WWE SummerSlam 2013 in hindsight

CM Punk vs Brock Lesnar was one of the top matches of the night

No DQ Match featuring CM Punk vs Brock Lesnar. When I say that CM Punk took a beating in this match, I mean CM Punk took a beating in this match. The Beast Brock Lesnar absolutely destroyed CM Punk for a majority of this match but Punk kept coming back. Vicious shot after vicious shot. And he did this while dishing out some fine punishment of his own; at one point he even had Paul Heyman in the Anaconda Vice.

There was absolutely great in-ring psychology by the two and at one point, despite this being a No DQ Match, a full on wrestling match broke out involving the two trading holds. Going back and forth in a tremendous display of skill and tenacity, Paul Heyman only added to the intensity it all. CM Punk succumbed to the vicious beat down by Lesnar only with the help of Paul Heyman, and The Beast took one hell of a victory in another Match of the Night – or maybe Match of the Year – candidate.

Had the night ended here, this SummerSlam would still have been one of the best showings of the WWE this year. But that was not to be as the main action and drama still had to unfold.

Dolph Ziggler and Kaitlyn vs Big E Langston and AJ Lee was another breather match, which Dolph Ziggler used to do what he does best – show off. It was a good back and forth match and a much needed victory for Dolph and Kaitlyn.

Main Event time. And time for another Match of the Year candidate. Bring on the WWE Title Match, bring on Daniel Bryan vs John Cena. People usually tend to give John Cena a hard time for being on the top for so long, hogging all the spotlight and not promoting new talent. To those people I say, watch this match.

From the mixed reactions to taking all the heel-ish spots, Cena did it all to ensure that Bryan went over as positively as he could. Bryan himself, the technician that he is, once again showed why he belongs in the Main Event, holding the match and the WWE Universe in the palm of his hand all the while.

It was a roller coaster ride from the start to the finish, and Daniel Bryan won his first ever WWE Championship following a devastating running knee to the face, pinning John Cena clean. After the match Cena shook Bryan’s hand and in many ways seemed like he passed the torch to him since he will now be taking time off for surgery. But that wasn’t it. Not by any stretch of imagination.

Out comes Randy Orton, running to the ring, only to stop short, lock eyes with Triple H and wait for Daniel Bryan to turn around and face his doom. Triple H planted Bryan with a Pedigree, leaving him motionless, aligning himself with Randy Orton and allowing him to cash in his Money in the Bank contract to become the WWE Champion for the 7th time.

Overall, this PPV was money well spent for anyone who ordered it. It had strong footing coming into it and leaves every Superstar and Diva with a purposeful fall out into their respective storylines (even Ryback and his highly entertaining encounters with catering), which will only improve the WWE product as a whole. The finish to the WWE Championship match now puts Daniel Bryan firmly in the driver’s seat of the Main Event class and one can only expect a truly great outcome of this Triple H heel turn.

I for one will surely be tuning in to Monday Night RAW to see it all come together, and silently, hopefully praying to hear the words, “Evolution is a mystery…”