This year was very much hit or miss when it came to WWE pay-per-views. Some of the events such as Summerslam managed to keep us entertained from start to finish and other events such as Battleground were cringe-worthy. It was an interesting year as WWE managed to take a few steps forward and then take multiple steps backward but there were definitely more than a few memorable moments in 2013.
Not every pay-per-view or match can be a hit but when WWE got it right in 2013 they knocked it out of the park. When 2013 is looked back on these are the matches that will stand out.
10. CM Punk VS The Rock WWE Title Match (Royal Rumble)
The match itself left a lot to be desired but no one can argue that the buildup to this match was HUGE. Although it was business as usual for The Rock when it came to promos, CM Punk managed to churn out some of the best work of his career so far while working with The Rock. It can be debated forever as to whether having Punk drop the title to The Rock the way he did was the right decision (it wasn’t) but there’s no debate that CM Punk swung for the fences in this rivalry and he hit it out of the park.
Despite the chemistry the two seemed to have when it came to promos they unfortunately never seemed to click in the ring. Despite both of their best efforts the match itself never really gets off the ground but this one makes the list based on the fact that having The Rock in a title match against CM Punk was fresh, new and exciting.
9. John Cena VS Randy Orton WWE Title/World Title Unification Tables Ladders And Chairs Match (TLC)
We’ll admit that much like many other wrestling fans out there, we groaned and facepalmed at the thought of another Randy Orton VS John Cena match but somehow they pulled it off. Though it certainly wasn’t one of the best TLC matches it was definitely one of the better matches featured in their LONG rivalry. I’ve never found the Randy Orton/John Cena feud to be all that entertaining (come at me bro) but this time they managed to pull out something better than average with the buildup and the match itself.
8. Dolph Ziggler VS Alberto Del Rio World Title Match (Payback)
Ah yes, the double turn, it’s a rarely seen but all too awesome event in pro wrestling and this match did it great. Dolph Ziggler has been adored by the fans for quite some time and this was very obvious when he cashed in the money in the bank briefcase on Alberto Del Rio and the crowd went bananas. Everyone out there was thrilled to see Ziggler get a legitimate title reign but sadly he was out of action for most of it due to a concussion and when he returned WWE decided to have him drop the strap to Del Rio.
Alberto Del Rio was at the time the face that no one really wanted to cheer and Dolph Ziggler was the heel that everyone wanted to cheer so making the double turn made perfect sense. The match itself tells a great story as it displays the resilience of Dolph Ziggler while simultaneously displaying just how ruthless Alberto Del Rio can be. It’s a shame that WWE never gave Ziggler a chance to show what he could do as champion but this match is one of the most memorable moments of 2013.
7. Triple H VS Brock Lesnar (WrestleMania 29)
The thought of a Triple H/Brock Lesnar feud sounded great on paper but many fans felt as if their Summerslam match fell flat. After Triple H took the loss in their Summerslam confrontation you could see the WrestleMania rematch coming from a mile away and although it didn’t sound all that exciting at first these two managed to pull off a very entertaining match.
Brock Lesnar is a beast, Triple H is deadly in the ring and WrestleMania 29 was their chance to show the world how intense it is when two titans collide. This match was high on drama and even though Brock Lesnar took the loss this time around both men walked away looking strong.
6. Alberto Del Rio VS Christian World Title Match (Summerslam)
Christian had been begging for “one more match” ever since losing the world title a few years ago and finally he got his match at Summerslam. Alberto Del Rio and Christian have history together in the WWE and Christian certainly seems to bring out the best in Del Rio (and pretty much everyone he works with) so fans knew they could expect an entertaining match when this was announced.
Expecting an entertaining match is one thing but this match went above and beyond when it comes to entertainment value. These two put on a spectacle that kept everyone watching on the edge of their seat. Say what you want about both Alberto Del Rio and Christian but this match stood out on the Summerslam card which is saying a lot considering the card was stacked with marquee matches.
5. Cody Rhodes & Goldust VS The Shield Tag Team Title Match (Battleground)
The Rhodes family VS The Authority storyline was one of the most exciting storylines when The Authority angle first started. No one knew Cody could be so entertaining and NO ONE exected Goldust to be so damn good in the ring. A strong case can be made that Battleground was the worst WWE pay-per-view this year but no one can deny this match was worth the price of purchase alone.
Cody Rhodes finally got his chance to shine and Goldust showed the world that his best in ring work is still ahead of him. The Shield obviously never disappoint so putting all of these men together created something special and the Cody/Goldust team has been dominating the tag team division ever since.
4. Money In The Bank Ladder Match For The World Title Contract (Money In The Bank)
When the two money in the bank ladder matches were announced many just assumed the WWE title all star match would steal the show. Much to everyone’s surprise this one actually ended up being the better of the two matches. Although the WWE title money in the bank match featured big name talent , this match featured the younger, more hungry talent and everyone in the match was out to make a name for themselves.
At this point the money in the bank ladder match has been around for a while and it has become increasingly harder for the performers to shock the fans in these matches because it seems like it’s all been done before. That wasn’t the case at all as everyone in this match gave 110% and managed to create something fresh with original spots we hadn’t seen in previous money in the bank matches.
3. CM Punk VS The Undertaker (WrestleMania 29)
Every year the streak is on the line at WrestleMania and every year The Undertaker puts on the best match on the card. This one seemed pretty obvious after Punk dropped the title to The Rock and wrestling fans everywhere couldn’t wait for it to happen. The Undertaker outperforms everyone else at WrestleMania and CM Punk had been outperforming just about everyone all year so putting the two together created something truly special.
The buildup to this match was beyond entertaining. Watching The Undertaker and CM Punk play mindgames with each other made for some great TV and by the time they finally stepped in the ring you couldn’t wait to see them tear each other apart. Most years it’s a foregone conclusion that The Undertaker will win his WrestleMania match but it’s not hard to remember that a large portion of the fanbase was convinced CM Punk would finally be the one to end the streak.
2. John Cena VS Daniel Bryan (Summerslam)
Daniel Bryan has his fair share of haters out there but as much as some people out there want to deny it, he’s the most “over” guy in the company and has been for the past year or so. Everywhere Daniel Bryan goes the crowd goes crazy for him and it had been going on long enough to the point where WWE was pretty much forced to give him a title shot. John Cena and Daniel Bryan managed to provide some great buildup to their match as they showcased their differences and similarities combined with a the spirit of competition as well as a strong sense of mutual respect.
Daniel Bryan can get a good match out of anyone and John Cena always delivers in a big match situation so when it came to their match at Summerslam they pulled out all the stops. Watching Daniel Bryan beat John Cena clean was one of the most memorable moments in WWE history. Seeing Daniel Bryan’s journey lead to a WWE title win warmed everyone’s heart and it was obvious by the reaction of the live crowd that the audience had finally got what they wanted “their guy” was finally champion. It’s just a shame WWE doesn’t have the balls to actually take a chance and see what Daniel Bryan can do as WWE champion.
1. CM Punk VS Brock Lesnar (Summerslam)
CM Punk got very lucky in 2013 as he had the chance to work with big name stars the likes of The Rock and Brock Lesnar. Punk had worked his ass off the past few years and he more than earned the right to step into the ring with a marquee name like Brock Lesnar.
This story ended up playing out perfectly. The split between Paul Heyman and CM Punk was poetic and watching Lesnar come in and attempt to tear Punk apart was very entertaining because Punk pushed back and he pushed back hard. The buildup to this match was great and managed to convince everyone that CM Punk as a legitimate threat to Brock Lesnar.
When these two finally clashed at Summerslam they absolutely destroyed each other. The match is almost hard to watch at times due to the brutality of it all. These two pull out all the stops when it comes to trying to hurt their opponent. This match was without a doubt very hard for the rest of the roster to follow, it definitely won’t be forgotten anytime soon and it rightfully takes its place here as the top match of 2013.
