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YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHO JUST SHOWED UP, AN INSANE CAR WRECK OF A LADDER MATCH, TROUBLE IN PARADISE?, STYLES AND ROLLINS CLASH, & TONS MORE: COMPLETE WWE MONEY IN THE BANK BLOG

Welcome to my live, ongoing blog looking at the 2019 WWE Money in the Bank PPV.

The Kickoff show was the usual fare, with the highlight of the discussion being Zelina Vega crashing the party and arguing with Jonathan Coachman.

Daniel Bryan and Rowan vs. The Usos was a good back and forth tag team with a nice sequence leading to the Usos double superkicking the Bryan as he went for a dive. The Usos getting the clean pin on Bryan was a bit of a surprise (as well the fact it was a non-title bout), so it would appear the program will be continuing in the weeks to come via the Wild Card gimmick.  A solid match to get you excited for the PPV.

WWE ran a graphic in memoriam for the late Ashley Massaro.  That was classy.

The PPV proper opens with the Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match.  Naomi had a really cool outfit for her dancing entrance, looking like a rave version of DC Comics' Bumblebee character.   

Note: After the match,  Naomi noted her look was indeed based on Bumblebee, which as a long-time DC fan, I appreciate the hell out of:

 Sonya Deville was with Mandy Rose.  Deville was at the run-through for the match last night, so I would assume she gets involved here at some point.

Everyone  battled as the bell rang.  They showcased Cross early as she ran through four women with a ladder, then did a Terry Funk airplane spin!  I love that spot.  I hope Terry is doing well. 

Brooke was trapped behind a ladder in the corner, which Mandy ran up and nailed a nice-looking knee strike.   Carmella drilled a bad axe-handle to Natalya’s back.

I really dig Naomi’s look on the show as it’s really striking and completely different.  Change and evolution is always a good thing.    They had some really unique spots with Naomi running across two ladders as they were being held by talents in order to hit a kick on her long-time foe, Mandy.  I appreciated that call back.

Naomi then hit a cool split to duck the others as they tried to sandwich her with ladders.

Carmella was walked to the back with what appeared to be a knee injury.  She was walked out, not carried out, but was assisted.

Lots of action thus far and it’s been very entertaining with some unique spots and creative bumps.  Bayley set up a big ladder in the center but was caught underneath it, sandwiched by Natalya and Mandy.  Ouch.

It turned into a mad scramble with everyone trying to get to the briefcase, only to be held down.    Dana ended up at the top, hanging off the briefcase as Mandy tried to prevent her from getting it.  Everyone battled atop the ladder, which was toppled over by Natalya.  It appeared Natalya was left alone but NO, Ember hit the Eclipse from out of nowhere off a ladder set up at ringside, which was awesome.  Mandy nailed her with Inception on a ladder.  OUCH.   They are really leaving it all out there and I can appreciate the hell out of this.

Mandy began to set up the ladder but Carmella began limping back out, so the injury was part of the storyline.  Mandy charged her in the aisle but Carmella blasted her into the barricade.  The injured Carmella climbed the ladder for dramatic effect but Sonya hit the ring to stop her progress up the ladder.  Deville placed Mandy on her back and climbed the ladder, with the idea that she was doing it to help her friend.  Bayley confronted Mandy, who stood there shocked before she and Deville were knocked backwards off the ladder.  That's a scary bump for them since neither can control which way gravity takes the other.

Bayley took the case it's Bayley in the Bank.  I like it.  Let's get her back to where she should have been all along, at the top of the card.

Charly Caruso mentioned Sasha Banks several times during a post-match interview.  Bayley did a great promo saying she was proud of what they did but she came to Smackdown to prove herself and now she's not just Bayley, but she's Miss Money in the Bank.  They noted Sasha has remained on Raw.  Decent promo.  She had a scratch on her mid-section from some of the ladder bumps.

A thoroughly entertaining Ladder Match.

Will we see a Bayley cash-in tonight?  Logically, she certainly should try, but we'll see if WWE Creative goes for the obvious.

Triple H is trying to speak to someone on the phone but Sami Zayn showed up saying they have a problem in Braun Strowman.  Braun is predictable and is going to show up tonight and try to hurt him, so Sami can't get in the right frame of mind for the MITB Ladder match.  He says he's speaking for everyone who is concerned.  Triple H said Braun was banned from the building so there's nothing to be concerned about.  So, basically, Braun will be interfering later everyone!

Rey Mysterio is preparing for his match.  His son  Dominic showed up to tower over him and remind everyone he's cannon fodder later on.

Time for the United States Championship match with Samoa Joe defending against Rey Mysterio.  They show Dominic watching on a monitor backstage.  I guess we will see if he sprints to ringside soon enough.  Joe plays Godzilla while Rey plays Tokyo early on.  Rey comes back with some flashy offense, including a sit-down senton that looked to have smashed Joe's nose in as he was immediately bleeding.  Rey hit a quick pinfall and scored the win after Joe's powerbomb was turned into a rana and a roll-up.  Joe was shocked and they played up that Joe's shoulder was nowhere near the mat, so the idea was the referee screwed up the call.

Dominic came to ringside to greet the new champ.  Here's the angle.  Joe attacked Rey on the aisle and began beating the hell out of him. Joe locked eyes with Hijo de Mysterio as he kept beating on his father.    Joe walked out, saying, "We've only just begun" while looking completely bug-eyed and demented like The Sheik on an old cover of a wrestling magazine.  I love it.  The match wasn't long as it was really more of an angle.  Dominic didn't get killed...yet...but the night is still young.

They showed Braun destroying the back since, you know, we were told he was banned from the building 15 minutes ago!  Great continuity.  How did he get in the building?

Next up is  The Miz vs. Shane McMahon in a Steel Cage Match

It was all Miz early on as Super Shane tried to escape in vain until catching Miz with a powerbomb into the cage.  There was a sizable CM Punk chant. Shane began working over Miz, including whipping out the Lex Luger Torture Rack.  Shane went for The Van Terminator but Miz cut him off in an awkward moment and cinched in the figure four leglock.  Shane pulled himself out the cage door but was pulled back in.  Why WWE didn’t do close-ups of Shane’s face in abject terror as he was pulled back in seemed silly to me. 

McMahon brought a chair back into the ring with him and there was a race to see who would seize the weapon first.  Miz won and unloaded on Shane, finally getting some revenge.  Shane was even selling the Chairshots, which was even more impressive.

Miz hit the Skull Crushing Finale and covered McMahon but Shane put his foot on the rope to break up the pinfall, which so blatantly made no sense that even the announcers called it for being stupid while the crowd chanted “Bullsh**.”   The idea was that perhaps the referee was scared he would get fired.  LAME.

Shane began climbing to the top of the cage.  I hope they don’t do the obvious where he gets knocked off the cage through an announcers’ table and wins because he escaped first.

They fight atop the cage.  Shane took a bump off the cage, but into the ring.  I can respect that he's that insane at his age.  Despite that bump, McMahon still took control and locked on a triangle choke.  They ended up battling back to the top of the cage again for a superplex but McMahon was able to slip out  of his jersey, which Miz was holding, and fell from the cage to the floor, feet first, winning the match.

I thought the work was fine but this sort of fluke finish did nothing for anyone especially when Miz obviously had the pin.

Backstage, Triple H and other officials were charging to the scene of the crime, where we discovered a beat down Sami Zayn hanging upside down and unconscious.  I know Braun Strowman is in the house, but I'm hoping The Predator has started hunting WWE stars to lead to the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Probably not!

My live thoughts continue on Page 2!

 

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