The Summer of '13 marches on for D-Bry

WWE Payback 2013: Daniel Bryan & Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins

All the FIP segs are rock solid, and unsurprisingly the highlight of the entire match is Daniel Bryan's last hot tag, which is, once again, incredible. That Butterfly Suplex off the top rope to Rollins sure was the move of the match. They also overall tell the narrative of Reigns & Rollins being the more in-sync, experienced top-tier TEAM brilliantly while Bryan & Orton feel like two singles wrestlers thrown together. It fully shows in those moments where The Shield gets the advantage by capitalizing on the little miscommunications between Bryan & Orton -- it especially came into play in the finishing sequence, which was great stuff. I hadn't re-visited this match since it happened in 2013, and I gotta say it was better than I remembered. You COULD say that it's somewhat of a "forgotten" match in the Bryan vs. Shield series; it's nowhere near the best stuff they did that year, but it's a yet another absolute banger between 'em. A very good match. ***1/2

WWE RAW 06/24/13: Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton

This is a No DQ match, and they use that stipulation brilliantly w/ nasty kendo stick shots, a couple of nice table spots & also a few chairshots. They also start it very hot, as they start going at it right away, and from that point on the intensity & the pace never once lets up. Bryan was an incredible ball of energy all the way through with his bursts of offense, and Orton was also fantastic with his cut-offs of said attacks by Bryan. It's a fantastic match, and something I look back on very fondly, because the whole storyline leading up to it was something special for me as a fan. ****

WWE RAW 07/08/13: Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus

This is an awesome, quality TV-match. Both of them are babyfaces here, and it's fun how different the dynamic is compared to their World Title feud stuff from 2012. Sheamus is really solid throughout as the bruiser, delivering Bryan a beating, and Bryan of course rules as the crafty veteran underdog, using every opening he gets to gain the control to his name. It's not really a one-sided match or anything though, as both get just about the same amount of time to do their things, but you can feel the underdog dynamic there throughout. Lots to love here w/ the great looking offense of both men, some real brutal spots (the barricade one pops out to mind immediately) & terrific counters throughout. Speaking of counters, that finish with Bryan countering Sheamus' Cloverleaf into the Small Package ruled. ***1/2