515. A RE-REVIEW of John Cena (c) vs Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship Match, WWE Summerslam 2013)

The next bout on “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” DVD is an undoubted classic: John Cena vs Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship at Summerslam 2013. I loved it upon first watching it live in 2013; on every subsequent rewatch I’ve loved it as well. I’ve already reviewed it (click here for my review), and without looking at the review I can safely say I awarded it 5*. So, here I can discuss it with spoilers! If you want a spoiler-free review, read my original one. If not, read on…and let me tell you why I didn’t rate it 5* on this particular rewatch.

514. Cope and Christian (c) vs The Young Bucks vs FTR (Ladder Match for the AEW Tag Team Championships, AEW All Out 2026)

Edge (or ‘Cope’) and Christian were part of the Holy Trinity of tag teams that innovated the TLC match. Together with The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz, they put on stunt shows that have stood the test of time. Nearly thirty years on, their TLC matches have the power to make your jaw drop. So I was intrigued when a triple threat ladder (AEW can’t use the term ‘TLC) match was announced for AEW All Out between Cope and Christian, The Young Bucks and FTR. Could Cope and Christian innovate yet another classic ladder match? Well, no, they couldn’t…

513. Daniel Bryan vs Jack Swagger; Daniel Bryan vs Ceasro; Daniel Bryan vs Ryback (Gauntlet Match, WWE Raw 22/7/2013)

We’re on to the third and final disc of “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” DVD, and it begins with a peculiar choice of match: a gauntlet match from WWE Raw 22.7.2013. It pits him against three opponents, one after the other: first, it’s Jack Swagger, second, Cesaro, and lastly, Ryback! I don’t think it’s one I’ve seen before, and one I wasn’t particularly interested in seeing. However, apart from the first bout against Jack Swagger, it’s worth watching!

512. Kofi Kingston and R-Truth (c) vs Daniel Bryan and Kane (WWE Tag Team Championship Match, WWE Night of Champions 2012)

Team Hell No were (or it that was?) one of the most entertaining thing on WWE programming in 2012. I can’t say that they produced any tag team matches worth watching, but their segments provided many moments of laughter. I wondered whether or not the “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” DVD would show any of Team Hell No matches, or simply show us some highlights of their story together. Well, they decided to give us one tag team match: Kofi Kingston and R-Truth vs Daniel Bryan and Kane for Kingston and Truth’s Tag Team Championships. And it’s as forgettable as you’d predict.

511. A RE-REVIEW of CM Punk (c) vs Daniel Bryan (No Disqualification Match for the WWE Championship, WWE Money in the Bank 2012)

When Daniel Bryan and CM Punk feuded in 2012, it was a dream feud for me. I watched them both crawl up the ranks in WWE; Punk from the WWE version of ECW, Bryan from the original NXT. I knew a little of their work outside of WWE, but WWE is where I came to admire them both. I couldn’t wait to see them in singles action. The eighth match on “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” DVD is the second (and last) PPV match between Bryan and Punk at Money in the Bank 2012. As with the previous match (Bryan vs Sheamus in a 2/3 Falls match: click here for my Re-Review), I’ve reviewed this No Disqualifications Match before. I recall enjoying it, and I enjoyed it yet again, with a few reservations

510. A RE-REVIEW of Sheamus (c) vs Daniel Bryan (2/3 Falls Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, WWE Extreme Rules 2012)

I’ve reviewed the seventh match on the “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” DVD before on this blog. If I recall correctly, it was ranked #81 on the “WWE Network’s 100 Best Matches To See Before You Die” list. But there’s nothing wrong with re-reviewing something, is there? I haven’t looked at the previous review of Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan in a 2/3 Falls bout at Extreme Rules 2012, lest it colour my re-watch. Well, I reckon this will be my third time watching it; I watched it when it was first broadcast, and then when it cropped up on the aforementioned list. I remember thoroughly enjoyign it both times; will the third time also be a charm as well?

509. Daniel Bryan (c) vs The Big Show (WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match, WWE Smackdown 3.1.2012)

After cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase, Daniel Bryan entered a feud with both The Big Show and Mark Henry. Bryan’s first title defence was against Show, on the first Smackdown of 2012, and it’s the next match on the “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” DVD. I remember enjoying their run of singles matches. Bryan could drag a decent match out of anyone, including The Big Show. However, my memory’s faulty, as it turns out this was their one and only singles match! And it’s not as enjoyable as I remembered.

508. The Big Show (c) vs Daniel Bryan (WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match, WWE TLC 2011)

Remember when Mark Henry and The Big Show had a surprisingly entertaining feud in 2011? I’d forgotten until watching Daniel Bryan cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase at TLC 2011 whilst watching the DVD “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” For some reason, Bryan’s cash-in is given a match slot of it’s own, rather than being shown during a segment in between the matches. So this review will be pretty short and sweet, and the match itself is only a few seconds long.

507. The Miz (c) vs Daniel Bryan (WWE United States Championship Match, WWE Night of Champions 2010)

“SAY IT TO MY FACE!!!” Who remembers Alex Riley’s banging theme music in WWE? I, for one, do. In the fourth match on “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” DVD, A-Ri accompanies The Miz as he defends his United States Championship against Mr Daniel Bryan at WWE Night of Champions 2010! I loved this bout at the time, the cathartic moment when Bryan came face to face with The Miz. I’d never call it a 5* classic, but I remember highly rating it in 2010. Does it still hold up nearly twenty years on?

506. Chris Jericho vs Daniel Bryan (WWE NXT Season 1, Episode 1)

The third match on “Daniel Bryan – Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” is one I remember fondly, yet I don’t think I’ve rewatched since it was first broadcast. It was the main event of the first ever episode of NXT! This pitted contemporary Daniel Bryan against WWE World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho in Bryan’s official debut match on WWE TV. Here, he had everything to prove and nothing to lose. But it’s a lot shorter than I remember.