As we near the midway point of 2014, fans will undoubtedly want to take a look back at the first-half of the year and begin handing out mid-year awards. One of those awards will be for the Match of the Half-Year. With a handful of highly skilled and talented Superstars carrying World Wrestling Entertainment from an in-ring perspective through the first six months of 2014, it is no surprise that there have been so many excellent matches in such a relatively short period of time. Daniel Bryan, The Shield, the Wyatt Family and Cesaro have done a tremendous job of delivering quality matches on a nightly basis. Their matches are oftentimes the most anticipated of any card, thanks in large part to the quality of work they put in. Triple H, the COO of WWE and head of Talent Relations, has returned to the ring and delivered two legitimate Match of the Year contenders, proving that age is but a number. Seemingly motivated to demonstrate that he can hang with the younger stars in the company, John Cena busted out one of his finest performances in recent memory, battling Cesaro in a simply phenomenal bout prior to Elimination Chamber in February. The plethora of matches to choose from indicates that, while WWE may not be as hot as it once was from a storytelling standpoint, it is arguably better than it has ever been in terms of match quality. Need proof? Take a look for yourself...
15. Non-Title Match: Randy Orton vs. Cesaro (SmackDown, Feb. 14)
In the weeks leading into Elimination Chamber, Randy Orton was forced to prove to the Authority that he really was the face of WWE. The best way to do that? Beat his five Chamber opponents in singles competition leading into the big February 23 event. On the Valentine's Day episode of SmackDown, he would tasked with taking on a man riding a wave of momentum heading into the pay-per-view extravaganza, Cesaro. Watching Cesaro dismantle anyone with high-impact forearms and uppercuts is always fun. When the target of said strikes is the cocky and confident, albeit cowardly WWE World Heavyweight champion and the hand-picked "Face of WWE," the fun is amplified ten-fold. While he may not have controlled the entire match, Cesaro overwhelmed Orton en route to the biggest victory of his career. Catching Orton with a series of uppercuts weakened the Viper, leaving him open and vulnerable to the Neutralizer from the Swiss Superman for the clean pinfall victory. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1c4xhv_cesaro-vs-randy-orton-non-title-match-smackdown-02-14-14_sport The match was yet another example of Orton's willingness to put young and talented individuals over for the sake of the growth of the business. It is an attribute that the oft-maligned Superstar does not get enough credit for. Over the years, Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, Kofi Kingston (until that one misstep) and The Miz have all been elevated in the eyes of the fans thanks to wins over Orton. In most cases, those wins have come clean, despite Orton's status as one of the elite performers in the industry. Cesaro's win catapulted him into the consciousness of the fans and really helped jumpstart a push that continues today.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
