Despite the fact that we’re on the road to SummerSlam, a lot of WWE fans will look back longingly at Money In The Bank.
The path to Money In The Bank was thick with expectation and anticipation. A main event that seemed in danger of being eclipsed by other matches on the card, a couple of titles not being defended and of course, the mystery around the supposed returns all cohesed to draw a lot of narrowed eyes to the decisive event.
And those eyes widened in disbelief when the final note faded. The three matches that did the heavy lifting were more or less unshakeable and the climax was something movie directors would fantasize about.
But you know it’s a special PPV when what stays in a corner of a screen is worth magnifying. So let’s take a closer look at some of the more underrated aspects of the awesome show:
Funaki doing Japanese commentary
Yes, the former Cruiserweight and Hardcore Champion was so nobly helping Money In The Bank become more pleasing to the WWE’s Japanese fans. He came all the way from San Antonio to Las Vegas.
Yes, that’s right, he shares his home with the Spurs and it is also where he runs his training facility, Funaki Dojo. Where else would a former WWE Superstar of Japanese origin go?. And this isn’t the first time he’s commentated for the WWE. He started at WrestleMania 32.
Big day for Ohio
As tempting as it is to say LeBron James, it was the well-oiled Cavs that made history. Love’s shooting, Thompson’s screens, Kyrie’s Mamba Mentality and let’s not sniff at Richard Jefferson’s effort in Game 6 – basically the Cavs made the Warriors look like them in last season’s Finals.
Most Ohio natives celebrated just once, but Dean probably celebrated thrice that night – when he won the briefcase, when the Cavs won and when he won the belt after burying Seth’s head in the ring, ostrich-style. Well, definitely at least twice, since he’s known to be a Bengals supporter. Speaking of fans, here’s the King not paying homage to the Warrior, just royally trolling the Dubs:
Quickest MITB briefcase cash-in in history
In 2010, when Kane rescued Rey Mysterio from Jack Swagger only to cash in and win the belt, it was the jackal chasing away the vultures only so he could have the carcass to himself.
When Dean jumped Seth and won the belt, it was poetic justice. And while Kane took more than an hour to cash in his contract, Dean took just under an hour. Wonder how long they allowed them to savour the moment?
All three members of the Shield held the WWE Championship on the same night
This will be one of the smaller chapters in the fabled history of The Shield – but like a bhut jolokia, the aftershocks will endure. Reigns came in as the champ, a sharp swing in betting odds preceded Rollins’ victory and then came what nations hope will remain the biggest title win of the year.
Enzo and Cass are Tag Team Champions (or Suspicious and Sudden Botches Galore in Fatal Four Way)
MITB was one of the better organized cards in recent times. Take into consideration that as a PPV with a multiple man ladder match that eliminates lesser feuds, Money In The Bank has always been a crisp event.
The WWE is actually living up to its claim of a ‘New Era’. Proof – the effort they’ve put into the tag team division. A genre that isn’t Vince McMahon’s favorite set the bar high in the nascence of the show. Perhaps a little too high.
Watch the video above and you’ll find that we were supposed to head into RAW with new tag team champions. And let's not even start with how the whole thing went from cliffhanger to a scene from a Harry Potter film where a clumsiness spell was used.
If one were a man with imagination, he could envisage Vince McMahon barking in Cole’ earpiece to tell the guys to booby trap the match so all the pops weren’t exhausted.
