Originally published at WWE Money in the Bank: MITB Ladder Matches at WWE Headquarters
Welcome to our coverage of WWE Money in the Bank.
Click here to listen to POST Wrestling’s Money in the Bank POST Show
RESULTS:
*Jeff Hardy over Cesaro in 13:32
*New Day over Lucha House Party, The Forgotten Sons, and John Morrison & The Miz at 12:01 to retain the SmackDown tag titles
*Bobby Lashley over R-Truth in 1:44
*Bayley over Tamina in 10:29 to retain the SmackDown women’s title
*Braun Strowman over Bray Wyatt in 10:44 to retain the Universal title
*Drew McIntyre over Seth Rollins in 19:24 to retain the WWE title
*Asuka won the women’s MITB contract at 21:45 and Otis won the men’s contract at 27:00
Scott Stanford and Peter Rosenberg host the kickoff show and went through the top ten Money in the Bank moments featured on television this week.
Renee Young spoke with Booker T. and JBL on their predictions for the women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. JBL worked in references to Animal Hamaguchi and Funaki before choosing Asuka.
Kayla Braxton interviewed New Day on the fatal four-way match.
Michael Cole and Corey Graves are at the WWE Performance Center to call the first match of the card.
JEFF HARDY VS CESARO
Cesaro caught Hardy leaping off the steps and threw him into the barricade. Cesaro did Mark Henry’s old chocolate slide maneuver landing on his feet on the floor.
Hardy was Irish whipped into the side of the ring as he began selling his ribs, which Cesaro targeted with an abdominal stretch.
Hardy came back and hit Whisper in the Wind as Cesaro favored his right knee. Hardy hit Twist of Fate for a two-count. Hardy was stopped on top and sent to the mat with a gut-wrench suplex onto the injured ribs.
Hardy hit a clothesline off the barricade, rolled Cesaro into the ring, and hit the Swanton for the win.
WINNER: Jeff Hardy at 13:32
The commentary team pushed this as the beginning of Hardy’s comeback and had to overcome a lot from Cesaro. This was a well-worked match centering on Hardy’s ribs and fighting his way from underneath.
Alyse Ashton was the reporter on the scene at WWE’s headquarters previewing tonight’s match.
NEW DAY VS THE FORGOTTEN SONS VS JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ VS GRAN METALIK & LINCE DORADO FOR THE SMACKDOWN TAG TITLES
Graves remarked that Gran Metalik looked like Juventud Guerrera.
Morrison went to the top with Metalik and they went to the floor with a one-man Spanish Fly onto the others. Those two have great chemistry with each other.
The Forgotten Sons double-teamed Metalik including Steve Cutler hip-tossing Wesley Blake onto Metalik’s back. Lince Dorado hit a springboard somersault into a rolling cover on Morrison for two.
The Forgotten Sons hit their finisher to Big E., but Miz had made the tag prior. Morrison hit Starship Pain on Big E. and was broken up by the Lucha House Party.
Metalik hit a top rope ‘rana on Morrison and the Lucha House Party double-teamed Big E. Dorado hit a top rope splash and Metalik with the diving elbow drop.
Jaxson Ryker was ejected by the referee.
Kofi Kingston took out Lince Dorado with the Trouble in Paradise and Big E. followed with the Big Ending before pinning Metalik.
WINNERS: New Day at 12:01 to retain the SmackDown tag titles
It was a fun four-way match with the Lucha House Party getting a lot of focus especially during their interactions with John Morrison as the three worked well together.
With the title switch occurring so recently, it made sense to leave them on New Day.
A fast-paced opener that would have been a strong start with an audience.
Lacey Evans cut a promo and has memorized the entire layout of WWE HQ to capture the briefcase. Her Woman’s Right is ready for Bayley anytime she wants.
Charly Caruso interviewed Drew McIntyre and he wishes a Happy Mother’s Day to the mothers out there. He says Seth Rollins’ biggest problem is he can’t stop running his mouth and will welcome him to Claymore country and break his jaw.
The Raw team of Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe & Byron Saxton were on the call the next match. They promoted their next pay-per-view is Backlash on June 14th.
R-Truth cut a promo asking the audience to ‘make some noise’. Get it? We’re two months in and there is no one there.
MVP was in his Killmonger gear. They exchanged words and R-Truth tried his comedy but without a reaction, it didn’t work.
Bobby Lashley came out and told MVP he could take the night off because he’s got this. MVP added ‘that’s what’s up’. Truth accidentally slapped Lashley.
R-TRUTH VS BOBBY LASHLEY
Lashley speared him in the corner and hit a spine buster. Truth missed a scissors kick and was hit with the spear for the win.
WINNER: Bobby Lashley in 1:44
No one is complaining this was short. This was more of a set-up to tease an alliance between MVP and Lashley, which was a tremendous pairing in TNA.
King Corbin bragged about riding the world of Elias and beat up Drew Gulak while standing tall on SmackDown. Tonight, he will claim his second Money in the Bank victory.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Bayley and Sasha Banks as they are about to walk out for the match. Braxton stirred things up asking if Bayley blamed Banks for losing to Tamina on SmackDown. Bayley cut her off while Banks just stood there and never answered.
BAYLEY VS TAMINA FOR THE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S TITLE
Bayley bullied her and slapped her head. Moments later, she took Tamina’s leg and wrapped it around the post twice. She went on the attack on her knee.
Tamina fought back but when she went for a superkick, it was caught and a kneebar was applied by Bayley.
On the floor, Bayley took a bottle of water and splashed Tamina. This led to Tamina firing back and superkicked her off the apron to the floor. Tamina tossed her onto the announcer’s desk.
Tamina attempted a splash but landed on her feet, she hit the superkick and Banks crawled before retreating. Tamina chased Banks until Bayley ran at her, was nearly hit with the Samoan drop but Bayley used a crucifix to pin Tamina.
WINNER: Bayley at 10:29 to retain the SmackDown women’s title
This was not very good. The story was more about Banks and where her allegiance is. Bayley got the fluke victory and putting it over than Banks was the difference-maker for Bayley to pay off down the road.
Afterward, Banks chop blocked Tamina and they double-teamed her.
Seth Rollins cut a promo stating Drew McIntyre knows who he is and what he’s capable of. He will unburden McIntyre tonight because this isn’t his industry or company to lead into the future, it is Rollins’ cross to bear. He needs to be the Monday Night Messiah and their champion.
They promoted Undertaker: The Last Ride stating he was their Michael Jordan when referencing The Last Dance.
BRAUN STROWMAN VS BRAY WYATT FOR THE UNIVERSAL TITLE
Bray was just making jokes as the match began, which because of the lack of crowd was easily audible.
Strowman dominates the beginning until charging at Wyatt on the floor but missed and crashed into the announcer’s desk. Huskus appeared behind the barricade cheering on Bray as he hit Strowman with a DDT.
Wyatt hit a tornado DDT and Sister Abigail for a two-count. He went for a second one and it was stopped with a choke slam. Strowman drilled him with a shoulder tackle on the floor.
Strowman emerged wearing the black sheep’s mask as Wyatt laughed. Strowman tore off his shirt and got on his knees extending his arms while Wyatt howled with laughter. The two hugged and the puppets congratulated Wyatt for getting Strowman to come home.
Then, he removed the mask and stomped it. Strowman hit a powerslam and pinned Wyatt.
WINNER: Braun Strowman in 10:44 to retain the Universal title
It was more of a clean ending than I expected but they have The Fiend card to play coming out of this even in a one-sided ending. It was kept short enough that it didn’t drag but I can’t say there is a lot of interest in this continuing, which it seems to be.
As Wyatt stared at Strowman leaving, there were shots of The Fiend cut in.
The Hacker had a segment stating he is everywhere and hears everything with no one safe. It revealed footage of most of the SmackDown roster.
DREW McINTYRE VS SETH ROLLINS FOR THE WWE TITLE
Rollins came out to a new theme song. This whole rebranding has done a number on him.
After McIntyre had the control early, Rollins attacked his left knee and sent him to the floor. Rollins worked the knee with a half-crab into the STF. Rollins hit him with a flying knee off the apron, a springboard knee off the barricade, and a knee off the announcer’s desk. McIntyre finally caught him and hit a belly-to-belly sending Rollins over the desk.
McIntyre fights back, teases the Claymore as Rollins retreats.
Rollins comes back with a superkick and a splash off the top, which McIntyre kicks out from at one. Rollins brought a chair into the ring but thought twice and tossed it to the floor.
McIntyre avoided the stomp and hit the Glasgow kiss.
Rollins scaled to the top with the superplex into the Falcon Arrow and McIntyre kicked out. McIntyre is in the tree of woe, Rollins steps on the knee as McIntyre sits up and suplexes Rollins off.
The Claymore was stopped with a superkick and the stomp, which McIntyre kicked out from.
McIntyre stopped another stomp, hit a Glasgow kiss, Rollins with a superkick, and McIntyre bounced off the ropes and hit Claymore for the win.
WINNER: Drew McIntyre in 19:24 to retain the WWE title
I enjoyed this match a lot, they had great chemistry with each other even though the build-up didn’t enhance this one significantly. They laid out a great match and their styles meshed well, this was easily the best match of the show, so far ahead of the tag title match.
They didn’t leave much of an opening for a rematch as this was a clean and decisive win for McIntyre.
McIntyre thanked Rollins and said that was what he needed and offered his hand, which Rollins accepted.
Charly interviewed R-Truth and thought he won his match tonight and said MVP has lost a lot of weight. He doesn’t have anyone to celebrate with and showed a picture of him holding the 24/7 title and said, ‘it’s time to get my baby back’. He’s going to sack Tom Brady and take his championship back.
MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCHES
Aleister Black vs. AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Otis vs. King Corbin vs. Daniel Bryan
Asuka vs. Nia Jax vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Lacey Evans vs. Dana Brooke vs. Carmella
The men started in the gym and the women in the lobby with the matches occurring simultaneously.
Asuka was on the second floor and leaped off with a high cross to the other five and went for the elevator. The other chased her up the stairs.
Corbin launched a plate that missed, and it shattered the mirror. That means seven more years of the same.
The guys ran into the washroom where we had a Brother Love cameo, he went to clean his hands and needed Something to Rinse.
The two matches intersected on one of the higher floors by the elevator where Asuka was getting out of.
Bryan delivered the Yes Kicks to Corbin as Otis chanted ‘Yes’ and Bryan kicked him too. There was a guy dressed as Doink hiding behind a chair.
Dana Brooke laid out Nia Jax with a chair in a board room and unhooked a briefcase, which Stephanie McMahon said was the MITB conference room and isn’t the real briefcase. Carmella moonwalked out of the room into the Woman’s Right by Evans.
There was a scene with a custodian, who was Kane Prichard, Bruce’s son.
Styles was searching for Mysterio and was scared when he saw a picture of The Undertaker. He walked into a room with a casket and got laid out by Aleister Black, who shut the door with him locked in it.
Paul Heyman was eating when the men and women appeared and turned into a food fight and Otis tossed the food onto Heyman. This featured Baszler applying the Kirifuda Clutch onto Mysterio. It ended with Jax powerbombing Carmella through a table. She had a staredown with Otis and they left in separate directions.
Otis had a pie as John Laurinaitis entered and took the pie in the face.
Bryan and Styles brawled into Vince McMahon’s office and he stood up and sent them out. McMahon used Purell on his hands.
Jax and Asuka made it to the roof first and entered the ring followed by Evans. The three of them fought for a while until Asuka was climbing and King Corbin ran in and was knocked down by Asuka, who grabbed the women’s briefcase at 21:49.
Otis entered the ring next and the rungs broke again. Corbin, Mysterio, and Black made their way into the ring followed by Styles.
Corbin tossed Rey off the roof and then Black, as well.
Corbin and Styles fought for the briefcase and both had it when Elias appeared and nailed Corbin with a guitar. Styles grabbed it but it fell, and Otis caught it to win the match. He yelled ‘Yo Mandy, I did it’.
WINNER: Otis at 27:00 and Asuka at 21:49