Money in the Bank 2012

I was the special guest referee and called the match down the line. Surprised?

Just one year ago...

Money in the Bank 2011 was such a game changer for WWE. Bryan came from nowhere to win Smackdown MIB and the IWC dared to dream that Vince might actually put a genuine wrestler (not a body builder) over as champion. Henry continued on his path of destruction that would lead to his dominant title reign. But most importantly Punk beat Cena and apparently left the WWE. While Ring of Honour wanted its storyline back, there was a genuine excitement that someone apart from Cena was champion and that we could see something different.

A year on the situation is eerily similar. This time Punk is the boring champion many people want to see defeated with Bryan as the popular challenger. Also, the RAW MIB match will similarly fail to elevate the winner but that happens when you populate the match only with former champions. Unfortunately, the world heavyweight championship is clearly less exciting than the Christian/Orton feud of last year but this is once again a result of poor booking for Sheamus/ADR.

Money in the Bank Ladder Match for a World Championship Contract (Damien Sandow, Tyson Kidd, Intercontinental Champion Christian, United States Champion Santino Marella, Tensai, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, and Sin Cara)

Prediction: This could be the most entertaining match of the night as it has a good mix of big guys, such as Sandow and Tensai, along with smaller guys, like Kidd and Sin Cara. On the other hand, there seems to be a few too many contestants thus making it hard to develop or follow any in-match storylines. Moreover, apart from Cody or Christian, I can’t see any of these guys being legitimate champions if they cash in briefcase – yes, Ziggler is not a legitimate champion because he has lost so many championship matches (one every 2/3 weeks).

Match: Tensai dominated early before Kidd and Christian team up on him with a ladder. Ziggler and Rhodes battle in the ring over a ladder before Sin Cara eliminates both of them. Christian misses a top rope splash on Kidd, who is prone on the ladder. Looks like Santino messed up a power bomb off the ladder by Tensai then missed the subsequent splash onto the people on the outside. Sandow and Christian try to climb over each other to get to the briefcase. Christian spears Sandow into the ladder. Rhodes and Ziggler battle on the ladder before Tensai takes control and almost every other competitor is required to stop him. Cobra on Ziggler but Santino apparently has vertigo (one questions why he would enter the match in the first place) allowing Rhodes to knock him off. Vickie distracts Rhodes and allows Ziggler to climb the ladder but Christian stops him. Kidd launches a ladder at Christian/Ziggler and power bombs Ziggler off the ladder. Tensai bombs Sin Cara onto a ladder set up on the announce table then hip tosses Ziggler into the barricade. Rhodes plants front Kidd with a front face suplex off the ladder in the ring as Christian spears Rhodes off the same ladder. Ziggler out of nowhere knocks off Christian (who for an experienced ladder match participant seemed particularly inept at climbing the ladder and retrieving the briefcase).

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

A not totally surprising result in this match and the match itself was pretty good. There were a couple of really good spots with Tensai and Christian but Santino was pathetic and Sin Cara again did nothing special. I wonder whether they might make a genuine attempt to build up Ziggler or will they continue to book him to look weak. I would have preferred to see Rhodes get the opportunity but then Ziggler has been performing solidly losing championship matches over the last few months.  

Sheamus interview with Josh Matthews. Sheamus shuts down JM’s questions on Ziggler and talks about cars. The extended metaphor here is that Sheamus is an old clunker that gets from A to B while ADR will be scrap metal.

The Miz returns from a 2 month absence – unfortunately I didn’t notice or mind that he was gone. A Miz is awesome chant starts up and he actually has some crowd support. He claims he doesn’t need to brag and instead he will enter the RAW MIB match, which is a good thing in this writer’s opinion.

Mick Foley’s favourite RAW moment was winning the title from the Rock.

World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio

Prediction: I haven’t really been interested in this rivalry as they pushed Sheamus too early as champion. Similarly, ADR has been champion and lost it so quickly that the whole destiny thing sounds like hot air. Sheamus has been rolling through the likes of Ziggler lately and I can see him beating ADR here for the win thus setting up a rematch for next PPV.

Match: ADR reminds Sheamus of his bad arm before Sheamus dumps him out of the ring. The ref seems a bit eager to break these two up as they brawl in the middle of the ring. ADR keeps going for the arm bar allowing Sheamus to get in some hard shots. ADR misses the biggest slow motion baseball slide in history before he is suplexed back into the ring. Ricardo distracts Sheamus and allows ADR to get in a head kick before throwing Sheamus into the ring steps and barricades. ADR then refocuses on the arm of Sheamus with submission holds and body shots. Sheamus fights out of the arm lock and hits a swinging neck breaker on ADR. Sheamus is launched into the ring post and gets his arm wrapped around it. ADR misses a cross arm breaker but Sheamus launches himself into another attack on his injured left arm. Sheamus hits a running knee and a slam leading into his patented chest strikes. ADR hits an arm ringer on the ropes but Sheamus responds with the Irish curse back breaker. Carlito rang and wants his backstabber finishing move back ADR. ADR misses a slow motion head kick allowing Sheamus to hit white noise and sets up for the brogue kick. 1... 2... 3... and Sheamus retains the title.

Winner: Sheamus

Commentary claims that Sheamus looked strong in overcoming the odds and ADRs offense. Once again he looked like the lesser man and he is becoming the new Cena: get beaten up for most of the match, Irish curse, white noise, brogue kick and the 3 count. He has now held the title for over 100 days since defeating Bryan at WM and isn’t any more convincing then when he started. Don’t get me wrong, I like Sheamus and think he will be the future of the WWE but he needs to look smoother in big matches as some spots in this championship match were very amateurish.

Ricardo and ADR attacked Sheamus after the match. Ziggler comes out to try and cash in his briefcase but gets a brogue kick for his trouble. Surprise, surprise: WWE give Ziggler the MIB briefcase and they immediately book him to look like an idiot. In fact, he is lucky not to be the first person to NOT win the title after cashing in MIB. Well done WWE!

Josh Matthews interview Daniel Bryan. Yes! Yes! Yes!

Random Tag Team Match: Epico/Primo vs. Young/O’Neal

Match: KofiTruth are ringside for this match dressed in suits. A couple of high flying spots from Epico/Primo but Truth talking with Little Jimmy on commentary are competing for my interest. The idiot manager (AW?) doing running commentary is grating and is beginning to distract from some good wrestling. AW called Primo “Taco bell” so it is good to see that WWE continue to promote racist stereotypes. Primo does some actual wrestling but everyone is so bored by this point that even the commentators have stopped paying attention. Primo rolls up Young after Young hits his finisher.

Winner: Epico/Primo

This is the reason why the tag team division is a joke. You have a tag team match that had some good wrestling in it but it is over shadowed by AW doing commentary, Rosa dancing (not bad but still not wrestling) and R-Truth talking to an imaginary person on commentary.

Young and O’Neal get in KofiTruth’s face after the match as they whinge about losing. KofiTruth gives AW a face full of water and he decides to take off his shoes to fight (not a typo – he keeps his jacket on but removes his shoes to have a fight!). Best part of the match is here where Truth restrains Little Jimmy (imaginary friend) from going after AW.

WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan (Random Stipulation: No DQ)

Prediction: The whole AJ situation makes this a little unpredictable. The fact that Punk is close to holding the title for nearly a year indicates that he might hold it a bit longer. I would like to see Bryan win for a bit of a change as Punk as champion has definitely gone stale.

Match: Michael Cole announces the match is now no DQ: why? No explanation but I think it has something to do with Ziggler holding the MIB briefcase. Punk has surpassed HBK’s 1996 reign and is 17^th all time with Bret Hart/Hulk Hogan in his sights. Will he make it?

Punk uses kicks and slaps to take control early before Bryan launched him into the barricade. Bryan targets Punk’s arm/wrist and hits some yes kicks. Bryan rakes Punk’s face on the top rope. Both men exchange kicks and high flying moves. Bryan bumps Punk into AJ and she is knocked out. AJ is escorted to the back after Bryan runs Punk into the steel steps. Flying knee and a front face suplex onto to steel steps by Bryan. Punk launches Bryan over the barricade and gains the upper hand on the outside. We want tables chant and Punk obliges. Bryan slams Punk on the outside and stalks him with a kendo stick but misses. Bryan eventually gets Punk with the kendo stick as he comes off the top rope. Bryan continues the attack on the mat and gets a 2 count. Bryan misses the flying head strike off the top rope. Punk hits some kicks and a neck breaker for a 2 count. Punk lands the power slam and calls for the GTS but Bryan counters twice – the second into a 2 count before a head kick followed up by kendo shots and a surfboard submission. Punk uses the kendo stick to break the hold and bash Bryan’s head for a 2 count. Superplex off the top rope and both men are down as AJ the special guest referee returns. AJ has a chair and is deciding what to do with it. She puts it in the middle of the ring and both scramble to reach it. Bryan lands 4 massive chair shots to Punk’s back and only gets a 2 count. Bryan begs AJ for the 3 count and it allows Punk to roll him up for a 2 count. Bryan hits the yes kicks in the corner but Punk lands a massive clothesline. Punk returns the favour with 3 massive chair shots and sets up the chair in the corner. AJ blocks Punk’s move to whip Bryan into the chair and allows Bryan to regain the advantage. But then AJ stops Bryan from getting the kendo stick and Punk gets Bryan with a head shot. Slam onto the chair but Bryan rolls out of the top rope elbow. Bryan tries to lock in the yes lock and does so using the kendo stick. Punk launches Bryan into the ring post and hits the GTS for a... 2 count! Punk’s turn to look disappointed with AJ as Bryan begins to stir. Punk gets his table from the outside and is knocked off the top rope as he goes to put Bryan through it with an elbow. Bryan goes up to the top rope too but is crotched by Punk. Punk then back suplexes Bryan off the top rope and through the table for the 3 count and the win.

Winner: CM Punk

Frustrating result! Bryan was the better wrestler throughout and once again has to take the loss. Punk is now officially the new super-Cena with his seemingly inevitable victories. This was another great match but the ending was too predictable. I am so sick of Punk winning all the time that I hate him as much as I hated Cena. Why don’t we just skip the whole main event match and make Punk champion for life! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Random Ryback Match: Ryback vs. Hawkins/Reks

Match: Booker T discusses how a loss to Hawreks would put their careers back a long way. I am preparing for their careers to be put back a long way. Goldberg chants throughout the match. A decent amount of offense before Ryback wins.

Winner: Ryback

Random Diva Match: Layla, Kaitlyn and Tamina vs. Beth Phoenix, Natalya and Eve

Match: Another filler match. It all broke down at the end with Layla catching Beth by surprise.

Winner: Layla, Kaitlyn and Tamina

Money in the Bank Ladder Match for a WWE Championship Contract (Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho and John Cena plus extra Miz)

Prediction: This has the possibility of being the worst match on the card for one simple reason – too many big guys! Show and Kane work well with smaller guys in a match like this but they only have Jericho to dance with. Cena is ok in one-on-one ladder matches but then he has always had top talent like Edge to make him look good. As for the winner, it could be any of them but I think Kane is the least likely as he won last year along with Jericho as he is leaving for a concert tour with Fozzy.

Match: Show and Cena go after each other from the start. Miz tries to sneak up the ladder but Cena then Show stop him. Show rebuffs attacks from Kane, Miz and Jericho with ease in the middle of the ring before getting a code breaker from Jericho, DDT from Miz and a big boot from Kane. Cena puts Show through the Spanish announce table with an AA before everyone buries Show under a pile of ladders. Jericho and Miz battle in the ring with Jericho locking the walls on Miz. Jericho catapults Miz into a ladder in the corner of the ring. Cena blocks Jericho from climbing the ladder but Miz takes out Cena with a DDT. Kane literally throws a ladder at Miz who had a hand on the briefcase. Miz and Jericho double suplex Kane onto a ladder before Cena takes them both out. He then performs a stupid looking double 5 knuckle shuffle on the prone Miz/Jericho on the ladder. Jericho dismantles some ladders and retrieves another one from outside the ring. Big Show emerges from the mountain of steel ladders to rip a ladder in half and punish Jericho then Kane then Miz. Finally, he beats on Cena with heavy body shots. Show retrieves his special gold and black giant ladder from under the ring then begins the slow climb to the top. Kane gets a WMD for interfering and Cena a head shot for his troubles. Jericho stops the giant with multiple chair shots. Jericho locks a sleep on Cena at the top of the ladder but Cena refuses to pass out. Jericho finally drops the sleepy Cena off the ladder. Miz and Jericho battle over the briefcase at the top of the ladder. Show uses the WMD to knock Jericho and Miz off the ladder. Cena then bashes Show’s head in with the briefcase until it comes off the hook.

Winner: John Cena

So Cena wins the MIB at his first attempt (mock surprise mixed with a massive sigh of inevitability). A great match with Jericho and Miz the stand out performers. Does this mean we have a repeat of Cena and Punk from last year? I hope not because I won’t know who to boo more.