It wasn't even the main event of B-show Over the Limit, despite being for the WWE Championship. You could easily understand why they'd rather John Cena's slog-tastic 'comedy' match John Laurinaitis go on last, right? Despite being relegated beneath that all-timer, Punk and Bryan strung together a mostly-pure wrestling clinic. You knew both were game to let it all hang out when Punk subjects himself to Bryan's surfboard/dragon sleeper combo. The counterwrestling was among the best either man has displayed under the WWE umbrella, and the false finishes down the stretch did wonders to erase Bryan's WrestleMania humiliation - he belonged in a match like this. Punk tapping to the YES Lock at the same time he had Bryan pinned also reinforced Bryan's potential standing, peer recognition of the highest order.
Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.
