Wrestler Wrankings™: 2013-14 Season, Weeks 16 & 17

"Complain about it on a prominent internet professional wrestling column and ye shall receive."

-Hollywood Wallace

Last week I commented in this space that WWE may have been mishandling it's hottest asset by refusing to book Daniel Bryan on Monday Night RAW. Apparently, WWE brass were listening to my (and many others') complaints to this effect as WWE General Manager Brad Maddox scheduled a gauntlet match that saw Daniel Bryan defeat three prominent wrestlers from last year's Wrestler Wrankings.

First up was Jack Swagger, who was unbeatable from the time of his Royal Rumble return until he fell at Wrestlemania in his title opportunity against Alberto Del Rio.

Next was Antonio Cesaro, who dominated the middle part of the 2012-13 season with his meteoric rise from obscurity into United States Championship contention and later through a prolonged title run.

Last but certainly not least, was Ryback. While now perceived as something of a glass cannon due to his cowardly attacks on the likes of John Cena, and his submission defeat at the hands of the Miz, the 2012 edition of Ryback was nigh unbeatable by man or beast. Let's not forget how he manhandled CM Punk right in the thick of his record WWE Title reign. (Forgotten to time is the fact that it was none other than corrupt referee Brad Maddox who cost Ryback the WWE Championship that night, but we can only assume that they've buried the hatchet since then.)

Bryan was able to defeat Swagger and Cesaro straight up and was able to shake up Ryback enough for him to get himself disqualified leading to another Bryan victory. Just an epic hour or so of work from the budding superstar (and I mean that in the strictest literal sense and not merely as the WWE codified definition as a synonym for wrestler, which Bryan most certainly is as well).

On the horizon for Daniel Bryan is the greatest test he has yet to face and arguably the toughest challenge in all of WWE. Wresting (not wrestling) the WWE Championship from John Cena at a mega-card like Summerslam will be no easy feat, but at least it will be a single monumental task rather than three.

A warning to my readers: Spoilers for this coming week's pre-taped shows are below and are included in the Wrankings Top Ten. Skip and read next week if you want to be completely surprised. I'll be back in two weeks!

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OFFICIAL WRESTLER WRANKINGS FORMULA

ANY WIN = 2 POINTS

US OR INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE BOUT = 1 POINT

WWE OR WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BOUT = 3 POINTS

NON "BIG 4" PPV BONUS = 1.5X

SUMMERSLAM, SURVIVOR SERIES, ROYAL RUMBLE = 2X BONUS

WRESTLEMANIA = 3X BONUS

The WWE season begins on the day after WrestleMania 29 and culminates with WrestleMania 30. The wrestler who accumulates the most points over the course of the season, wins the coveted Wrankings Championship!

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Monday Night RAW-- 7/22/13

• Alberto Del Rio - 2 points (win)
• Dolph Ziggler - 2 points (win)
• Daniel Bryan - 6 points (yes!, yes!, yes!)
• Christian - 2 points (win)
• Cody Rhodes - 2 points (win)
• Rob Van Dam - 2 points (win)

Main Event -- 7/24/13

• Sheamus - 2 points (win)
• Damien Sandow - 2 points (win)
• Sin Cara - 2 points (win)

SmackDown -- 7/26/13

• Alberto Del Rio - 2 points (win)
• Randy Orton - 1 point (win)
• Christian - 2 points (win)
• CM Punk - 2 points (win)

Monday Night RAW-- 7/29/13

• Curtis Axel - 2 points (win)
• Dolph Ziggler - 2 points (win)
• Daniel Bryan - 2 points (win)
• John Cena - 2 points (win)
• Christian - 2 points (win)
• Cody Rhodes - 2 points (win)
• Rob Van Dam - 2 points (win)

Main Event -- 7/31/13

• Wade Barrett - 2 points (win)
• Mark Henry - 2 points (win)

SmackDown -- 8/2/13

• Christian - 2 points (win)
• Big E. Langston - 2 points (win)
• CM Punk - 2 points (win)
• Cody Rhodes - 2 points (win)

WRESTLER WRANKINGS, WEEK 17 *TOP TEN*

1. ALBERTO DEL RIO -- 41 points

2. Curtis Axel -- 37

3. Randy Orton -- 34

4. Dolph Ziggler -- 32

5.. Sheamus -- 30

T6. Ryback -- 26

T6. Daniel Bryan -- 26

8. John Cena -- 25.5

9. Chris Jericho -- 24

10. Miz -- 22

Thanks for reading Cagesiders. We'll see you back here in two weeks time!