12. Daniel Bryan vs. Seth Rollins (Monday Night Raw, June 10th)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGLWPABTZF4 Years from now, we may all collectively look back at the group formerly known as The Shield and have to ask ourselves, "What was that third guy's name with the multi-colored hair?" Seth Rollins, of the three members, seems most destined to become the footnote while his fellow "Hounds of Justice" ascend the WWE hierarchy to great heights. Of course, he may just as easily become the next Jeff Hardy or Rob Van Dam or Daniel Bryan (it has always been difficult to peg an accurate historical comparison for Seth's style). If he, indeed, winds up as the quintessential example of "the other guy" or if he winds up becoming a huge star in the WWE, let his match with Bryan from the 6/10/13 Raw be a reminder of his considerable talents. It was a good year for the WWE mid-card in 2013. The extra hour of Raw was used to consistently allow popular acts to shine in lengthier matches. We knew that Rollins was a gamer from his aesthetically-pleasing, stunt-filled performance at TLC 2012 and The Shield's various six man tag successes as the stable was getting its feet wet on the main roster, but the singles platform against a wrestler of Bryan's caliber displayed his full potential. If there is a personality behind that crazy talented exterior, then Rollins may wind up surprising people in the race to see which Shield member in the long run makes it the furthest in the business. Rollins is an incredible athlete with a very distinct move set compared to his peers. He took Bryan to the limit and did so in a fashion that might suggest a bright future if the right people were paying close enough attention. If you're on the hunt for a match with a lightning quick pace and high flying action, then there was none better than Bryan vs. Rollins.
Chad Matthews
Contributor
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
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