Money in the Bank continues to be the best annual bet on PPV for WWE. This year was a step down from the last two years, but aside from the now-obligatory last minute filler, all the real matches were very good.
Cena won the suitcase and Cena's match went last, let's get that affront out of the way. Miz and his new unspiked haircut returned and joined the match. Safe match but everybody worked hard. Jericho basically turned babyface tonight, first doing a promo to the Jerichoholics, then working as a face in the match. Could've just been for convenience for tonight since it was a match with four heels. Big Show brought his Big Ladder back. Cool finish with Cena using the case to block the WMD punch, then bashing Show's head with it with such vigor that it broke off the hook. Cena sets up a title shot on Raw 1000?
Ziggler won the SD MITB, a crazy match. Hooray! Couple botches early with Sin Cara almost killing Dolph rushing through the Spanish Fly and Santino getting caught in the ladder when Tensai tried to power bomb him after that. After that it came together and it was a wild ride. Santino had his near-win and also took a funny cartoon bump where he was pushed off and hit his face on every rung going down. Tensai and Sin Cara recreated the ladder power bomb from last year. Ziggler took another crazy-ass fall on his head when Tensai pitched him over the announce table and he landed on the chairs. Finally Ziggler crawled back over the ladder bridge and threw Christian off to win.
Punk pinned Bryan to retain the title after a back superplex through a table. It was no DQ and they worked it as a weapons match. AJ was knocked out early and came back at the end and killed the flow, but at least she didn't completely take the match down like Laurinaitis did when he reffed Punk/Bryan. AJ crossed stuff up for both guys but counted Bryan's shoulders down. Punk ignored her during his postmatch celebration so I guess we're still at square one here. They still haven't had a match as good as Over the Limit due to creative additions, but still a strong one.
Sheamus pinned Del Rio. Good match, better than I expected. As with Sheamus' matches with Bryan and Ziggler, match had a disappointing anticlimactic finish where he makes a comeback, brogues up, and wins without any exciting nearfalls or reverses or whatevs. Del Rio and Ricardo attacked him after the match, Ziggler came to cash in, but got into it with Del Rio, allowing Sheamus to recover and kick Dolph as always before the new match could start. You'll get yours, one day.
also receiving votes: R-Boom beat Hunico & Camacho, Ryback beat Hawkins & Reks, Colons beat Prime Time Players (feat. Titus doing the Rosa Mendes dance), and Layla pinned Beth in a six-woman tag.
My ridiculous prediction that has ZERO basis in reality of the year: Cena challenges Punk at SS, AJ helps Cena beat Punk, Cena and AJ hook up, Cena turns heel.
(While there is ZERO chance in that happening, it would be interesting to see Cena being... different)
Kevin Kelly: "Mr. Austin, would you like to comment on Wade Keller's Take that endorsing the XFL hurts your anti-authority character?"
Steve Austin: "Oh shit, he actually said that? I thought the boys in the back were ribbing me!"
Kelly: "No, he really said that. Did they tell you the part about you sitting in the stands, looking all skeptical?"
Austin: "AHAHAHAHAHAHA. Yeah... oh man that was too much."
I really liked Punk and Bryan just beating on each other.
One thing I really don't understand--Shawn Michaels lands back-first on the casket and is out four years. These guys bump back-first onto metal ladders-it looks totally painful yet they just keep on going-- how is this possible?
With CM Punk's Straight Edge including "no drugs" - does that include pain medication? Getting whacked with a chair repeatedly seems like it would make you want something for the pain.
As a friend of mine said, probably the most predictable PPV of the year minus all the fill in matches. Cena/Punk III is not something I am looking forward to at SummerSlam. If anything I am hoping it is at Raw 1000, Rock costs Cena the match and we get Rock/Punk/Cena instead of Punk being left out in the cold and facing Bryan again or Bryan getting Cena DQ and Cena/Bryan at SummerSlam that will somehow main event the show.
So, we are pack to square one for almost everything minus Ziggler getting the briefcase. That could be intriguing since he whacked ADR with it as well.
The Wee Baby Sheamus.Twitter: @realjoecarfley its a bit more toned down there. A bit.
Originally posted by dwatersOne thing I really don't understand--Shawn Michaels lands back-first on the casket and is out four years. These guys bump back-first onto metal ladders-it looks totally painful yet they just keep on going-- how is this possible?
HHH missed nine months just for planting his foot funny when he took a step. Injuries aren't predictable.
I took my 2 sons to the show and they had a blast. They were probably most excited that the next Royal Rumble will be in Phoenix, so I got some tickets for that. As someone who had not been to a live show in may years (last one I went to was at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenicians know THAT will show my age!), but it was fun, especially seeing my kids (16 and 11) reaction.
Punk/Bryan was amazing, and it helped that AJ was not terribly involved. Punk seemed like the crowd favorite, but Bryan "YES" chants were pretty big also (I had one kid rooting for Bryan, and the other rooting for Punk, so it seemed split to me!)
It seems like the crowd REALLY wanted to cheer Ziggler, I would guess he will be a babyface soon.
It was nice to see Jericho work as a babyface again also, it would be fun to see a run for awhile in that style.
I was surprised that it was not even close to sold out, half the upper deck, as well as several rows of the lower deck on one side were covered.
The divas match seemed to just be thrown out there, and there were many around me who were chanting "3 minutes", knowing that is all the time they would have. I miss the days when they actually were booked, had story lines and could wrestle a basic match for more than a couple minutes.
Overall, a fun night and nothing that really sucked. Cena was pretty funny afterward, as he got the case not by unlocking it, but by the handle breaking off while hitting Show with it. He made sure to pick up the handle pieces after the match and put them in his pocket to make sure he had the whole case.
I am heartbroken by Daniel Bryan's new ring attire. Not only did his recent American Dragon duds have a nice motif, but they were designed by Jill Thompson.
This looks like a throwaway ECW character.
(edited by CRZ on 16.7.12 1213) "To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Originally posted by Amos Cochran HHH missed nine months just for planting his foot funny when he took a step. Injuries aren't predictable.
That spot still mystifies me. If I were to set up a ladder in my yard and jump back-first onto it with all my weight, it would take me a long time to recover. I know these guys are tough, well-conditioned athletes, but they're still people.
Originally posted by Amos Cochran HHH missed nine months just for planting his foot funny when he took a step. Injuries aren't predictable.
That spot still mystifies me. If I were to set up a ladder in my yard and jump back-first onto it with all my weight, it would take me a long time to recover. I know these guys are tough, well-conditioned athletes, but they're still people.
No it wouldn't. Your body is more durable than you think. Friday night I went back-first into a wall at full speed playing wallyball, and kept playing. You'd be sore, but you'd be fine.
Originally posted by dwatersI really liked Punk and Bryan just beating on each other.
One thing I really don't understand--Shawn Michaels lands back-first on the casket and is out four years. These guys bump back-first onto metal ladders-it looks totally painful yet they just keep on going-- how is this possible?
With CM Punk's Straight Edge including "no drugs" - does that include pain medication? Getting whacked with a chair repeatedly seems like it would make you want something for the pain.
Shawn laded butt-first on the corner of a casket. Not flat on his back. Thats the difference there.
Originally posted by Amos Cochran HHH missed nine months just for planting his foot funny when he took a step. Injuries aren't predictable.
That spot still mystifies me. If I were to set up a ladder in my yard and jump back-first onto it with all my weight, it would take me a long time to recover. I know these guys are tough, well-conditioned athletes, but they're still people.
No it wouldn't. Your body is more durable than you think. Friday night I went back-first into a wall at full speed playing wallyball, and kept playing. You'd be sore, but you'd be fine.
I've watched ladder matches and had a knot in my back afterward from sitting wrong on the couch so I am pretty sure a back bump on another ladder would lay my ass out for awhile.
Originally posted by DirtyMikeSeaverMy ridiculous prediction that has ZERO basis in reality of the year: Cena challenges Punk at SS, AJ helps Cena beat Punk, Cena and AJ hook up, Cena turns heel.
(While there is ZERO chance in that happening, it would be interesting to see Cena being... different)
Actually, ever since they started the build for Money in the Bank, I've had the feeling that AJ would somehow wind up with Cena.
We are no closer to knowing what's going on with AJ/Punk/Bryan than before the match. If you build up something you eventually have to do something with it.
I watched last year's MITB and saw someone with the same sign sitting in roughly the same spot this year.
The Raw Foley moment being January 4, 1999 just bugs me since I was there when it happened in December of 1998 and they just aired it the next week. Stupid detail. I guess it happened when it aired in the TV universe.
I was disappointed that they didn't do more with the 'WWE Champions' stip than have Miz come out to add little to the Raw MitB match. Another WWE pay-per-view that delivered capable ringwork, but was cookie-cutter predictable in terms of results. (And even if you want to argue that Punk/Bryan was in doubt going into the night, the end result was very status quo.)
Also, too: If someone wants to explain how the army jacket Bryan wore to the ring last night relates to his gimmick, I'm all ears. It looked like he grabbed some promo item at Comic-Con for "Resident Warfare VIII: Zombie Assassin 3D" to wear to the ring. Was that an actual design on the back, or was the logo torn off?
Originally posted by dwatersWe are no closer to knowing what's going on with AJ/Punk/Bryan than before the match. If you build up something you eventually have to do something with it.
I criticized last months' Punk/Bryan/Kane match for not giving us anything to forward the plot, as it appeared then that the story they were selling us was "Whose side is AJ on?". Last night was just another piece of evidence to suggest that there has never been a solid plan for this angle. Crazy AJ just caught on with the crowd, and Vince told the writers to keep it going.
They won't 'resolve' it until they need to burn the angle to get over some idea that likely does not even exist today. Could well be what Amos said, but that they haven't hinted about it yet - is almost certainly because they have no freaking idea how they are going to end this angle.
Which reflects badly on them (on Vince) for not caring enough to plan out the details of his biggest non-Cena angle since WrestleMania.
Originally posted by dwatersThe Raw Foley moment being January 4, 1999 just bugs me since I was there when it happened in December of 1998 and they just aired it the next week. Stupid detail. I guess it happened when it aired in the TV universe.
In fairness to Foley, I think he was saying that his memory was related to how Bischoff's whole 'Schavione spoiler' idea backfired, and turned out to be the Pickett's Charge of the Monday Night Wars. And that aspect happened live on January 4th.
Originally posted by JustinShapiroThey (Punk & Bryan) still haven't had a match as good as Over the Limit due to creative additions, but still a strong one.
I get where you're coming from, but no way is "additions" the word for this. I'd go with 'creative meddling' myself.
Originally posted by dwatersThe Raw Foley moment being January 4, 1999 just bugs me since I was there when it happened in December of 1998 and they just aired it the next week. Stupid detail. I guess it happened when it aired in the TV universe.
In fairness to Foley, I think he was saying that his memory was related to how Bischoff's whole 'Schavione spoiler' idea backfired, and turned out to be the Pickett's Charge of the Monday Night Wars. And that aspect happened live on January 4th.
Of course, this ALSO isn't exactly true, as Nitro hadn't won since October 1998 and wasn't really showing signs they were going to win again. This was A nail in the coffin, but not THE nail.
The Miz's new haircut is a 100% improvement on the fauxhawk. He looks downright dapper.
I was as gratified by the crowd support for Dolph winning the briefcase as I was horrified at some of the insane bumps he took.
AJ damn near reached Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 28 levels as a guest referee telling a story through facial expressions and reactions. I loved when she briefly sat crosslegged Punk-style after she counted Punk pinning Bryan.
@CMPunk
“@ZackRyder: @CMPunk She played me bro” I got your back.
This was the most IGNORANT post I have ever seen on this forum. Not to mention that a) people who enjoy true rock hate the utter drizzling shite the WWF tries to parade as "rocking", b) 99.