WWE Money in the Bank was a confusing mess and I explain why in this Pro Wrestling Takes rundown.
WWE Money in the Bank had a lot going for it from start to finish, but somehow ended up being very underwhelming. It started with Roman Reigns vs LA Knight, a match that was great in all the limitations that both Knight and Reigns carry in their in-ring abilities. Of course they are great storytellers, and that showed in the bout as well.
The women’s Money in the Bank match was something!!! It had some of the craziest spots we have seen in a while (I’ll get to Je’von Evans too) but also had one of the worst botches in some time and a winner, who, is obviously a great superstar but not the most deserving winner.
The same cannot be said for Penta, though, who won his first Money in the Bank briefcase after a crazy match.
Liv Morgan winning the Women’s World Title could be seen from a mile away, and Oba Femi just rawdogging his way out of The Vision makes that group and Bronson Reed look like complete morons.
Triple H Hates Pulling The Trigger
On at least two occasions tonight, Triple H had the chance to do the unthinkable and make decisions that would have actually been epic and much better, booking wise, than whatever the end result was.
Roman Reigns retained against LA Knight, but in reality, WWE had the perfect opportunity to do something unthinkable and give Knight the title. This man has proved himself time and again, and this could have been his crowning moment. Instead, we get a few more months of Roman and his predictable title reign.
The same can also be said for Roxanne Perez who had the perfect chance to win the Money in the Bank briefcase and then cash in on Liv Morgan in the same night, but instead it went to Tiffany Stratton. Her first run with the briefcase wasn’t good and something tells me her second run wouldn’t be that great either.
Of course this was done so she can ultimately turn heel and cash in on Chelsea Green, but for that story to unfold she did not need that briefcase. On the contrary, it would have helped Perez immensely and really given her the pedestal to take that next step in her career.
The Je’Von Evans Spot
If there’s anything that epitomises currently WWE booking and mentality it’s that Je’Von Evans spot. It was a perfect example of how much this company relies on viral moments instead of actually making sensible booking decisions.
Evans was taken out by Breakker and was then stretchered off before being drive off in an ambulance. Minutes later, he came back driving the ambulance and then took out Breakker, ignored all the ladders in the ring, and it conveniently led to the spot where was pushed off the ladder and went through the roof of the ambulance.
This logic-bending spot was quite obviously set up to get a viral moment out of it, and yes, with the nature of choreography that is pro wrestling, this is bound to happen. But think for a second just how stupid Je’Von Evans looks because of this. This man was in the ring for three minutes straight setting up a ladder for just this one spot. He could have been holding the Money in the Bank briefcase in 30 seconds.
Also, shout out to Lola Vice and Jacy Jayne for that incredibly spot.
Botches Galore At WWE Money In The Bank
It’s hard to keep track of the number of botches that took place throughout the night. LA Knight almost botched a powerbomb and couldn’t handle the weight of Reigns, in what could have easily been a disaster.
The less we talk about Tiffany Stratton’s botch the better. That girl damn near killed herself for that ladder spot only for her colleagues to not even catch her. Her head collision on the mat was brutal and we can only pray for her quick recovery.
There were a few other botches in the women’s Money in the Bank match as well, involving Sol Ruca, Roxanne Perez, and Lash Legend. The men’s match was no different as there were some botches there as well, especially with Bron Breakker almost falling on his head off the barricade while trying to do a run in on Trick Williams.
Overall, the show felt more like a spotfest than an actual PLE with good storytelling and matches. It felt like there was desperation in the air to get at least a few viral posts out from the night, and that is exactly what the booking was geared at. So much of this PLE was just plain confusing with the booking, the direction, and the thought process of the company being seriously questioned.
