match. They were for happy-go-lucky tough guy Sheamus because he's the good guy to sympathetic Daniel Bryan who felt got cheated out of his moment.This should have been their long Wrestlemania match, these two put on amazing performance as they traded falls before Sheamus came out on top.

 

2. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan - WWE Over the Limit

 This match has classic written all over way before their PPV encounter. Both battle to two non-finish matches on RAW which they tore down the house each time. Their third battle took place at Over the Limit this time for WWE World Title. They gave fans another masterpiece this time for near 30 minutes with a finish. They were times you thought either man would win. At the end CM Punk took victory and kept his belt.

 1. Undertaker vs Triple H - Wrestlemania 28 (Hell in the Cell)

My 2012 match of the year. One hell of a battle in this hard-hitting slugfest between two legends with a third legend involved in this match. I watched this live at friend's place and on edge our feet each moment, each move, each pin. There were times when you thought Undertaker streak would end throughout the shear brutality inside the Cell. Undertaker prevailed again pinning Triple H. This match far exceeded their Wrestlemania 17 and 27 matches. The post match of Undertaker, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels embracing in the ring and on stage gave a good lasting image. Dubbed "End of Era" they gave the fans are memorable last hurrah.