Monday, June 18, 2018

WWE Money in the Bank Recap

The split brand WWE Money in the Bank emanated this evening from a raucous Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. The card boasted four title matches and two Money in the Bank Ladder Matches. 

Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass
Winner: Daniel Bryan via submission
Daniel Bryan took the fight to Big Cass early supported by a flurry of “YES” chants from the energized crowd but the tide quickly turned as Big Cass began to utilize his drastic size advantage to brutalize Bryan. In the end, Bryan’s technical prowess had shone through as he overcame multiple torture racks and cut down the seven footer with several YES Kicks. Finally, the founding father of the YES Movement earned the submission victory with a vicious heel hook submission.

Sami Zayn vs. Bobby Lashley
Winner: Bobby Lashley via pinfall
This match marked Bobby Lashley’s in-ring PPV debut since his return to the WWE.  Zayn’s early antics of playing cat and mouse with Lashley didn’t last long as he was absolutely decimated! After throwing Zayn around like a rag doll, Lashley finally finished him off as he executed his third delayed vertical suplex that was followed by a casual one-handed pin.

WWE Intercontinental Championship:
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Elias
Winner: Seth Rollins via pinfall
This match put the talents of both Rollins and Elias on full display. Rollins most impressive move of the match was a superplex that he maintained his hold on and converted immediately into a Falcon Arrow. The match concluded as Elias’ pin attempt was countered with a rollup by Rollins where he hung on to the tights for the 1-2-3 to retain his title.

Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Alexa Bliss vs. Natalya vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Naomi vs. Lana vs. Sasha Banks vs. Ember Moon
Winner: Alexa Bliss
The climax of this match came as it appeared that Becky Lynch would finally achieve redemption and claim the briefcase until The Goddess emerged out of nowhere and unceremoniously dumped Becky off the ladder causing her to face plant into another ladder wedged in the corner of the ring. Alexa then scaled the ladder and retrieved the money in the bank briefcase earning herself a future title shot.

Jinder Mahal vs. Roman Reigns
Winner: Roman Reigns via pinfall
This match developed as a result of the Modern Day Maharaja costing the Big Dog the opportunity to participate in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.  The crowd just wasn’t into this match at all with chants such as: “This match sucks,” “This is awful,” and “CM Punk.” Aside from the crowd’s color commentary, they even went so far as to do the wave. Granted this match, which was controlled by Mahal for the majority of the time, was not that bad as he did display some proficient technical wrestling skills and there was a comedic factor implemented with Sunil Singh at ringside in a wheelchair with a sling and neck brace in tow. In the end, however, it ended in typical Roman Reigns match fashion with a spear and the pinfall.

Smackdown Women’s Championship
Carmella (c) vs. Asuka
Winner: Carmella via pinfall
With moments remaining in the match a masked individual climbed onto the ring apron dressed as a geisha.  This provided a distraction to Asuka that was accentuated when the figure unmasked himself to reveal the returning James Ellsworth! A seemingly terrified Asuka was then kicked in the face by Carmella leading to the pinfall victory.

WWE Championship Last Man Standing Match
A.J. Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Winner:  A.J. Styles
This match, which had the stipulation selected by Shinsuke Nakamura, was contested under Last Man Standing rules. For those of you who need a refresher, this means that the only way to win is to incapacitate your opponent to the point where he cannot respond to the referee’s 10-count. This match brought us a bit of everything: a Kinshasa delivered by Nakamura as he ran across two announce tables striking A.J. as he was prone on the third, A.J. being thrown through a table propped in the corner of the ring, and the dreaded exposed turnbuckle even played a part. The conclusion of this match, however, was truly phenomenal (pun intended) as A.J. gave Nakamura a dose of his own medicine kicking him between the uprights as he taunted Styles while propped up against the announce table. Styles then returned to the ring and propelled himself off of the top rope and delivered a Phenomenal Forearm that put Shinsuke through the table and this time prohibited him from answering the referee’s count of ten.

RAW Women’s Championship
Nia Jax (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
Winner:  No contest
This match appeared as if it would be a massacre of biblical proportions by Nia Jax in the early going but Ronda proceeded to put her submission skills on display. Just as it appeared Rousey was going to get the armbar submission victory, the newly crowned Miss Money in the Bank interfered leading to a no contest.

RAW Women’s Championship Match TWO
Nia Jax (c) vs. Alexa Bliss
Winner: Alexa Bliss via pinfall
After disposing of Ronda Rousey by throwing her over the German announce table, Alexa beat Nia with the briefcase, cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase, and hit the Twisted Bliss to become the new RAW Women’s Champion!!!

Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor vs. Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Roode vs. The Miz vs. Rusev vs. Kofi Kingston
Winner: Braun Strowman
The onset of this match showed the other seven combatants join forces to take out Strowman and after he was driven to the stage by a series of ladder strikes, the other participants proceeded to bury him under several ladders. “The Monster Among Men” couldn’t be subdued for long however… Braun Strowman (with Kofi Kingston clinging on to his back) raced Finn Balor up the ladder as all of the other men were out of the picture. Braun proceeded to swat Balor off the ladder, tossed Kofi away like a bug, and easily attained the briefcase earning a title shot, presumably against Brock Lesnar, whenever he wants.

 

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