Written By: Alexander Settee
Money in the Bank 2010, July 17, 2010, Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
Announcers: Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, & Matt Striker
Since 2005, Money in the Bank has proven to be a point of interest at Wrestlemania, but now it gets its own PPV as both Raw and Smackdown will have separate matches with their own briefcases on the line. The MITH matches have never failed to at least be good so I actually have high expectations for this show. Let’s see how it goes.
Opening Match, Smackdown Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Kofi Kingston vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Christian vs. Dashing Cody Rhodes vs. Matt Hardy vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kane vs. Big Show
The Setup: It’s our first concept match of the night and they pretty much just took the top guys minus the ones in the Title match and put them in here.
The Action: Early on they had Big Show climb a ladder ad break it in order to setup something for later. They go quickly into the sequence of one guy climbing and another guy saving, and then he climbs until someone else saves, and so on. Drew McIntyre is clearly the one the crowd hates as they cheer anyone who takes him on, even the other heels. Kofi Kingston gets the biggest pop of the match, which was also the only really crazy spot of the match, as he puts McIntyre through the announce table with a Boom Drop off a ladder. Show then clears the ring and brings out his specially reinforced ladder, which is so heavy that just getting it into the ring is a struggle, but he finally succeeds. That took so long though they by the time he finally gets around to climbing, Kane tips him over and out to the floor. They then do more climb/save spots until everyone is dead, except for McIntyre who we haven’t seen since he went through the table ten minutes ago. He climbs with the crowd booing like nuts since they expect him to win here, but Kane recovers to make one last save. This time no one is left, so Kane climbs up and grabs the briefcase for the win at 26:20.
The Verdict: It was a great match, which didn’t feel at all like the amount of time that it lasted. Kane winning is different, if nothing else, but I don’t think he brings much to the main event scene in 2010, even if it is just the B Show. On criticism I have is that eight guys is just too many and they should have capped it at six giving those guys a better chance to shine. ****1/4
Sheamus cuts a promo saying that he helped Cena out last week because he realized that Nexus is a threat to everyone, including himself and he needed to show what side he was on in that battle. He still hates Cena though and is going to beat him again tonight to finally get the respect he deserves.
Diva’s Championship Match: Alicia Fox vs. Eve Torres
The Setup: Alicia won the Title last month at Fatal Four Way, but didn’t pin Eve in the process, so Eve gets the rematch here.
The Action: Not much of it. Alicia gets the heat to no crowd heat by working the back. Eve makes the comeback and goes for a sommersault senton, but Alicia gets the knees up. Alicia then connects with the ax kick and gets the 3 count at 5:54.
The Verdict: Your typical women’s match that isn’t good, but takes up a spot on the card. ½*
Jack Swagger talks to his mother on the phone backstage. She’s not happy that he threw his father to the wolves this week on Smackdown, but Swagger says he got what he deserved because he’s always tried to live vicariously through him, and claim that Jack’s successes are his own. He then says that Dad should watch because there’ll be another success when he wins the World Title later on.
Unified Tag Team Championship Match: The Hart Dynasty (w/Natalya) vs. The Usos (w/Tamina)
The Setup: The Harts beat them in a six person last month, but pretty much for a lack of any other teams, The Usos get the Title shot here.
The Action: It’s not a long match so they don’t get to do a ton of stuff, but they do succeed in getting the fans into it. The Usos isolate Smith for a bit until he escapes and makes the tag to Kidd. Kidd runs over Jey, but ends up caught in a nice alley-oop Samoan Drop for a 2 count. Jimmy then misses a top rope splash, allowing a tag to Smith who hooks Jimmy in the Sharpshooter while Kidd and Natalya take out Jey and Tamina, and that gets the submission at 5:54.
The Verdict: It was short, but they did what they could and it was fine. The Harts need a new program though. **
World Heavyweight Championship Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Jack Swagger
The Setup: Rey won the Title last month at Fatal Four Way, so Swagger is taking his rematch here. Swagger has also started using the ankle lock lately and has badly injured Rey’s ankle coming in here.
The Action: Great stuff here with Rey playing the underdog overcoming the odds to perfection as he generally does and Swagger as the overconfident heel who gets caught in the end. Swagger spends most of the early part of the match going for the ankle with Rey defending it. Of course he gets caught eventually and worked over, but he won’t quit. Rey gets some big comeback moves like the seated senton to the floor and a split legged moonsault for a nearfall. Swagger eventually gets the gutwrench powerbomb, but Rey makes the ropes at 2. He sets Rey up for a powerslam off the 2nd rope, but that’s countered to a DDT for another nearfall. Rey hits the 619, but gets caught on the springboard and hooked in the ankle lock. He gets a rope break though. Swagger hits two pump splashes and hooks it again, but Rey has loosened the boot, which comes off and Rey then cradles him for the pin to retain at 10:46.
The Verdict: Another great match on this show with pretty much everything done as well as it could have been. ****
After the match, Swagger attacks and gets back on the ankle, but Kane runs out to make the save. Kane beats Swagger to the back and all is seemingly well, but then he returns with the briefcase and wants to cash it in right now.
World Heavyweight Championship Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Kane
The Setup: As I just said, Kane is cashing in the briefcase that he won an hour ago.
The Action: Rey is spent from his match so Kane attacks, then kills him with a chokeslam and tombstone for the 3 count to win the Title at 0:53.
The Verdict: With two cases on the line it’s not surprising that they would have one cashed in right away, but again I don’t see Kane bringing anything to the main event scene in 2010. DUD
Edge and Chris Jericho have a confrontation backstage, with both promising to win and cash in tonight just like Kane did while also taunting each other in the process.
Women’s Championship Match: Layla (w/Michelle McCool) vs. Kelly Kelly (w/Tiffany)
The Setup: Kelly is the latest victim of Laycool’s intimidation and hazing tactics, so she gets the match here.
The Action: Kelly is not a good wrestler, and she shows it here. Michelle and Tiffany of course get involved, but it doesn’t make much difference as Kelly goes for a sunset flip, but Layla holds on and hooks the legs for the clean pin at 3:59.
The Verdict: I didn’t need two women’s matches on the same show. DUD
Raw Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Randy Orton vs. The Miz vs. Mark Henry vs. Ted Dibiase (w/Maryse) vs. John Morrison vs. Chris Jericho vs. Evan Bourne vs. Edge
The Setup: Much like Smackdown, it’s the top guys on the show vying for a Title shot.
The Action: They start with the usual brawling and ladder shots before going into the climbing/saving sequences much like the earlier match. At one point we had four guys climbing two ladders until Mark Henry tipped them all over. Then once everyone was laid out, Maryse tried climbing for the case until John Morrison sent her on her way. They setup a variety of ladders that allow several guys to climb at once, but on one can get the case. Everyone starts breaking out the finishers and that leads to guys being laid out. Evan is up there with Jericho hanging upside down, but he ends up looking bad as he has to wait too long for Jericho to make the save. Finally Orton seemingly has everyone down and goes for it, but he forgot about The Miz, who tips him over and out, and then climbs up to grab the case at 20:26.
The Verdict: Although I think that overall it’s weaker than the Smackdown match, I do like the choice of winner better as Miz has far more upside then Kane does. Hopefully they at least try and give him the ball because it’s not like anything else is clicking right now. ***3/4
Main Event, WWE Championship Cage Match: Sheamus vs. John Cena
The Setup: It’s yet another rematch from last month with the cage stip added because Sheamus wants an undisputable win over Cena, and they need a way to keep Nexus at bay.
The Action: Pin, submission, and escape are the ways to win here. Sheamus controls early for the most part after countering an Attitude Adjustment to a DDT. They work a sleeper for a bit with Cena picking him up and climbing the ropes to break it. Cena gets the comeback with all the signature moves, but ends up missing a top rope Five Knuckle Shuffle to give Sheamus the advantage again. They both in turn kick out of the bicycle kick and the AA just before Nexus makes the inevitable run in. They have bolt cutters, but one referee gets them away and gets out of there. They try to get the keys from another ref, but he throws them away. Meanwhile, the in ring ref gets bumped and Cena hooks the STF for the tapout, but there’s no one to call it. He climbs with Justin Gabriel meeting him, but getting knocked down into the ring. He kicks away at the rest, but they won’t let him down while Sheamus climbs on the other side. Only Heath Slater is there to stop him, but he can’t do it and Sheamus hits the floor for the win at 21:02. Sheamus bails immediately while a dejected Cena takes out his frustrations on Darren Young and Michael Tarver who were left behind by the others.
The Verdict: Well, Sheamus now has three cheap wins on PPV over Cena so I guess that part of the story will come up again. The match was fine, but not great or anything, and was hurt by the fact that we knew it couldn’t end until Nexus came out. At least they’ve finally built that to a match at Summerslam to save us from another main event run in. ***
Overall Thoughts: Crappy ending of the main event aside, this was actually one of the better PPV’s of the year so far. Both MITB’s delivered big, as did Rey and Swagger. The only lowlights were the women’s matches, but that’s to be expected anyways. Easy Thumbs Up for Money in the Bank 2010.