WWE Money in the Bank 2012: The AJ Story Reaches It's Climax...Or Does It?

The most interesting match leading into Sunday's Money in the Bank ladder match was the WWE title bout between champion CM Punk and challenger Daniel Bryan. While a straight-up, one-on-one wrestling match between the two is always something worth being interested in, the inclusion of AJ and the mystery around which Superstar she would align herself with created additional intrigue.

With the match here and gone, the murky situation involving the petite Diva and the two former Ring of Honor standouts is no closer to clearing itself up.

CM Punk defeated Daniel Bryan fair and square in a tremendous match Sunday night, adding another month to his lengthy title reign. Most importantly, and most interestingly, was the lack of involvement by AJ in the final decision.

As the referee of the match, AJ implied for weeks that she would have a hand in deciding who left Money in the Bank as the WWE Champion. While she did interrupt Punk and Bryan on a few occasions, she could not help but count the challenger's shoulders down as the champion pinned him following a stunning side superplex from the top rope, sending both men crashing through a table.

AJ was left to pout as CM Punk celebrated his win, indicating that she was unhappy with the turn of events.

Was she upset that Punk won? Was she left feeling guilty about the hell the objects of her affection put themselves through for the WWE Championship? Or was she disappointed that she could not be the center of attention, that Punk cleanly defeated Bryan, leaving her no choice but to fairly count the pin-fall?

Whatever the case is, it is clear that the AJ saga has not reached its climax, as many expected it would have. Instead, the story will continue, at least for the next few weeks, as AJ continues to make life miserable for Punk and Bryan.

What this means for the WWE Championship, for Punk and Bryan and for Monday Night Raw as it approaches its 1,000th episode is anyone's guess.

What it means for fans, however, is the continuation of a soap opera-esque storyline that is rarely seen in today's wrestling landscape.