Money In the Bank Kickoff
During the Money In the Bank Kickoff (Pre-Show), WWE Tag Team Champions and Shield members Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns defended their championships against #1 contenders and Reigns’ second cousins The Usos (Jimmy & Jey). The Usos came within inches of becoming the new champions, but in the end, it was Reigns who hit Jimmy with his signature maneuver “The Spear” to get the pin and the win for his team and retain their championships. I sure hope The Usos aren’t done with The Shield because Jimmy & Jey are way overdue for a WWE Tag Team Championship reign.
It’s Not Cryback, It’s Ryback
Chris Jericho went one-on-one with Ryback. During the weeks leading up to their match, Jericho played mind games with Ryback by referring to him as “Cryback”; unfortunately, it was not enough to over come the powerhouse when Ryback rolled up Jericho to get the pin and the win.
Kaitlyn’s Injury May Have Cost Her
In a WWE Divas Championship rematch between BFFs-turned-bitter enemies, Champion AJ Lee (accompanied by Big E Langston) and Challenger Kaitlyn (accompanied by Layla El), Kaitlyn came into the match wearing a sleeve over her injured left elbow, so it was clear she was not 100%. This very injury may have cost Kaitlyn because after she hit AJ with her signature maneuver “The Spear”, she was unable to captalize and cover AJ for the pin and the win. This allowed AJ time to recover and lock in her signature submission hold “The Black Widow” onto Kaitlyn’s injured elbow, which forced her to submit and allow AJ to get the victory and retain her championship.
Curtis Axel Retains Without Paul Heyman At Ringside
Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel (accompanied by Paul Heyman) defended against The Miz. Early on in the match, after Miz comes face-to-face with Heyman outside the ring, in a clever move, Miz feigned being hit in the face by Heyman and when the referee turned around, he assumed that’s what had happened and ejected Heyman from ringside. Despite Axel’s cornerman being ejected, he still managed to defeat The Miz and retain his championship.
Damien Sandow Gains Championship Opportunity, But Loses A Friend
The World Heavyweight Championship Contract Money In the Bank Ladder Match featured 7 participants, which consisted of Fandango (accompanied by Summer Rae), Jack Swagger, Antonio Cesaro (Zeb Colter was in a neutral corner of both Swagger and Cesaro), United States Champion and Shield leader Dean Ambrose, both halves of Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes), and Wade Barrett. The problem with this match was the fact that I had nobody to root for because I was not a fan of any of these guys. At one point in the match, Ambrose’s fellow Shield cohorts Rollins & Reigns interfered on his behalf, but The Usos came out and made sure that they would not influence the outcome of the match. In the end, just when it appears that Rhodes is going to grab the Money In the Bank briefcase hanging above the ring, his tag team partner Sandow comes out of nowhere and sneaks up behind Rhodes and tosses Rhodes from the ladder to the ring mat. Sandow then climbs the ladder and retrieves thr briefcase for himself, thus winning the match-up and becoming the first Mr. Money In the Bank of the night. Going into this match, both halves of Team Rhodes Scholars agreed that the best man would win, but instead of going face-to-face and toe-to-toe with Rhodes like they agreed to, Sandow turned his back on him by taking the briefcase right from underneath him. After what had transpired, Rhodes has officially turned face. Either way, Sandow now has a guarenteed opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship that he can cash in at anytime and anywhere for up to a year.
AJ Lee Costs Her Beau
In the first main event of the night, World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio defended against Dolph Ziggler. While I was not a fan of either one of these guys, I was rooting against Del Rio in this one. At one point in the match, while Dolph has the match well in hand, all of a sudden, AJ’s theme music hits and she skips her way down to ringside. Dolph tires to tell AJ that he has everything under control and tells her to head back to the locker room area; however, AJ does not oblige, and Del Rio takes full advantage of the distraction. Eventually, Del Rio pulls down his knee pad and prepares to strike Ziggler in the skull. This prompts AJ to jump into the ring and nail Del Rio with her championship belt right in front of the referee, thus leading to Del Rio winning and retaining his championship via disqualification. After realizing what had just transpired, Ziggler lets AJ know that he is unhappy with her error and that he should be champion. Dolph then walks off, leaving AJ all alone in the ring while the WWE Universe chants “You Screwed Ziggler!” towards her.
The World’s Strongest Man, But Not The World’s Strongest Champion
In the second main event of the night, WWE Champion John Cena defended against Mark Henry. After both men kicked out of one another’s respective finishing maneuvers, Henry began to show desperation by using some underhanded tactics, but it was still not enough. In the end, Cena locked Henry in his signature submission hold “The STF” and was able to force Henry to submit and retain his championship.
The Viper Slithers His Way to the Bank
In the final main event of the night, the WWE Championship Contract Money In the Bank Ladder Match, which was dubbed “All Stars”, featured 6 participants, which consisted of Christian, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus O’Shaunesy, Rob Van Dam, CM Punk, and Randy Orton. The 7th competitor in this match was supposed to be Kane, but he was not medically cleared to compete after being brutally attacked by The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt & NXT Tag Team Champions Luke Harper & Erick Rowan) on the final edition of Monday Night Raw before Money In the Bank. This was also Rob Van Dam’s first match since returning to WWE. While I am a fan of all these guys, I was rooting for Christian in this one. At one point in the match, Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman made their way towards ringside and Axel interfered in the match. This did not sit well with Punk and he laid out Axel with his signature maneuver “The GTS (Go To Sleep)”. Then, just when it appeared that Punk was well on his way to climbing the ladder and retrieving the Money In the Bank briefcase hanging above the ring, Heyman comes in and attacks his so-called friend with another ladder. After all of this, Randy Orton scaled up the ladder to retrieve the briefcase and win the match. I think it was safe to say that Punk and Heyman’s friendship was no more and Randy Orton now has a guarenteed opportunity at the WWE Championship that he can cash in at anytime and anywhere for up to a year.
Additional News
Competitors from both Money In the Bank Ladder Matches sustained some injuries. Rob Van Dam received 14 staples to treat a gash in his forehead, CM Punk received 13 for a wound on the top of his cranium, Christian suffered a chipped front tooth, and Cody Rhodes received 5 stitches to treat a laceration above his right eye. Also, new Raw General Manager Brad Maddox came out to address the WWE Universe. He pointed out that he had invited former Raw Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero, who was recently fired from WWE, to be part of the Money In the Bank panel team, which also consisted of announcer Josh Mathews, the returning Kofi Kingston, and the returning Big Show. I could tell that Vickie was a heel because she was basically taking all the credit for the entire event. Maddox then decided to “pay tribute” to Vickie by showing a video montage of her on the titantron; however, it turned out to be a mockery montage, much to the chagrin of Vickie and to the delight of the WWE Universe. As much as I don’t like Maddox and don’t trust him as Raw General Manager, I have to give him credit for that spoof.
