Money in the Bank is a consistently fun part of the WWE calendar, and this looks to be a pretty good card tonight, with a mostly entertaining build-up. Let's do this!
Money in the Bank 2016 Score: 8/10
Money in the Bank 2017 Score: 6/10
- I can't say I was particularly looking forward to Daniel Bryan/Big Cass, but they did pretty well. Daniel Bryan clearly still has it, and Cass was surprisingly good, so this was a fun little opener. But the problem here is that this supposed "monster" tapping out twice in a row doesn't make him look great, and the feud in general has done very little to help him out.
- Hey, Sami Zayn and Bobby Lashley wrestled on this show. A feud involving cross-dressers and obstacle courses was settled by a vertical suplex, because of course it was.
- I'm not sure Seth Rollins is actually capable of having a bad match, but this was pretty far from it. He had what has to be considered Elias' best match, with an insane final sequence, particularly that near fall on the elbow drop. Seth getting a dirty win is an interesting twist, hopefully that leads to something more.
- Last year, I really, really hated the women's Money in the Bank match, but tonight was definitely redemption for them. Tons of great spots, especially using the ladder, but the match never turned into a spot-fest. I loved the desperate feel they kept throughout, however I can't say I loved the choice of Alexa winning. She's great and all, but she's been on the top of women's division for far too long, and this was the chance to build a new star.
- Jinder Mahal and Roman Reigns could've had the greatest match of all time, but they had no chance to win over this crowd. In fairness, I enjoyed their match tonight, with Roman's leg drop on the ropes being a particular highlight. This was pretty good, but stuck in the death spot and got slaughtered by Chicago.
- Carmella really hasn't been impressing me as champ, and she still looked really awkward against Asuka tonight. The real story was the finish, as James Ellsworth in Asuka's gear, returned to help Carmella get the win. Cool to see him back, as I think he's always been a big help to Carmella's character.
- AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura have had a lackluster feud, and I can't say I was pleased with seeing the match for the FOURTH time in two months, but damn this was worth it. I mean, Styles Clash off the steel steps on the floor, Phenomenal Forearm through an announce table level good. Where does Shinsuke go from here, seemingly immune to win the WWE Title? I'm not sure, but this was a fantastic match, so he'll at least have that.
- Lots of fans, including myself, were questioning Ronda Rousey getting a championship match, but she continues to impress. Her match with Nia Jax was really good, proving that WrestleMania was not a one-hit wonder.
- Not sure how to feel about Alexa being champion again, but considering Carmella just held the briefcase for forever, I'm glad the briefcase was cashed in instantly.
- The men's Money in the Bank match was another fun spotfest, although it could've used more time, as the ending was a little sudden for me. Kevin Owens died, and his killer is now Mr. Money in the Bank. Interested to see what the plan is for Braun as briefcase holder; if the plan is Roman vs Brock at SS, you have to imagine he'll probably get involved.
8/10
This was not a perfect show, but it didn't have to be. Most everything felt important, and felt like it belonged on a pay-per-view. Overall, this felt like a show that had a definite reason to exist, which is more than I can say for the past few WWE pay-per-views. I was entertained throughout, and would at least consider watching it again, so I can confidently say that this was a success.
8/10
This was not a perfect show, but it didn't have to be. Most everything felt important, and felt like it belonged on a pay-per-view. Overall, this felt like a show that had a definite reason to exist, which is more than I can say for the past few WWE pay-per-views. I was entertained throughout, and would at least consider watching it again, so I can confidently say that this was a success.
Comments