Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

Background: Daniel Bryan beat Big Cass at Backlash last month but Cass would attack Bryan after the match. Bryan returned the favour by applying a “heel hook” on Cass during the May 15 episode and at a house show in Germany, where he injured Cass’ leg. As a result, Bryan not only cost Cass his spot in an upcoming Money in the Bank qualifying fixture against Joe, but secured that spot for himself by beating Jeff Hardy on the May 22 episode. However, when Cass recovered and appeared the following week, the bout was turned into the aforementioned triple threat match, won by Joe. After the fixture was finished, Cass attacked Bryan again with a big boot. A rematch between the two was organised for Money in the Bank on June 2.

Previous PPV matches: This is the second PPV match between these two men, Daniel Bryan beat Big Cass at Backlash.

Money In The Bank Record: Big Cass is 0-1, Daniel Bryan is 1-2.

Match: Daniel Bryan starts the matches with strikes but Big Cass over-powers his opponent as a “you can’t wrestle” chant breaks out. Cass hits a big spinning sidewalk slam for a two count. Cass is looking for his first PPV victory since returning. Bryan fights back with kicks and leg drags. Bryan hits a couple of running dropkicks and then tries to lock on the yes lock but Cass gets to the bottom rope quickly. Bryan sends Cass out of the ring and then heads to the top and dives out at him! A CM Punk chant breaks out as Cass hits a fallaway slam off the middle turnbuckle. Bryan avoids a running boot and hits a couple of chop blocks and a low dropkick. Bryan looks for a running dropkick but Cass counters and hits a running boot for a near fall. Cass looks for an inverted go to sleep but Bryan lands on his feet, hits a running knee and then locks on the heel hook so Cass has to tap out.

Result: Daniel Bryan wins by submission.

Review: This match was better than their previous. Daniel Bryan gets the win (which I’m glad about) and now hopefully this feud is over. I’m not a big Big Cass fan but he can bully some of the smaller talent like Corbin used to. Hopefully Daniel Bryan is in the main event scene before long.

Rating: 6/10

Bobby Lashley vs. Sami Zayn

Background: During a tag team match on the April 23 episode of Raw, Lashley performed a one-hand suspended vertical suplex on Zayn, which Zayn claimed gave him vertigo and why he missed the Greatest Royal Rumble. At Backlash, Lashley and Strowman defeated Owens and Zayn in a tag team match. During an interview on the May 7 episode, Lashley spoke dearly about his family, including his three sisters. In response, Zayn said that Lashley was not a nice guy and promised to bring out Lashley’s sisters to tell the truth. On the May 21 episode, three men dressed up as Lashley’s sisters accused Lashley of violence. Lashley interrupted the segment and attacked the imposters along with Zayn. The following week, a match between the two was made for Money in the Bank.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Money In The Bank Record: Sami Zayn is 0-2, Bobby Lashley makes his MITB debut tonight.

Match: Sami Zayn looks to frustrate Lashley in the early going, keeping his distance. This is Lashley’s first PPV singles match in over a decade. Zayn manages to get a cheap shot in and kicks Bobby out of the ring. Zayn shoves Lashley into the ringpost and then looks for a count out victory but Lashley gets back into the ring. Zayn looks for a cross body but Lashley catches him and hits a fallaway slam. Lashley hits a vertical suplex, the move Sami Zayn claims gave him vertigo. Lashley hits a dominator which used to be his finisher and then hits another vertical suplex. Bobby hits another dominator and another vertical suplex before pinning Zayn for the three.

Result: Bobby Lashley wins by pinfall.

Review: I don’t know how to feel about this match. I like both guys and I did enjoy it but it wasn’t a great match. The middle part of the match was good but it was a weak start and end. Lashley wins though and I hope he gets a good push because he looks unbeatable.

Rating: 3.75/10

Seth Rollins (c) vs. Elias – Intercontinental Championship match

Background: On the May 28 episode of Raw, Seth Rollins interrupted Elias, who was trying to sing for the crowd, and forced him to leave. After Rollins’ match against Mahal for the WWE Intercontinental Championship was over with Rollins retaining his title, Elias smashed a guitar on his back. On May 31, a match between the two for the Intercontinental Championship was organised for Money in the Bank.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Money In The Bank Record: Seth Rollins is 3-1, Elias makes his Money In The Bank PPV debut tonight.

Match: Elias is wearing some horrendous green chinos as ring gear tonight. There’s a nice exchange of hammerlocks in the early going. Seth hits a very nice dropkick to send Elias to the outside and then dives out at his challenger. Rollins hits a springboard clothesline but then misses with a boot on the apron and Elias makes him pay with a clothesline. Elias focuses on the neck of Rollins which sadly means a chinlock. It’s back and forth for a while with Rollins picking up the pace. He sends Elias out of the ring and then hits a suicide dive. Rollins looks for a springboard something but Elias moves and Seth’s knee buckle son the landing. Elias heads to the top but Rollins goes up with him and hits a superplex and then a falcon arrow for a near fall. Outside the ring Elias avoids a suicide dive, throws Rollins into the steps and then back into the ring before hitting an elbow drop for a near fall. Rollins looks for a buckle bomb but his knee gives out. Elias looks for drift away but Rollins counters with a roll up. Elias then rolls up Rollins but Rollins reverses the cover and pulls the tights to get the three!

Result: Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental Championship by pinfall.

Review: This match exceeded expectations I think. I really enjoyed it. It had a good pace throughout and there were times where you thought Elias might win the match. Seth Rollins takes the win though and he’s proving to be an excellent Intercontinental Champion.

Rating: 7.25/10

Charlotte vs. Naomi vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks vs. Ember Moon vs. Natalya vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Lana – Women’s Money In The Bank ladder match

Background: Qualification for the women’s ladder match began on May 7. Ember Moon won a triple threat match involving Ruby Riott and Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss also won a triple threat match beating Bayley and Mickie James. On the May 21 episode of Raw, a fatal four-way match between Natalya, Sarah Logan, Liv Morgan and Dana Brooke was conducted; In the climax, Natalya used a “sharpshooter” on Logan and qualified by submission. The final Raw qualification match occurred the next week, where Banks overcame Bayley, Brooke, James, Logan, Morgan, and Riott in a seven-woman gauntlet match to earn the final spot. On Smackdown Charlotte Flair qualified over Peyton Royce by applying her signature “figure eight leglock”. The following week, Becky Lynch won against Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville in a triple threat match. On the May 22 episode, Lana and Naomi were the last two women to be qualified, both of them doing so by winning in singles matches against Billie Kay and Deville, respectively.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time match involving these eight ladies.

Money In The Bank Record: Charlotte is 1-1, Naomi is 1-1, Becky Lynch is 0-2, Natalya is 0-3, Lana is 0-1, Sasha Banks, Ember Moon and Alexa Bliss are making their Money In The Bank debut tonight.

Match: Alexa Bliss gets a huge pop as she makes her entrance. Becky Lynch looks good in the early going, baseball sliding the other girls until Ember Moon wipes her out. Ember then throws Natalya into the ring steps and a referee is quick to check on her. Ember Moon looks great in the early going, she hits a springboard cross body onto Sasha onto a ladder! Lana gets involved and hits a X Factor on Moon onto a ladder. Lana seems over with the Chicago crowd. Becky too. Becky and Charlotte fight over a ladder but Naomi jumps onto the ladder and takes out Natalya. Sasha Banks lays Ember Moon and Lana on a ladder and hits them with double knees. Sasha is the first girl to come close to grabbing the briefcase but Becky Lynch puts a stop to that. Becky and Sasha slug it out at the top of a ladder but Lana sets up another ladder next to them and climbs it. Every girl except Naomi and Charlotte scurry up and down the ladders. Natalya powerbombs Banks into one of the ladders.

The ring starts to clear just leaving Alexa Bliss and Lana and Lana lays out Bliss with a kick to the face before locking on the accolade! Lana climbs the ladder but Naomi springboards on and kicks Lana down. Naomi has pretty much won as Becky Lynch is too concerned with suplexing Lana. Naomi hangs on so Becky can stop Naomi from getting the case. Becky hits a Bexploder on Charlotte sending her out of the ring and climbs the ladder and should win but she takes her time. Alexa then tips over the ladder and climbs up it herself to win the match!

Result: Alexa Bliss wins Money In The Bank.

Review: This match was good fun. There were plenty of good spots. Ember Moon was the MVP for much of it. Lana looked good in it too. The likes of Alexa, Lana and Becky were really over with the Chicago crowd. Bliss has not long lost the Raw Women’s Championship so it’ll be interesting to see where they go with the MITB reign.

Rating: 7/10

Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal

Background: After Mahal cost Reigns a chance to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match, Reigns attacked him backstage the following week resulting in a brawl which culminated with Reigns landing a “superman punch” on Mahal. On the May 21 episode, after Reigns and Seth Rollins defeated Mahal and Owens in a tag team match, Mahal attacked Reigns with a chair. A match between the two was then scheduled for Money in the Bank.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Money In The Bank Record: Jinder Mahal is 1-0, Roman Reigns is 0-3.

Match: Roman Reigns has the better of the start of the match, hitting a Samoan drop. Jinder has Sunil Singh with him, Sunil being wheelchair bound. Jinder avoids a drive-by and Sunil then pops out of the wheelchair and pushes Reigns into the ringpost. A “this is awful” chant breaks out. The crowd are not into this match at all. A two minute chinlock from Mahal will not help that. And another chinlock. The crowd are now distracted by something else going on. A Mexican wave then starts and goes on for quite a while. Mahal looks to set up for the Khallas but Reigns counters. Jinder hits a gutbuster for a two count. Reigns hits a superman punch but misses. Sunil looks to get involved again but the referee sees him this time. Reigns then hits Sunil with a superman punch and then gives Jinder one too. Reigns spears Singh and then gets in the ring where Jinder rolls him up for a near fall. Roman spears Jinder and it’s all over.

Result: Roman Reigns wins by pinfall

Review: This match was terrible for the most part. Especially where Jinder was in control. It picked up at the end but still, it was a bad match and the crowd shat all over it. Why they thought having this match in Chicago was a good idea I don’t know. Never again please.

Rating: 3/10

Carmella (c) vs. Asuka – Smackdown Women’s Championship match

Background: Smackdown General Manager Paige surprised Carmella when she told the Smackdown Women’s Champion that she would be defending against Asuka. Carmella claims to be confident after beating Charlotte twice and Charlotte having beaten Asuka at Wrestlemania. Asuka has since made Carmella tap out.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two girls.

Money In The Bank Record: Carmella is 1-0 at Money In The Bank events, Asuka makes her MITB PPV debut tonight.

Match: Carmella does everything she can to avoid Asuka in the early going. Asuka soon gets her hand on the champion and takes control. Carmella asks for her title and looks to walk off but Asuka takes her down with a sliding knee. Carmella manages to pull Asuka into the ringpost and takes the advantage. Carmella uses a lot of restholds/submissions when she has the advantage, we saw the same in her matches against Charlotte. Asuka manages to lock on a kneebar but Carmella quickly gets to the bottom rope. Carmella kicks Asuka off the apron and then hits her with a suicide dive. Corey Graves keeps saying that Asuka could get disqualified if she’s not careful in situations where she wouldn’t get disqualified so I won’t be too surprised to see Asuka get DQ’d tonight. Asuka hits some brutal kicks and then suddenly someone dressed as Asuka shows up and stands on the apron. Asuka gets distracted by the masked doppleganger and they unmask to reveal that it’s James Ellsworth! Carmella then kicks Asuka in the face and pins her for the three!

Result: Carmella retains her Smackdown Women’s Championship by pinfall.

Review: Wow, Carmella beat Asuka by pinfall. It wasn’t clean due to James Ellsworth showing up but it did prove that Carmella can beat Asuka with the right shot. Carmella has had quite the reign so far but she’s still not in the league of Charlotte and Asuka. This match wasn’t great due to all the restholds but it got interesting towards the end.

Rating: 3.75/10

AJ Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship

Background: Since AJ Styles beat Shinsuke Nakamura the two men have battled twice more on PPV and they ended in a double countout and a double knockout. Shane McMahon announced that they would wrestle once more at Money In The Bank. Nakamura announced at the contract signing that the match would be last man standing.

Previous PPV matches: This is the fourth PPV match between these two men, AJ Styles won the first and they have drawn the two that followed.

Money In The Bank Record: AJ Styles is 1-1, Shinsuke Nakamura is 0-1.

Match: There are duelling chants for both guys in the match. AJ takes the early advantage and sends Nakamura to the outside before diving out with a phenomenal forearm. Shinsuke then takes control, hitting a suplex on the outside and then a few knee shots. The fight goes into the crowd where AJ takes control and hits some kicks of his own and then looks to jump off the barricade but Nakamura kicks him down. Shinsuke kicks AJ softly on the head, tapping him and playing with the champion. AJ fires back and when both men are down they tease another draw. AJ sets up for a Styles Clash but Nakamura counters and looks for a low blow which AJ moves out of the way of. Shinsuke hits a reverse exploder and then motions for a Kinshasa but AJ counters with a forearm. Styles then looks for a phenomenal forearm but Shinsuke kicks him in the face. Nakamura lays AJ on the announce desk and then runs across all three desk and hits AJ with a Kinshasa! Styles beats the count back up to his feet. Nakamura sets up a table and then sets AJ up for a superplex but AJ counters and looks for a powerbomb but Shinsuke counters.

Nakamura throws AJ Styles through a table set up in the corner. AJ just about beats the count of 10. AJ then locks on a calf crusher and Nakamura taps out but submissions don’t count in a last man standing match. Styles grabs a chair and lays into Nakamura with it, hitting him in the back and the knee. Shinsuke begs for mercy but then hits a low blow. AJ gets up to his feet but then the challenger hits a Kinshasa! Styles fights back and hits a phenomenal forearm off the announce desk and then a Styles Clash off the ring steps! Shinsuke just beats the count. He screams “come on” at the WWE Champion who kicks him square in the balls. AJ then goes inside the ring and hits a phenomenal forearm to the outside and through the announce desk! The referee counts to 10!

Result: AJ wins the match, retaining the WWE Championship.

Review: This was a really good match. You don’t see many matches as good as this these days, it was definitely the best match of their series. It was the match we had been waiting for between these two men. I think it’ll be the last match of their series and they can move on to new rivalries now. A fantastic match.

Rating: 8.75/10

Nia Jax (c) vs. Ronda Rousey – Raw Women’s Championship match

Background: This rivalry started on the red carpet as Nia Jax put the title in Rousey’s face. Nia has said that Ronda won’t be bale to bully her but Rousey has locked the armbar on Jax. Could Ronda Rousey win the Raw Women’s Championship in her first singles match?

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two girls.

Money In The Bank Record: Both girls wrestle at Money In The Bank for the first time.

Match: Nia uses her size and strength in the early going, throwing Rousey across the ring. Nia scoops Ronda up for a Samoan drop but Ronda manages to counters and tries to lock on an armbar but Jax powers out of it with a sit-out powerbomb. Ronda falls out of the ring and Jax swings her into the barricade. It’s all Nia then as she picks apart Rousey in the ring, hitting a Samoan drop that almost went wrong. Rousey locks an armbar on over the top rope and then heads to the top and hits a cross body for a two count. Rousey fires up and hits knees and a massive judo throw. for a two count. Rona then looks to lock on the armbar but Alexa Bliss shows up! Alexa lays out both girls with her Money In The Bank briefcase!

Result: Ronda Rousey wins by disqualification.

Review: This match was ok. It didn’t really feel like it got going. I think Ronda will have some great matches with some of the girls, this one not so much. But it was ok, it wasn’t terrible. There’s a much bigger picture coming together now though.

Rating: 4.5/10

Nia Jax (c) vs. Alexa Bliss – Raw Women’s Championship match

Background: Nia Jax beat Alexa at Wrestlemania and then retained her title against her former best friend at Backlash. Alexa Bliss won the Money In The Bank contract earlier tonight and she’s wasting no time cashing it in!

Previous PPV matches: Nia Jax is 2-0 against Alexa Bliss on PPV.

Money In The Bank Record: Nia Jax is 0-1, Alexa Bliss is 1-0.

Match: Alexa goes right after the injured arm of Nia and then hits a DDT and Twisted Bliss for the three!

Result: Alexa bliss wins the Raw Women’s Championship by pinfall!

Review: Well this was a classic cash-in only 90 minutes after winning the contract. It was short and I’m sure it’ll set up a match between Alexa and Ronda in the future.

Rating: N/A

Finn Balor vs. Braun Strowman vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Bobby Roode vs. The Miz vs. Kevin Owens vs. Rusev vs. Samoa Joe – Men’s Money In The Bank ladder match

Background: Qualification for the Money in the Bank men’s ladder match began on the May 7 episode of Raw. The first fixture involved Braun Strowman defeating Kevin Owens using a “running powerslam” to qualify. The second was a triple threat match involving Finn Bálor, Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns. During the bout, Jinder Mahal interfered and attacked Reigns, allowing Zayn to perform a “helluva kick”. Bálor then immediately dropkicked Zayn and qualified by landing a “coup de grâce” to win the match. The following week, two more triple threat matches were conducted. The first bout had Bobby Roode winning against Baron Corbin and No Way Jose and the second one featured Owens, Elias and Bobby Lashley, where Owens qualified by performing a “frog splash” on Elias after Zayn interfered and attacked Lashley. Qualifications for the men’s ladder match continued during SmackDown’s May 8 episode. The Miz and Rusev qualified for the match by beating Jeff Hardy and Daniel Bryan, respectively. The Miz countered a cover by Hardy after the latter performed a “swanton bomb” into a pinfall to win while Rusev qualified by landing a “machka kick” on Bryan. The following week, Big E and Xavier Woods of The New Day won against Cesaro and Sheamus in a tag team match, allowing one member of The New Day to qualify. Samoa Joe secured the final spot by defeating Bryan and Big Cass in a triple threat match on the May 29 episode, winning by making Bryan submit to the “coquina clutch”

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time 8 man match involving these 8 men.

Money In The Bank Record: Kevin Owens is 0-3, Rusev is 2-0, The Miz is 1-3, Kofi Kingston is 2-4 whilst Finn Balor, Braun Strowman, Bobby Roode and Samoa Joe make their Money In The Bank debuts tonight.

Match: Kofi Kingston is revealed to be the man to represent The New Day. All 7 men rush Strowman as the bell rings. Braun takes shots at everyone though and clears the ring. The fight goes up the entrance ramp where everyone buries Strowman under ladders but whilst that’s going on, Miz tries to climb a ladder in the ring but Samoa Joe clocks him and makes sure that doesn’t happen. Like we’ve come to expect there is plenty of pairing off in the ring as the other competitors lie on the outside. Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe and Rusev do a good job of keeping Strowman grounded. Joe and Rusev lay Braun down on a table and Owens climbs up a huge ladder. Strowman fights his way off the table and climbs the ladder and pushes Owens off it! The Miz’s scared look as Strowman comes for him is fantastic. Braun cleans house, taking out everyone and then climbs a ladder in the ring but Samoa Joe forces him down with another ladder.

Rusev gets his turn on top and locks an accolade on Kofi and Roode at the same time. Rusev then makes it three with Miz but Samoa Joe quickly breaks it up. Balor climbs a ladder on the outside and hits Bobby Roode with a coup de gras. Strowman climbs the ladder, Finn Balor climbs the other side and then Kofi springboard on to Strowmans back. Brauns gets rid of Balor and Kofi and then grabs the briefcase to win the match!

Result: Brain Strowman wins the Money In The Bank briefcase.

Review: This was a decent Money In The Bank ladder match. It was mostly booked around Braun Strowman with the other guys getting their moment in but Braun was the star. I can’t think of a time someone like Strowman has had the contract. Brock Lesnar is the current Universal Champion so it’ll be see the dynamic between these two guys. Kevin Owens was on the receiving end of the biggest spot of the match so I hope he’s ok. A good match though.

Rating: 7/10