WWE Highlights of the week: 9 August, 2013

Another week gone by, and that just brings us one week closer to SummerSlam. The build up to the event is hot as ever, and wrestlers are shifting gears into what will be the last and final push from WWE before heading into the biggest event of the summer.

RAW and SmackDown were average shows this week, but WWE managed to garner a lot of viewers, which indicates the anticipation towards SummerSlam.

Here we will look at the major happenings of the week that managed to deliver and failed. Also we will talk about the top 3 matches and the performers of the week.

Hits:

1. Brock Lesnar - ‘Paul, say something stupid‘

Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar and CM Punk are into one of the fiercest rivalries of recent times. The physical showdown between them during their encounters and the display of anger is fantastic. Though Lesnar has been the dominant guy during their encounters, Punk’s never backed down, and gone at him with everything he’s got.

But the moment of the week came when Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman had a backstage segment. Lesnar surprisingly was given some time on the mic, and managed to give a rather strange promo. He ended the promo with the words ‘Paul, say something stupid’, which managed to make most people chuckle.

2. Del Rio’s beat down on Ricardo

Del Rio turned on his former assistant and accomplice this week after his loss against RVD on RAW. He was merciless as he battered the poor guy over and over again, which Ricardo sold really well. Del Rio managed to garner a lot of heat due to this, as he looked ruthless. With Ricardo no more on his side, it looks difficult for Del Rio to hold on to the title at SummerSlam.

3. Bray Wyatt’s promos

The Wyatt family have taken the WWE by storm with their sadistic theme and eerie promos. Kane made a huge challenge this week on RAW by challenging Wyatt to a Ring of Fire match. The Wyatts looked stunned, but delivered a great comeback on SmackDown. Bray Wyatt’s creepy backstage words on the Titantron was one of the best promos from the outlandish group.

Flops:

1. Ryback‘s walkout on RAW

Ryback

Ryback walked out of a match against Mark Henry on RAW, which has confused fans further as to where Ryback is presently heading. A match between the two, which was stated as a Wrestlemania 29 rematch, turned out to be a real dud courtesy poor booking.

2. Wade Barrett the Barber

Barrett’s fall from grace hit new depths when he came out on RAW as a barber. The future looks really bleak for Barrett, who was once considered a World title contender.

3. Kane vs 3MB

Kane squashed 3MB in a match that was supposedly booked to make Kane look stronger. The only thing it managed to do was make a bigger joke out of 3MB, who are rotting at the bottom of the roster. The match was a complete joke, as it lasted hardly a minute.

Top 3 matches of the week

1. RVD vs Randy Orton

Randy Orton

SmackDown’s opening segment showed just why the Blue Brand is the better show as far as wrestling is concerned. The two had a great match that set the tone for the entire evening. Orton won the match after a huge RKO that RVD sold by falling face first into the mat.

2. CM Punk vs Curtis Axel

The best match on a rather below average RAW as far as wrestling was concerned. The match wasn’t the best performance of the two wrestlers but the showdown between Punk and Lesnar managed to make the entire segment interesting.

3. Christian vs Alberto Del Rio

The SmackDown main event between Christian and Del Rio was extremely entertaining. Christian looked completely charged and its as if he can’t do any wrong in his current run. Expect these two to deliver an excellent match at SummerSlam.

Top 3 performers of the week

1. Rob Van Dam

RVD is on fire after his return from MITB. He has been delivering the best matches every week since his return. Though it is sad he still doesn’t have a match at SummerSlam, he has proven that he is enjoying his run in WWE at the moment.

2. Christian

Another veteran who has stepped up and set an example. Captain Charisma looked strong in his match against Del Rio, and looks like he is heading to become the Champion at SummerSlam.

3. Randy Orton

Randy Orton’s had a great week after ending the show strong on RAW and picking up a victory against RVD on SmackDown. Expect Orton to be put in a match at SummerSlam.

Best Show of the week: SmackDown