Been a long time since yours truly last posted here on The Silverdome. Between school and work, it has been hard to follow, more or less, write about anything in the wonderful world of wrestling. With 2013 coming to a close, there is not much to talk about concerning major wrestling programming (Raw, Smackdown, Impact Wrestling) as big developments stall until the new year and are replaced with an unnecessary amount of holiday shenanigans. What a better time to reflect on the year that just past both the good and the bad.
As a whole, 2013 was a very mixed year quality-wise. While nothing is perfect, most of the great stuff about professional wrestling in 2013 came during the first eight months of the year. Things after September could not compare to the eight months before it, but this writer will elaborate more on this point in The Worst of 2013. The Best of 2013 did not come from the John Cena's and Randy Orton's of professional wrestling, it came from the up-and-coming stars such as the Shield and Dolph Ziggler and the true main eventers like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. The Best of 2013 encompasses this writer's favourite matches, moments and angles of the year. Enjoy the trip down memory lane and happy New Year!
Believe in the Shield
While the Shield debuted at the very end of 2012, 2013 was where this group made their impact. There has not been a faction as dominant as the Shield in the WWE since the Attitude Era. In all due respect to Evolution, the WWE's version of the Four Horsemen could never live up to their true potential due to injuries and a severely short reign of dominance. During this full calendar year, the Shield has remained as one of the top of forces in the WWE even after dropping the Tag Titles to the Rhodes Brothers. Aside from this faction's dominance, these three young guns have been putting on the most consistently strong performances of anyone on the WWE roster. Any match the Shield is involved in can easily be considered the highlight of the night. With or without championship gold around their waists, the Shield has the highest stock among any team or singles wrestler in WWE, which is incredibly impressive for three young wrestlers.
Dolph Ziggler Cashes In
Everybody was hoping to see Dolph Ziggler cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania to win the World Heavyweight Championship because it would have been an insane WrestleMania moment. Leaving that moment until the next night on Raw, where a much bigger audience than WrestleMania is watching, was even better. Pitting Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter against Alberto Del Rio in a Handicap Match, it seemed like the opportune time for the Show-off to cash in the briefcase. Jack worked over Del Rio’s ankle before Alberto hooked in the Cross Arm Breaker to win the match. Immediately following the Handicap Match, Ziggler would make his entrance to the cheers of the crowd and many fans sitting at home. It was a short match that saw Dolph and Del Rio go back-and-forth. There was one point where Del Rio hooked Ziggler in the Cross Arm Breaker that made this writer yell at the top of his lungs, “Don’t you dare tap, Dolph!” Ziggler escaped the hold by twisting Del Rio’s injured ankle, which set up Ziggler to hit the Zig Zag for the win. The crowd at the Izod Center exploded in cheers while this writer jumped out of his seat in pure excitement. It was easily one of the best Money in the Bank cash-ins in WWE history. In the span of two minutes, the emotions everybody watching this match went from excitement to frustration to ultimately happiness. It was emotionally draining to say the least, but the best moments in professional wrestling are. This cash-in was the defining moment of Dolph Ziggler's career and the moment many, including yours truly, believed Dolph had truly received the main event push he has deserved for so long. Sadly, all great moments have to come to an end.
The Double Turn
A double turn is an extremely rare occurrence in professional wrestling due to the high level of difficulty to correctly pull off. A successful double turn has a crowd immediately flip their allegiance between the two wrestlers in the match, while an unsuccessful double turn leaves everybody in a state of confusion. The most successful double turn in wrestling history happened at WrestleMania 13 when Bret Hart would not relinquish the Sharpshooter he had locked on an unconscious Stone Cold Steve Austin. The most successful double turn in recent memory occurred at WWE's first Payback PPV this past year in Chicago during Dolph Ziggler's first World Title defense against Alberto Del Rio. Ziggler had been out of action with a concussion caused by a stiff kick from Jack Swagger. Dolph was still suffering from the lingering effects of this concussion so Del Rio targeted the World Champion's head. Throughout the match, Del Rio would relentlessly attack Ziggler with kicks to the head. Ziggler tried to fight through Del Rio's debilitating punishment, but to no avail. Despite Ziggler's heroic effort, the Show-off fell to the villainous assault of Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio may have left Payback with the World Heavyweight Championship around his waist, but to the fans all around the world Dolph Ziggler was the real winner. While Ziggler's title run was cut short, wrestling history was made on Father's Day in Chicago.
The World's Strongest Double Cross
News came the Monday following Payback that Mark Henry would be retiring from the squared-circle. Henry’s hiatus from the ring during the Spring of 2013 to rest from injuries was sign enough that the World’s Strongest Man would hang up his boots. Speaking of boots, Henry even placed his boots at the top of the stage during that edition of Monday Night Raw and came out in a bright pink blazer to give his retirement speech. Henry’s speech induced tears, smiles and even chants as he had the audience wrapped around his finger. John Cena, who Henry interrupted, came in to give Mark some time with the WWE Championship, a title that Henry has never held according to JBL’s commentary. It would have been a sweet end for Mark Henry’s career, but the World’s Strongest Man does not go out with a whimper, the World’s Strongest Man goes out with a bang. Mark Henry drew John Cena in for one last handshake and hit the World’s Strongest Slam instead. Once Cena plummeted to the mat, the realization hit that Mark Henry was not retiring. It was all a ploy to lure in the WWE Champion and what a great ploy it was. In one fell swoop, WWE Creative built a credible threat to John Cena’s WWE Championship and made Mark Henry a devious heel that will sink to the lowest of lows to get his way. Truly one of the highlights of an incredible summer for the WWE.
The Rise of the American Dragon
After the phenomenal year that Daniel Bryan had in 2012, there was no doubt that the American Dragon would be a bona-fide main eventer someday. Bryan may not have the unrealistic build that WWE executives love, but he has something even more important-- the unanimous support of the WWE Universe. Ever since Daniel Bryan turned face as a part of Team Hell No, the fans have flocked to him. Just listen to the huge pop Bryan gets when he explodes into his signature offensive flurry of kicks and running clotheslines. Just like in 2012, Daniel Bryan was the most popular superstar in 2013, even winning Superstar of the Year. Despite being held down by Triple H and WWE Creative, Daniel Bryan won the WWE Championship not once but twice. 2013 was no doubt Daniel Bryan's year. Bryan consistently put on quality matches no matter his position on the card, made major improvements in his promo delivery and continually received the loudest reactions of anyone on the WWE roster. While WWE tirelessly tries to push big muscular men such as John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar and Batista, Daniel Bryan showed this past year that small athletic men are just as or even more entertaining to watch than the stereotypical muscular body that dominates professional wrestling.
CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar
Sitting in a theatre of thirty people, this writer laid witness to the Match of the Year, the Best vs. the Beast, CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar. The build for this match was nuclear from the very moment Brock Lesnar hit the F5 on CM Punk on the Raw following Payback. In all honesty, I was ready to pay money to watch these two duke it out from that very moment. As time moved closer to their meeting at Summerslam, this feud just kept on getting better and better. The verbal duels between Punk and Heyman and the physical brawls between Punk and Lesnar were both sights to behold, but those appetizers could not hold a candle to the main course. From the opening bell to the finishing splat of Punk's head being F5ed onto a steel chair, Punk vs. Lesnar was both physically and mentally exhausting. Even though the major difference in size between Punk and Lesnar, the match was incredibly even. The match could have gone either way as both men hit each other with their most devastating moves. One of the most intense moments in the entire match came when Punk finally struck Lesnar with the GTS. I vividly remember everyone in the theatre erupting from their seats once Punk hit the move, counting along with the referee's count and simultaneously crying out in shock when Lesnar kicked out. CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar was the first match since CM Punk vs. John Cena from Money in the Bank 2011 to get this writer so passionately engrossed in the action happening in the ring. For that reason, CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar is the Match of 2013.
The Brothers Rhodes
Fall was not so kind to the WWE. The high that the hot summer months brought slowly but surely dwindled under a slew of missed opportunities. While the fall was a long slog, there was one thing that made the slog bearable. That thing was the formation of a tag team between the Rhodes Brothers, Cody Rhodes and Goldust. The sons of the great Dusty Rhodes first joined forces to fight the Authority for their jobs after Triple H wrongly fired Cody Rhodes for losing a match to Randy Orton. This feud led to an emotionally charged tag team match against the Shield at Battleground. With the jobs of the entire Rhodes Family on the line, Cody and Goldust with some help from their father defeated the Hounds of Justice to regain their jobs in the WWE. The good fortunes of Cody and Goldust did not end at Battleground as the brothers would defeat the Shield for the WWE Tag Team Titles in an incredible tag team main event a week later on Raw. As Tag Team Champions, Cody Rhodes and Goldust have rejuvenated the WWE's Tag Team Division. While other divisions in the WWE left a lot to be desired during the last half of 2013, the Tag Team Division was stealing the show. Be it Raw, Smackdown or the monthly PPV, the tag team matches have consistently been the best part of WWE programming. Speaking of rejuvenation, this Tag Team Title push has rejuvenated the careers of both Cody Rhodes and Goldust. Cody has been stuck in the lower mid card limbo since losing the Intercontinental Championship back in 2012. This push has highly improved Cody's status in the eyes of the WWE Universe and WWE Creative. On the other hand, this push has given Goldust one final chance to prove to the wrestling world how great a wrestler he is. Over the past five months, Goldust has made the best of this opportunity and has been the most impressive veteran wrestler on the WWE roster. As we move into 2014, it will be interesting to see if the spike in quality brought on by the Rhodes Brothers will continue.
