Top 10 pro wrestling matches of the week: July 28th - August 3rd

This week was an interesting week for wrestling. We got ourselves a number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship, we saw the end of a major angle in Ring of Honor, and of course we saw the extremely underwhelming debut of Tito Ortiz in TNA. As usual, it’s time to count down the top ten matches of the week from WWE, TNA, and ROH.

#10. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane (WWE Raw)

In a match that everyone has been expecting since the initial pairing of Team Hell No, former tag team partners Daniel Bryan and Kane finally went toe to toe on Monday Night Raw. While it was kind of disappointing that these two didn’t get any build-up for this match and weren’t able to duke it out on a bigger stage, they still were able to put on a decent match in what was billed as one of the two main events on Monday Night Raw.

The match wasn’t as good as it could’ve been, but Kane isn’t as good as he used to be, and him and Bryan seemed to be the victims of time constraints. Still, the match was good for what it was, and it was nice to see Bryan pick up another high-profile win, even if it was from a roll-up.

#9. The Shield vs. The Usos & Mark Henry

Well, I guess we’re not getting this match at SummerSlam. In what was an odd decision on behalf of the WWE, the Shield defeated the Usos and Mark Henry cleanly in a match that was expected to take place at SummerSlam. The match was short, but all six men jam packed as much action as they could’ve into their allotted time. It definitely won’t be the last time we see these men face off, but it seems as if WWE is going a different route for SummerSlam. Maybe Henry vs. Ambrose?

#8. AJ Lee (c) vs. Kaitlyn – Divas Championship Match (WWE Smackdown)

AJ and Kaitlyn once again pulled off another impressive Divas match on Smackdown, with AJ once again getting the better of Kaitlyn. It was a little different this time however, as Layla turned on Kaitlyn to assist AJ in the win. It looks like WWE is looking to continue the feud between AJ and Kaitlyn, which doesn’t really make sense to me. AJ has beaten Kaitlyn three separate times, and it’s time for someone else to step up to the plate.

#7. CM Punk vs. Fandango (WWE Smackdown)

In a match that came about from CM Punk giving a GTS to WWE’s Lord of the Dance on last week’s Smackdown, the Second City Saint went toe to toe with Fandango in an short, albeit entertaining, match on the blue brand. CM Punk would obviously pick up the win over Fandango with the Anaconda Vise, but not before Fandango could pull off some of his moves.

Fandango gets a lot of flack for some reason, but he’s a lot better in the ring than people give him credit for. Hopefully we can see a longer rematch between the two on RAW.

#6. John Cena vs. Ryback – Tables Match (WWE Raw)

In the main event on RAW, John Cena faced off against Ryback once again in a tables match. The match was a lot better than people were expecting it, with Ryback and Cena doing some pretty entertaining things with the tables and steel steps. Ryback played off of the crowd better with his new bully gimmick, making the encounter more engaging than their previous bouts.

Cena would pick up the win over Ryback after giving him an AA through a table, but Ryback proved that he can have quality matches with WWE’s top stars, even if he isn’t ready for a World Championship.

#5. Chris Sabin vs. Manik (TNA Impact)

In what should have been the main event of Impact simply due to the fact that it’s the World Champion versus the X-Division Champion, Chris Sabin squared off against Manik in a fun fast paced match. The match didn’t get as much time as it should have, but Sabin and Manik filled their short time limit with some great chain wrestling, some explosive moves, and some X-Division flare.

Sabin would pick up the win after hitting the former Suicide with the Cradle Shock, but Manik proved that he can hang with the best of them.

#4. Alberto Del Rio vs. Christian (WWE Raw)

On this week’s Raw, the World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio once again lost a non-title match, this time to Captain Charisma. He didn’t lose without a fight though, as he and Christian put on one hell of a match for the live crowd.

Del Rio and Christian hit all of their usual spots, with Del Rio working the arm and head of Christian. Christian would pick up the win after reversing the Cross-Arm Breaker into a roll-up, which of course set-up his match with Del Rio for SummerSlam.

I’m excited to see Christian and Del Rio face off at SummerSlam (where hopefully Christian wins the World Championship), but I feel as if this match was pointless. Why give away a PPV match for free when Christian could’ve just won the #1 Contender’s match? Still, it was a great match, which will hopefully be outdone at SummerSlam.

#3. Christian vs. Randy Orton vs. Rob Van Dam – #1 Contender’s Match for the World Heavyweight Championship (WWE Smackdown)

As I stated before, Christian earned his World Championship match against Del Rio by winning this #1 Contender’s match on Smackdown, and what a match it was.

From beginning to end this match was entertaining. Creative spots, fast-pace, and constant shifts in momentum proved once again why Smackdown in one of the best WRESTLING shows there is. From Orton’s insanely smooth scoop slam to RVD mid-rolling thunder to Christian’s multiple spears, this match was a great watch and I would recommend everyone watch it. That’s what you get when you put three of the best in a ring together.

#2. Team ROH vs. S.C.U.M. – Steel Cage Warfare (ROH)

FILE PHOTO: S.C.U.M take over at Ring of Honor

After more than a year of suffering, chaos, ugliness, and mayhem, Steve Corino and his evil band of misfits were finally defeated when Kevin Steen, Jay Lethal, BJ Whitmer, and Michael Elgin defeated Jimmy Jacobs, Cliff Compton, Rhett Titus, and Rhino in a steel cage, forcing the group to disband.

This match was just great from beginning to end, and included many memorable spots. Whether it was Compton and Titus tying Elgin to the cage with zip ties, Jimmy Jacobs spearing Lethal through a table, or Corino throwing a fireball (yes, a fireball) at Michael Elgin, this match was a treat to watch and it definitely felt like an appropriate send off for an angle that has been dominating ROH for so long.

The end came when Corino tried to set Steen on fire (yep), but ROH’s Nigel McGuiness distracted him long enough for Kevin Steen to recover and give Corino, Matt Hardy, and Jimmy Jacobs package piledrivers to secure the end of S.C.U.M.

#1. AJ Styles vs. Austin Aries (TNA Impact)

The moment this match was announced, fans were salivating in anticipation. TNA does a lot of crappy stuff (which was shown almost immediately after), but they did something great when they put two of the best wrestlers on the planet together in the ring.

AJ Styles and Austin Aries took each other to the limit, and the fans were on board the entire way. From the high flying to the submission wrestling, Aries and Styles tore the house down. The finish was underwhelming, as Aries pinned Styles after the latter hit a Pele Kick, but it could not damper the highly entertaining match that had taken place. This match was a reminder of what TNA once was and what they can be, and it’s a shame we can’t get more of this.

Agree? Disagree? Tell me why in the comments.