It was a historical week for the WWE Universe as the first ever women's Money in the Bank winner was crowned. Meanwhile, an up-and-coming Superstar climbed the ladder in the main event and became the new Mr. MITB.
The build leading up to the big pay-per-view was intense, while battle lines were drawn and friendships were compromised. Also, let's not forget that our current WWE Champion, Jinder Mahal had a huge task at hand as well, as he had to defend his title against Randy Orton, in front of The Viper’s hometown crowd in St. Louis. There was surely no shortage of action and excitement for the WWE faithful.
Hopefully, this week will be more of the same!
#15 The first Ms. MITB and her Boo
Carmella made history at the 2017 Money in the Bank PPV, thanks in part... well, thanks primarily to the help of James Ellsworth and his quick toss of the title down to his Boo. Many fans and WWE Superstars alike are highly disappointed in the outcome and the way things went down.
Both Alexa and James have taken to social media, defending themselves in light of allegations of cheating to win the match. Alexa is stressing the fact that the match was, in fact, a no disqualification contest.
#14 Kofi making sure they ain't Booty!
While on the road, the Superstars of WWE see a plethora of signs ranging from typical fan signs to borderline provocative attention-getters. I’ll let you be the judge of this one! WWE Sign Guy Rick Achberger has been instrumental in encouraging fans to go all out and get creative with their signs.
The more creative, the more likely a sign is to make it onto WWE television!
#13 Ryder HYPE for his return at MITB!
After 6 months of extensive rehab and intense physical training, The Long Island Iced-Z is back in action and back together with his fellow Hype Bro, Mojo Rawley. As a part of the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event, The Hype Bros took on and defeated The Colons in the pre-show of the event.
You may recall that Ryder was injured during a special battle royal match on Smackdown Live, back in December of last year to determine the number one contender for the Smackdown Live Tag Team Championships.
#12 Matt Hardy’s evolution of a champion
Matt and Jeff Hardy are undoubtedly one of the most decorated tag teams of all-time. However, Matt has a singles career that's not too shabby either!
Aside from the laundry list of tag titles that the Hardys have earned throughout their career, Matt Hardy has also compiled roughly a dozen major singles titles, including two TNA World Titles and a WWE United States Championship win, just to name a couple.
No matter the place or the era, Matt has always been able to adapt to his surroundings and somehow work his way to the very top.
#11 Good Ol’ JR remembering his late wife
Jim Ross is without question one of the greatest wrestling commentators of all-time. On top of that, he's also one of the kindest men in the wrestling industry. Many years ago, The Nature Boy Ric Flair introduced JR to a lady named Jan.
Jan would go on to be JR’s wife and for years, the pair were inseparable. Unfortunately, in January of this year, Jan was involved in a major car accident. She suffered major head trauma as a result of the accident and sadly, she passed away from those injuries, two days after the accident.
#10 An AWESOME 7th inning stretch
Somehow during the busy life on the road as a WWE Superstar, The Miz found time to catch a baseball game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim California. For those who are not familiar with the way the fan experience is at a baseball game, especially a Major League game, here's a quick idea of one of baseball's longest running traditions.
In the middle of the seventh inning, the PA announcer will announce that it is time for the 7th inning stretch. During this time, fans are encouraged to get out of their seats, stretch their cramped bones, use the restroom, buy a hot dog and most importantly... sing along to “take me out to the ballgame.”
#9 Rusev preparing for a big return
Rusev has been out of action for a number of months, after suffering an injury that required surgery. Since his surgery, Rusev has been eager to return to action as soon as possible. There was no real timeline for a return, initially.
On the bright side, Rusev is able to cheer for his wife, Lana, as she kicked off her in-ring career at Money in the Bank, with a loss against Smackdown Live Women's Champion Naomi. Despite the loss, Lana appeared to be well trained and ready for the transition.
#8 Wedding with a monster
Braun Strowman is another WWE Superstar that has been recovering from a major injury. During his downtime, Strowman put on his Sunday best and went to his friend's wedding.
Strowman was on top of the world prior to shattering his elbow during the May 8th edition of WWE Monday Night RAW in London. Early indications suggest he will likely miss up to 6 months due to the severity of the injury.
#7 Nostalgia stylin’ and profilin’
Ric Flair has always been a step ahead of the field when it comes to pure class and overall swag. This post shows a younger Nature Boy working the phones, making deals and making cash.
Flair is considered by many fans to be one of, if not the greatest professional wrestler of all-time. His style and charisma represent a timeless artefact that will always be a major part of wrestling's fabric. No matter where you rank him, there's no denying the fact that he is truly one of a kind.
#6 The Chosen One in action
The recent success that WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has been enjoying has to be motivational for Drew McIntyre. It was not too long ago that both McIntyre and Mahal were bottom-feeding as members of the jobber faction known as 3 Man Band.
However, both men used their time away from WWE to hone their craft and raise their stock. Now they both represent what happens when you keep working towards a dream.
#5 Aleister Black creeping to the top
Wrestling fans in the United Kingdom have known for some time now what type of a performer Aleister Black truly is. Now the NXT Universe is experiencing the dynamite presence of one of today’s fasting rising Superstars.
Black brings an incredible skill-set to the ring, along with a very mysterious, yet intriguing persona as well. It’ll be interesting to see just how fast Aleister not only makes it to the top of the NXT ladder but also how quickly he makes it onto one of the WWE main rosters.
#4 Naomi still glowing after MITB
WWE Smackdown Live Women’s Champion Naomi had her hands full with Lana at the Money in the Bank PPV, thanks to the surprisingly competitive performance from Ravishing Russian.
Naomi has worked exceptionally hard to make it to the top of the WWE Women's division and now the competition is getting ever more difficult than ever. It’s hard to believe that this same Superstar was once just a dancing valet for Brodus Clay. Now she is one of the top women's wrestlers in the entire industry.
#3 Baron Corbin wins his shot at the gold
Baron Corbin has been red hot since arriving on the main roster. After years of struggling through the developmental system and being told “no,” time after time, Baron is now Mr. Money in the Bank and if history is any indicator, Corbin will likely be the WWE Champion in the near future.
After watching the other competitors rip each other to shreds, Corbin waited for the perfect opportunity to rise to the occasion and claim the MITB briefcase, making him the winner of the guaranteed contract.
#2 Mr. Kanellis?
As some fans expected, Maria Kanellis and Mike Bennett made their WWE debut at Money in the Bank. However, it appears Mike has taken on Maria’s last name for this angle. I’m not sure what to think, or what to expect. On one hand, I am hearing that Mike will be nothing more than a manager for Maria.
If that's the case, it would be a major case of money squandering by WWE officials because I seriously believe Mike has a lot to offer the company. Time will tell what take place with this whole “Power of love” storyline.
#1 Jinder reigns!
In the weeks leading up to Money in the Bank pay-per-view, many expected Jinder Mahal to drop the title back into the hands of a waiting Viper. However, Jinder went into the home turf of the challenger and conquered the Legend Killer in front of his father, and the rest of his hometown crowd in St. Louis.
At this point, you can love or hate him, but Jinder Mahal is NOT a transitional champion.
