July 15, 2012|By Adam Testa
Ryback's reign of dominance continued, as he put away two actual roster members in a handicap match. This was by far the longest match he's competed in, and Hawkins and Reks actually landed some offense, wearing the big man down a little. At least we're seeing some form of advancement, but one really has to wonder what's next. At this point, I'm hoping Goldberg shows up as a surprise opponent.
Result: Ryback d. Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks
Layla, Kaitlyn and Tamina vs. Beth Phoenix, Natalya and Eve
Another "surprise" addition to the show saw the babyface team prevail. Many of these divas haven't been seen on television in weeks, if not months, which just illustrates WWE's problems with spotlighting multiple divas at once. The action in this match wasn't bad, but it was nothing special. At least the ladies got a spot on pay-per-view.
Result: Layla, Kaitlyn and Tamina d. Beth Phoenix, Natalya and Eve
Money in the Bank
WWE Championship Contract
John Cena vs. Kane vs. Big Show vs. Chris Jericho vs. The Miz
The look on Cena's face as the briefcase snapped -- presumably accidentally -- off the hook above the ring said it all. If that wasn't the planned finish, it likely got more people talking than whatever it was meant to be. The people in my viewing party weren't even sure whether Cena was supposed to win, which made the moment unintentionally hilarious. As for the rest of the match, it was a solid ladder match that featured some good drama and spots from all five competitors. This surely wasn't the best Money in the Bank match of all time, but it honestly surpassed my expectations. Cena winning was predictable, and he will likely cash in honorably at the 1,000th Raw or Summerslam to break the monotony of cheap cash-in victories, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
Result: John Cena retrieved the contract
Match Rundown
R-Truth and Kofi Kingston d. Hunico and Camacho
Dolph Ziggler d. Tyson Kidd, Sin Cara, Santino Marella, Christian, Cody Rhodes, Tensai and Damien Sandow
Sheamus d. Alberto Del Rio
Primo and Epico d. Titus O'Neil and Darren Young
CM Punk d. Daniel Bryan
Ryback d. Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks
Layla, Kaitlyn and Tamina d. Beth Phoenix, Natalya and Eve
John Cena d. Kane, Big Show, Chris Jericho and The Miz
My Take
Money in the Bank was an enjoyable pay-per-view. It wasn't a grand slam, but it was still a strong showing, especially given the weak build to most of the show. The ladder matches were good outings, but neither proved to be anything exceptional; Del Rio and Sheamus put on a good match; and Punk and Bryan worked a different match from any of their previous encounters and managed to look just as good doing it. Again, for a show with an exceptionally weak build up, especially in the final week, Money in the Bank was a success and a strong showing from WWE.
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