WWE Money in the Bank 2012: AJ Will Steal Spotlight from CM Punk & Daniel Bryan

CM Punk and Daniel Bryan will battle for the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank, but neither of those superstars will be the top attraction. It will be special guest referee AJ, the Diva who has suddenly become a massive part of the summer's biggest storyline.

When AJ first started getting involved with Bryan all the way back before WrestleMania, it didn't seem like an important development. It's an angle that's been done plenty of times in the past, but usually fades away pretty quickly.

That clearly hasn't been the case here. AJ's involvement has only continued to grow in recent months, giving her a more prominent role on weekly television than any Diva has received for actually wrestling in a long time, if not ever.

It has reached a point where she was the first person the WWE Universe saw when Raw started on Monday night and was also the last as she celebrated slapping both CM Punk and Bryan. That doesn't happen very often.

When you consider how crucial she has become, it's actually quite amazing. Remember, diehard wrestling fans have spent years clamoring for CM Punk and Bryan to get their chance to headline shows, and they finally are.

Yet, nobody is talking about what type of match they will have or the awesome spots that are surely on the horizon. Everybody just wants to know what AJ's ultimate motive is and how big of a role she will play in the outcome at Money in the Bank.

That's a rise that most superstars in the locker room can only dream of. To go from a virtual unknown who was only seen on television on an occasional basis to a being a huge part of a show usually takes years, not months. Just ask Zack Ryder, who's still on his quest.

For fans of Bryan and CM Punk, there are two ways to look at the situation. First, they are both in prime positions on the card and have come a long way in the span of one year. On the other hand, they have repeatedly been overshadowed by John Cena and now AJ.

It really makes you question how much confidence Vince McMahon truly has in his two newest megastars. They should be able to handle a feud between themselves just fine, but the WWE insists on adding extra pieces to the storyline.

Regardless, they will both be upstaged by AJ at Money in the Bank, which has quickly developed into one of the year's most important shows outside of the big four.

In an era where the Divas division has basically been an afterthought with most matches lasting less than five minutes, it's been a nice change of pace to see one of them get pushed. Even if it wasn't exactly what most fans had in mind.

Most importantly, AJ has done an incredible job with it and has the fanbase in the palm of her hand. She makes Money in the Bank must-see television.