7/15/12 Money in the Bank

Ratings:
Dolph Ziggler vs. Christian vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Santino Marella vs. Sin Cara vs. Tensai vs. Damien Sandow (World Heavyweight Title MITB Ladder Match): ***3/4

Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio (World Heavyweight Title): **1/4

Primo & Epico vs. Titus O'Neil & Darren Young: *3/4

CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan (No DQ; WWE Title): ****1/4

Ryback vs. Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks: *1/4

Layla, Tamina Snuka, & Kaitlyn vs. Beth Phoenix, Natalya, & Eve Torres: 1/2*

John Cena vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kane vs. Big Show vs. Miz (WWE Title MITB Ladder Match): ***1/2
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Reviews/Thoughts:
The preshow match saw Kofi and Truth defeat Hunico and Camacho. I didn't watch it, but I've read it was likely the best of these preshow matches that WWE's had.

World Heavyweight Title MITB Ladder Match starts, where basically any WWE superstar could enter. Four guys entering their first MITB match. Kidd has a new shirt and new tights. Sin Cara doesn't have fond memories of any ladder matches, that's for sure. Don't blink, because it'll be a spotfest. Sin Cara botched his top-rope superplex or slam or whatever it was gonna be; luckily no one hurt. Tensai then botches his powerbomb attempt on Santino, but again thankfully, no one hurt. HHH really signed some good wrestlers there, right? How the hell can Santino all of a sudden be afraid of heights when he's all alone trying to scale the ladder? Santino fell on a ladder and the ladder he was climbing fell on him. Ouch. Vickie with distraction. Zigzag to Cody by Ziggler. I have no idea what the hell Kidd did to Ziggler, but it looked cool. Tensai powerbombs Sin Cara through the ladder again...deja vu! Christian again spears Cody from the top of the ladder. Edge's spear of Jeff Hardy at WM 17 is still the best, though. HUGE chants for Dolph. Dolph scampers in to knock Christian off, Ziggler gets the case in a great ladder match. Dolph is likely legitimately emotional and reflecting while sitting on top of that ladder. He's really come a long way from his Spirit Squad days.

Miz makes his surprise return at MITB after being away filming his scenes for one of those marine movies. I mean this as a compliment...he sorta resembles Tom Cruise now. All of a sudden, Cole's like "he's my friend!" again after slowly distancing himself during Miz's jobbing streak. Miz officially says he's in the WWE Title MITB ladder match. Awesome.

World Heavyweight Title match next. Main event intros. A lot of "SI!" chants during the match, but damn was it mostly boring. ADR worked on Sheamus' left arm forever; champ with limited offense. Sheamus didn't duck that running kick in the corner near the end of the match, ADR just plain missed. Brogue Kick wins it for Sheamus.

ADR and Ricardo ambush Sheamus post-match. Fans want Ziggler, and they get him. Huge ovation for Dolph because everyone knows why he's out. He tries to cash in the briefcase but ADR stops him. Ziggler decks ADR and Ricardo. Sheamus Brogue Kick. Ref never called for the bell so no match. Nice tease because it's clear people want Ziggler to win. WWE's probably gonna treat this one like they did with Daniel Bryan last year.

Truth and Kingston come out in suits. Primetime Players and Primo/Epico take place. Logical because that feud really started over the AW betrayal and the tag title situation. Primo was the superstar of the match, no question. From the handstands to the lucha moves, he carried this one. Only fitting he gets the win by rolling D-Young up. Too bad the crowd wasn't more into it.

AW goes and pretty much calls out Kofi and Truth. Truth with the drink to AW's face. Oh hell no! The shoes come off! D-Young can't keep his footing trying to restrain AW.

WWE Title match next. It was made No DQ at the last minute. AJ's already the special ref. More instability! I demand it! Lots of "YES!" chants. DB has a new green jacket. Looks like it could pass for a good "American Dragon" gimmick. Cole has stats on Punk's lengthy title reign, so it sounds like WWE wants him to really break some marks. Main event intros. All three basically eye each other down, not all in the same way. This is gonna be great.

Extremely physical, back and forth, lots of kicks and punches. Physicality on the floor. AJ on the apron, DB shows Punk into AJ. Welp, there's the ref bump. AJ helped to the back, new ref. Crowd with loud split chants. Fans really cheer for the table. Loved the GTS attempt into a DB hurricanrana pin counter for two. DB survived about 15 kendo stick shots in a row, damn. Superplex spot for a brief double KO. AJ comes back out -- we knew that would happen. Lots of skipping and...a chair?! DB pleads for the chair. AJ just puts the chair in the middle. Fight to the death! DB nukes Punk with chairs, but only two. Punk props the chair in the corner, then AJ stands in front of the chair so Punk can't throw DB through it. Then AJ refuses to let DB have the kendo stick. Puppetmaster AJ! Punk misses DB with elbow, elbow hits chair hard. DB with YES lock on Punk...with kendo stick. OUCH. Punk gets out...GTS! Slow crawl, and only two! Table comes into play. Punk back suplex to DB through table nets three. Oh yes. Yes yes yes. AJ looks conflicted and almost heartbroken afterward, although I don't think it's because DB lost.


Ryback defeats both Hawkins and Reks tonight. Cole says Ryback's a human wrecking ball. Real loud "GOLD-BERG" chants. At least they took Ryback off his feet and managed a cover (that didn't even get one). After a time, Ryback ends it on Reks with that Shellshocked finisher. At least the crowd chants "Feed me more!" Average stuff, whatever. Wouldn't have mattered if it was first on the card or right after Punk/Bryan. It's merely meh.


I guess they needed more filler time, so now it's a six-diva tag match. Shows how much they care about the Divas Title. Tamina's ring gear looks even more like her dad's now. Eve's gone from a person who uses people to some executive assistant gimmick who looks amazing in glasses. Doesn't mean it's gonna bolster her WWE career, but hey, she's on TV. At least we know Kaitlyn can slap divas. Tamina with a superkick to Beth, and Layla ends it for three. Match seemed all over the place, no real flow. Crowd minimally cared.


Time for the WWE Title MITB Ladder Match. Five people in the match, thanks to Miz getting in. No one to merely take a sick bump in this one; everyone will have a purpose to be in there. Show dominant in the early going. Cena with a sick AA to Big Show onto the Spanish table, then the "let's pile a zillion ladders on Show" spot. Fans chanted a bunch for Jericho here. Impressive spot with Show breaking ladders in half -- literally. Show cleans house of opponents and ladders. IT'S THE RETURN OF THE REINFORCED LADDER! Damn, if Show was out of breath just getting it out from under the ring and putting it in the ring, that must legit weigh several hundred pounds. Nice battle between Cena and Jericho, then between Jericho and Miz for the briefcase. Show rises up and nukes Jericho and Miz. Cena back up, and he nukes Show with a few briefcase shots. The briefcase actually snapped off in Cena's hands. Not sure if that was really the planned finish, but sure, that works. Nice match, but not as good as Ziggler's win. Basically, Jericho and Miz did enough bumping to make it look good. Show still seems like a partial joke, getting buried under all those ladders. At least WWE eliminated the whole "oops, Show broke the ladder trying to climb it" spot.
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This was a good PPV, but TNA won this month with its Destination X show. Punk and Bryan stole the show, with Ziggler a close third. The divas match and the Ryback win were both on the card to fill time. RAW's 1000th show is coming up next week. Meanwhile, I don't know if show #999 will break an average score by many. **3/4