Butch vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Santos Escobar vs. Damian Priest vs. Ricochet vs. LA Knight vs. Logan Paul – Men’s Money In The Bank ladder match

Background: Qualifying matches for the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match began on the May 29 episode of Raw. Ricochet and Shinsuke Nakamura became the first and second qualified entrants by defeating The Miz and Bronson Reed, respectively. LA Knight then qualified by defeating Montez Ford on the June 2 episode of SmackDown. The next qualifying matches occurred on the following week’s SmackDown, where Santos Escobar and Butch qualified by defeating Mustafa Ali and Baron Corbin, respectively. Damian Priest then defeated Matt Riddle in the final qualifying match on the June 12 episode of Raw. On the following week’s Raw, however, Logan Paul—in his first appearance since Night 1 of WrestleMania 39—revealed that after talking with WWE executives, he would also be competing in the match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first match involving these seven men.

Money In The Bank PPV Record: Shinsuke Nakamura is 0-3, Ricochet is 0-2 and everyone else wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Butch is first out, to a good pop. The crowd sing along to Shinsuke Nakamura. Santos Escobar and Damian Priest have some cool gear. LA Knight gets a huge reaction. I was there, it was loud. Logan Paul gets big heat. The bell rings and Logan Paul gets beaten down by all of his opponents. Everyone then pairs off as chaos ensues. LA Knight gets the biggest pop for a DDT since Jake Roberts. Butch pulls out a cricket bat and lays into anyone standing. Damian Priest and Logan Paul team up for a few short minutes before Priest wipes out Paul. Ricochet hits a nice suicide dive through a ladder to a few opponents on the outside. Logan Paul hits a frog splash off the apron on to Priest who lays on a ladder. Butch chokes Santos Escobar on a horizontal ladder just for Ricochet to hit both men with a springboard 450. All seven men then go at it in the ring with the likes of Knight and Logan Paul hitting some high impact moves. A “I sold my car to Santos Escobar” chant breaks out. Butch hits a moonsault off the top of the ladder on the outside to take out most of the field.

Logan Paul has a good run, taking out Butch and Ricochet with big right hands. Escobar takes out Paul and then hits Knight with a hurricanrana off a ladder. Nakamura and Escobar grab each others hair at the top of the ladder before Logan Paul and Ricochet springboard onto the ladders with them. LA Knight pushes both ladders over, Ricochet and Logan Paul somewhat land on the ropes and Ricochet hits an insane Spanish fly on Paul through two tables on the outside. Insane spot. Butch knocks LA Knight off a ladder and Priest then shoves Butch off the ladder and into a ladder set up below. LA Knight cleans house much to our enjoyment and climbs up the ladder but Damian Priest suplexes him down to the mat below. Priest then climbs up the ladder again and unhooks the briefcase to win the match!

Result: Damian Priest wins Money In The Bank.

Review: This match was a lot of fun. The crowd were hugely into LA Knight and so against Logan Paul winning. Ricochet hit an insane Spanish fly on Logan Paul through two tables. Definitely the best spot of the night. It was quite an open match that could have gone any number of ways but in the end it was Damian Priest who wins the match. He’s been impressive as of late and had one hell of a match with Bad Bunny in Puerto Rico. A fun way to kick off the show.

Rating: 7/10

Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match

Background: During Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan’s defense of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship on the May 12 episode of SmackDown, Morgan legitimately injured her shoulder. On Raw the next week, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler, in their first appearance since Night 2 of WrestleMania 39, attacked Rodriguez after her match, wanting a title match, regardless if Rodriguez defended it alone. However, on the May 19 episode of SmackDown, the championship was vacated because of Morgan’s injury. A fatal four-way tag team match was scheduled for the May 29 episode of Raw to determine the new champions, where Rousey and Baszler won. On the June 23 episode of SmackDown, Rousey and Baszler defeated NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn to unify the championships. During the match, Rodriguez was watching at ringside. As she walked away, Rousey called her out and asked why she was there. She said that she wanted a rematch for the title before introducing the returning Morgan. The next day on SmackDown LowDown, it was announced that Rousey and Baszler would defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against Rodriguez and Morgan at Money in the Bank.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

Money In The Bank PPV Record: Ronda Rousey is 2-1, Shayna Baszler is 0-1, Raquel Rodriguez is 0-1 and Liz Morgan is 2-1.

Match: Shayna Baszler and Liv Morgan kick off the match in back and forth style. All four women soon get involved and Rodriguez powerbombs Morgan out of the ring and into both opponents. Shayna and Ronda soon take control, laying into Liv and targeting her arm. The champions make quick tags, wearing down Morgan. Liv hits a codebreaker out of nowhere and tags in Raquel Rodriguez who picks up the pace on both opponents. Raquel hits a version of a powerbomb off the top on Ronda. Both girls tag out and Shayna and Ronda apply two submissions to Liv at the same time. Ronda takes out Raquel on the outside and Shayna applies a kirifuda clutch to Morgan. Liv gets out of it, Ronda tags in but Shayna attacks Rousey from behind! Shayna chokes out her best friend in front of a shocked Liv Morgan. Baszler leaves, Raquel tags in and hits Rousey with a Tejana bomb before Liv tags in and hits oblivion for the three!

Result: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez win the WWE Women’s Tag Team championships by pinfall.

Review: This wasn’t a terrible match but it felt like it never really got going. Liv Morgan took most of the abuse with Raquel coming in now and again to clean house. The big story is Shayna Baszler turning on Ronda Rousey. A decision that seems a little rushed as I thought Ronda and Shayna would dominate the division for a long time. to come. I look forward to seeing how that rivalry develops going forward.

Rating: 5/10

Gunther (c) vs. Matt Riddle – Intercontinental Championship match

Background: On the May 15 episode of Raw, Matt Riddle was competing in a battle royal to determine Gunther’s next challenger for the Intercontinental Championship. During the match, by Gunther’s order, his Imperium stablemates, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci, attacked Riddle, causing him to be eliminated. This led to a six-man tag team match the next week against Imperium, where Riddle’s team won. Their rivalry continued through the next episodes, and on the June 12 episode of Raw, after Riddle’s Money in the Bank qualifying match, he was attacked by Kaiser and Gunther, and later, Riddle tried to interfere in Gunther and Kaiser’s Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship match, costing both men the titles. On the next episode, after Riddle defeated Kaiser, Gunther and Kaiser attacked Riddle once again, almost injuring his leg. On June 26, Riddle challenged Gunther for his Intercontinental Championship at Money in the Bank, which Gunther accepted on that night’s episode of Raw.

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

Money In The Bank PPV Record: Matt Riddle is 0-2, Gunther wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: It’s a back and forth start to the match with both men getting their strikes in. Gunther hits some stiff chops and slaps. Riddle is also stiff with his strikes. Riddle lands on his feet from a German suplex but Gunther nails him with a clothesline for a two count. Riddle hits floating bro for a near fall. The two men go back and forth all match which is quite rare. Gunther hits a powerbomb and then slaps Riddles ankle before applying a leglock which Riddle taps out to.

Result: Gunther retains the Intercontinental Championship by submission.

Review: This was a stiff, hard-hitting match which lacked a little in psychology and given the time could have been a real classic. For what it was, it was still a decent match but it will be forever overshadowed by the aftermatch.

Rating: 5.75/10

Cody Rhodes vs. Dominic Mysterio

Background: On the June 5 episode of Raw, The Miz hosted a “Miz TV” segment with Cody Rhodes as the special guest. During the segment, Miz introduced Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio and SmackDown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley as his other special guests where Dominik taunted Rhodes, stating that Rhodes was a bad father and that he should be home with his baby daughter. Rhodes then proclaimed that Dominik’s father Rey Mysterio made some terrible mistakes, one of which was having Dominik as his son. Dominik then feigned leaving the ring, only to return and slap Rhodes in the face. The following week during a presentation in which Ripley’s SmackDown Women’s Championship became the Women’s World Championship, Rhodes interrupted and challenged Dominik to a match at Money in the Bank, which Ripley accepted on his behalf.

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

Money In The Bank PPV Record: Cody Rhodes is 1-4, Dominik wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Dominik does everything he can to run away from Cody in the early going, especially when Cody rips his own cast off. Rhea soon gets in Cody’s face, begging him to punch her in the face. Ripley then gets physically involved which allows Mysterio to take control. Dom hits a nice corkscrew elbow. Cody fires up, hitting some big right hands, a powerslam and a disaster kick for a two count. Rhea gets involved again but Cody counters a 619 attempt before hitting an Alabama slam. Rhodes hits a Cody Cutter and then Cross-Rhodes for the win.

Result: Cody Rhodes wins by pinfall.

Review: Not a bad match. It didn’t really feel like a PLE match as such but it created a fun atmosphere. Cody was the right winner but Dominik plays the chicken shit heel so well. The crowd were hot for Cody Rhodes, I can vouch for that. I can only assume Rhodes will battle Brock Lesnar next month at Summerslam.

Rating: 4/10

Becky Lynch vs. Zelina Vega vs. Iyo Sky vs. Bayley vs. Zoey Stark vs. Trish Stratus – Women’s Money In The Bank ladder match

Background: Qualifying matches for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match began on the June 2 episode of SmackDown, with Zelina Vega defeating Lacey Evans to be the first qualified entrant. The next qualifying matches occurred on the June 5 episode of Raw, where Becky Lynch and Zoey Stark defeated Sonya Deville and Natalya, respectively. Damage CTRL’s Bayley and Iyo Sky then qualified by defeating “Michin” Mia Yim and Shotzi, respectively, on the June 9 episode of SmackDown. The last qualifying match occurred on the June 19 episode of Raw, where Trish Stratus defeated Raquel Rodriguez by disqualification thanks to an accidental interference from Lynch. Additionally, on the June 30 episode of SmackDown, Shotzi faced Bayley where if Shotzi had won, she would have taken Bayley’s spot in the match; however, Bayley won to keep her spot.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first PPV match involving these six girls.

Money In The Bank PPV Record: Becky Lynch is 1-5, Zelina Vega is 0-1, Bayley is 3-0 whilst Iyo Sky, Zoey Stark and Trish Stratus wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Zoey Stark attacks Becky Lynch as she makes her entrance. Zoey and Trish made their entrance together whilst Bahley and Iyo Sky also look like they plan on staying together. Zoey and Trish clear huse before Stark helps Trish climb up the ladder. Trish gets pushed off and takes a nasty bump. You have to admire Stratus’ commitment since returning. The classic “Hey Bayley” chant breaks out. Zelina hits a hurricanrana on Sky before Bayley and Iyo double team Vega, taking it in turns to smash her into the ladder. Becky then applies a disarm-her on Zoey Stark through a ladder before Trish breaks it up. All six girls go at it in the ring, battling up ladders. Iyo hits a big moonsault off the top of a tall ladder onto the field below. Trish and Becky climb a ladder and battle it out at the top until Becky shoves Stratus down. Even that looked like a nasty fall. A ladder is set up horizontally from. theropes. toa vertical ladder.

Zoey Stark wipes out Becky Lynch and puts some handcuffs on her wrist. Lynch doesn’t let Zoey handcuff her to the ropes. Becky fights off both Zoey Stark and Trish Stratus, hitting a man-handle slam on Stratus onto a ladder. Zelina and Zoey go at it on top of a ladder until Vega hits a code red on Stark onto the horizontal ladder below. Iyo Sky climbs a ladder but Bayley pushes it open, costing her the match. Bayley climbs the ladder but Becky fishhooks her down using the handcuff. Becky climbs the ladder but Bayley and Iyo pull her down. Iyo Sky then handcuffs Becky and Bayley through the ladder, stopping them from going anywhere. Iyo climbs over Bayley and unhooks the briefcase to win the match!

Result: Iyo Sky wins Money In The Bank.

Review: This was a fantastic match. I really enjoyed this one. The spots were really good. Zoey Stark really shone tonight, she looked excellent. I prefer a smaller field, it makes everyone in the match seem important. Zelina and Iyo both hit some amazing high risk moves. The finish was fantastic. One. ofthe best finishes in money in the bank history. A true crowning moment for Iyo.

Rating: 7.5/10

Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor – World Heavyweight Championship match

Background: On the May 8 episode of Raw, Seth “Freakin” Rollins defeated Finn Bálor in the semifinals of a tournament for the inaugural World Heavyweight Championship, which Rollins ultimately won at Night of Champions on May 27. On the next episode of Raw, Rollins was victorious in a tag team match against Judgment Day members Bálor and Damian Priest. This led to a title match the following week where Rollins retained against Priest. Following the match, Bálor and Rollins came face-to-face. On the June 12 episode, Bálor called out Rollins and recalled that at SummerSlam in 2016 when he defeated Rollins for the inaugural Universal Championship, Rollins injured him in the match, which caused him to vacate the title the following day and derailed his career. Bálor claimed that he would do the same to Rollins at Money in the Bank by taking away the World Heavyweight Championship from him. Rollins then accepted Bálor’s challenge for his title at Money in the Bank.

Previous PPV matches: This is only a second PPV match between these two men, Finn Balor won the first at Summerslam 2016.

Money In The Bank PPV Record: Seth Rollins is 5-4, Finn Balor is 0-2.

Match: The crowd love to sing alog to Seth Rollins entrance. It’s a back and forth start to the match but Finn soon takes control. Finn and Sth are so smooth in the ring, they have a lot of chemistry. Rollins hits a bucklebomb which is a throwback to their previous match at Summerslam. Seth avoids a coup de gras and Balor avoids a stomp. Seth counters a Pele kick and hits a pedigree for a near fall. Damian Priest emerges from the back with his money in the bank briefcase. He takes a seat but the distraction is enough for Finn to hit two coup de gras on the outside. He then rolls Rollins into the ring and heads to the top but Damian Priest stands up which distracts him. That gives Seth time to roll out of the way and hit a stomp for the victory.

Result: Seth Rollins wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a good match but not a great one. These two have great chemistry but for whatever reason the match was lacking in psychology a little. These two can steal the show every night so I don’t think it lived up to expectations but it was still a good match.

Rating: 7/10

The Usos (Jimmy & Jey) vs. Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa

Background: In the main event of Night 1 of WrestleMania 39, The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) lost the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship and failed to regain them. The Bloodline (The Usos and Solo Sikoa) ended up winning a six-man tag team match at Backlash, although there was friction between Sikoa and The Usos. On the following SmackDown, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns demanded that The Usos apologize for their loss and failure to regain the championships, and although Jimmy refused to apologize, Jey apologized on Jimmy’s behalf. The Bloodline’s special counsel Paul Heyman then announced that he was able to procure another tag team championship match for The Bloodline; however, instead of The Usos, it would be Reigns and Sikoa, which would take place at Night of Champions. At the event, The Usos interfered in the match, and accidentally attacked Sikoa with a superkick. This infuriated Reigns and eventually lambasted and shoved both Usos around, however, Jimmy retaliated by attacking Reigns, after which, along with Jey, they retreated. Reigns and Sikoa would ultimately lose the match.

On the next episode of SmackDown, during a celebration for Reigns’ achievement of reaching 1,000 days as Universal Champion, The Usos interrupted. Jimmy stated that he did what he did at Night of Champions to protect his family, specifically his brother Jey. Jimmy seemingly convinced Sikoa to join them against Reigns and The Usos had apparently convinced Reigns that they should stay together as a family. Reigns then embraced Jimmy, however, Reigns rejected Jimmy’s proposal, prompting Sikoa to attack Jimmy. On the next episode, Heyman tried to persuade Jey to stay in The Bloodline, while also getting him a United States Championship match. However, Jey said that if he stays with the Bloodline, Heyman would have to leave. Then on the championship match, Jey lost after Jimmy unintentionally attacked him. On the next episode, Reigns said to Jey that Heyman is his special counsel, not Bloodline’s, then Heyman would not leave. After Jey seemingly sidelined with Reigns, he turned on him, choosing to stay by Jimmy’s side. On the June 17 episode of SmackDown LowDown, it was announced that The Usos would face Reigns and Sikoa at Money in the Bank in a “Bloodline Civil War” tag team match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

Money In The Bank PPV Record: The Usos are 2-2, Roman Reigns is 3-3 and Solo Sikoa wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa start off the match as the crowd chant “fuck you Roman” and “tribal wanker”. Solo dominates the early going until Roman and Jey tag in. Roman starts well but s Jey fires back the Undisputed Champion retreats. Roman once again takes control, tagging in Solo who continues the momentum for his team. A big “stand up if you hate Roman” chant breaks out and the crowd all stand. Roman sits down. He tags in shortly after and hits a big drive-by on Jimmy. Reigns and Solo methodically pick apart Jimmy and Jey until Jimmy counters a superman punch and tags in Jey who picks up the pace against Solo. All four men go at it as The Usos dive out of the ring. Reigns hits a double spear and all four men are down. They all get to their feet and pair off.

Jimmy hits a superkick and looks for a splash but Roman catches him in a guillotine. Jimmy powers out and then the referee gets knocked out. The Usos hit the 1D but the referee is down. Roman and Solo hit urunage’s and Solo hits Samoan spike’s on his brothers. Roman hits a spear and then Solo drags Jimmy on to Jey. Roman pins them both but they kick out! Big pop there. Solo looks for a splash on Jimmy through the announce desk but Jimmy moves. Jey and Roman go at it in the ring and Jey kicks out of a pinfall following a spear. Jey shot his arm up in a low blow there, much like Roman has done before. The Usos hit multiple superkicks on Roman Reigns and Jey flies off the top with a splash for the victory!

Result: The Usos win by pinfall.

Review: This was a really fun main event. We, as the crowd, were so into it. Especially when Jey got the cover. It seemed impossible that Roman would get pinned but it happened. The Usos win the match and this epic story continues. An all time classic.

Rating: 9/10