World Wrestling Entertainment released its own version of the best pay-per-view matches of 2013 yesterday. Â Quick review: A bloated nine hours of matches over three discs, that, for Voices of Wrestling readers, is less than definitive.
But, have no fear, its the start of a new year and we here at VOW are giving you the very best of 2013 around the world throughout this week. You can follow the series as it progresses at https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/category/columns-2/the-best-of-2013/
Yesterday, we looked at the in-ring renaissance of WWE television and today, we steal the show and bring you the best of WWE pay-per-views in about half the time it would otherwise take you to watch the WWE’s DVD release.
In comparison to their TV offerings, PPV lacked the show-to-show quality, Â but it didn’t lack for heavy hitters. Â WrestleMania XXIX was a big money event and SummerSlam would be the company’s most critically acclaimed show of the year (featuring THREE matches that appear on this playlist).
On the flip side, the fall schedule proved less then desirable, as the post-SummerSlam events failed to register with fans and critics alike. Â However, there are tons of gems to be found.
The best big match performer in the WWE, CM Punk is a mainstay on this list, with three matches, including the companies very best of 2013, his match at SummerSlam in a No Disqualification Match against Brock Lesnar.  He also showed up big at WrestleMania XXIX, stealing the show with The Undertaker. Punk’s match against Chris Jericho at Payback might be their best after working together numerous times over the past two years.  If not for two very underwhelming matches against The Rock at the start of 2013, CM Punk might very well be up for Wrestler of the Year.  His year, otherwise, was that good.
John Cena also showed up big. Â Early in the year, he was a vital part of a very underrated Shield match at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view and led Mark Henry to one of the better matches of Henry’s career at Money in the Bank. Â It also needs to be mentioned again (the match was that good, dammit) that Cena and Punk had an A+ match on RAW early in the year.
On pay-per-view, Cena once again had his hand in making a star. Â Two years ago, Cena was apart of the five-star quality match that took CM Punk from star to SUPERSTAR at Money in the Bank 2011. Â This year, at SummerSlam, Cena did it again, being the man to put over the white hot Daniel Bryan in a legitimate 4 1/2-star match and one of the best moments of 2013.
While I didn’t feature The Shield much in my television round up, the group was apart of the most consistent string of matches on television in the first half of the year. Â Many of those matches kind of blended together, they were all good. Â For those that needed their dose of The Shield (seriously, the most well booked group the WWE has put out there in a very long time), they are well represented here.
The Shield started the 2013 Observer Calender Year with an early gem, their first PPV match, as they faced the group Daniel Bryan, Kane, and Ryback.  At the sake of full disclosure, that match might be the best match of both Kane and Ryback’s career.  By year’s end, with a slightly different direction (being The Authority’s hired muscle), The Shield helped make The Rhodes Dynasty — or whatever they are calling Cody Rhodes and Goldust — one of the hotter acts in the company in the latter stages of the year at some very, otherwise-forgettable pay-per-views.
Anyway, without further adieu…the very best of WWE Pay Per Views for 2013.
