7 best Daniel Bryan WWE matches

#3 versus CM Punk - Money in the Bank 2012 (July 15, 2012)

Bryan smashes Punk with a huge leg kick in their WWE Championship battle

The summer of 2012 saw Daniel Bryan embroiled in a love triangle of sorts with WWE Champion, CM Punk and AJ Lee.

Lee was assigned as the special referee with the WWE title at stake as Punk and Bryan attempted to settle their differences.

The bout began with some sick strikes, as the pair targetted each other's chests with chops before brutally kicking each other with more stiff shots.

A ref bump saw Lee taken to the back as Bryan took over on Punk with brutal kendo stick strikes.

Lee returned to the ring moments later and mischievously picked up a chair and placed it in the centre of the squared circle between the two men.

Bryan grabbed the chair and hit Punk over and over, softening him up for the Yes Lock. Punk wrenched himself free and set up a table and suplexed Bryan through it from the top rope and pinned him to retain the WWE Championship.

Brilliant match, with great technical wrestling, effective use of weapons and emotional depth with the love triangle story. Likely Punk's finest hour in WWE and one of Bryan's very best as well.