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| photo courtesy: wwe.com |
Once the bout officially began, Bryan had a chance to fight back.
The bearded warrior fought with a pained shoulder, though. Christian slammed him into the ring steps and then wrenched his arm.
With the crowd chanting for Bryan, Christian stayed focused on the arm, kicking, pulling and twisting it in between bouts of mocking the fans.
Bryan fought back by diving out of the ring onto his foe but slammed his arm into the security barricade. He began to make a comeback, but Christian drove his knees into his gut and took back control.
Christian seemed close to victory, attempting his finisher twice, but Bryan reversed it and rolled him up for the win.
Kane offered his congratulations but added that Bryan had to face him as well.
Result: Bryan wins via pinfall.
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This is an example of smart booking that makes both the winner and loser look strong.
Christian's newfound villainy seemed to invigorate him. He was not only more aggressive, but more energized. He dominated the match and left Bryan wincing, so the loss doesn't kill his momentum.
Bryan is made to look gutsy by surviving the pre-match attack and sneaking in a three-count.
The match's story was well-told, but the action didn't have as many highlights as we've seen from both men's recent battles with Orton. In retrospect, it makes sense why so much of the match was rest holds because WWE had plans for Bryan to wrestle twice.
source: bleacherreport.com
