WHAT A PPV! Money In The Bank (MITB) was ultimately about three matches. Two matches that were called “WrestleMania main event caliber” and the one eponymous match of this PPV.
And ultimately, all of them delivered. Not in the same way but they still did. This is THE best PPV of the year so far and might remain so with the kind of storyline turns it took. While the night began with one fantasy match already booked, the night ended with one fantasy match already in the making. The Brothers of The Shield have their paths intertwined again. Nobody is the same since the events that transpired 2 years ago and that made all the difference.
Here are the 5 best things from the 2016 edition of MITB
Slow climb to the top
When Dean Ambrose slowly climbed the ladder after pushing Owens away, with no one in sight to stop his climb, it seemed so much of a metaphor for his career. It’s been two years since The Shield ended.
In those two years, Reigns has won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship three times. Rollins cemented his legacy in one of the greatest WrestleMania moments ever by cashing in his MITB contract to win the greatest prize in WWE. Ambrose has been waltzing in the mid card becoming really popular but never catching a big break.
Until tonight.
He lived up to his promise. He won the Money In The Bank contract. He cashed it in on the same night. Not on Reigns but on Rollins. AND. HE. WON.And just like on Raw, Ambrose was the last man standing
You haven’t seen Ambrose look like he was about to cry since he faced Seth Rollins at SummerSlam in a Lumberjack match.
This emotion was a bit different; this was him showing everyone that there always has been a method to his madness, that he has moved on from making hasty decisions and screwing up his moments. He captured this one gloriously.
Reigns still can’t beat Rollins but…
When rumors suggested that Reigns will win the main event against Rollins, one wouldn’t have to scratch their heads. After all, he is almost the new face that runs the place. Rollins came into this match after an injury, with ring rust, the man Reigns never beat and the man who never really lost his title.
It began slow and a little sloppy. Rollins wasn’t as fast a bullet but then action picked and so did business. Rollins delivered a stunning Pedigree ‘outta nowhere’ – a Spear by Reigns that was countered into the Pedigree. Reigns kicked out but then was planted again with a Pedigree. And then it happened. The unthinkable. Rollins pinned Reigns to become a two-time champ but the night wasn’t over.
In a near-perfect storyline moment that will go down as a classic, Rollins got what he doled out last year. Sweet, sweet revenge from Ambrose. The storyline between The Shield whose destinies have always been intertwined gave way for this moment where Ambrose cashed in on the brother who stabbed him in the back two years ago.
And we have a new champion. All three members of The Shield now have claims to the WWE Championship. What a night of retribution!
Only 20 feet to change your life forever
Sami Zayn was the only one in this match who we saw performing a lot of aerial moves compared to the others. But this was more about all the interwoven tales - Zayn and Owens facing each other in a second ladder match in the main roster, their first MITB ladder match.
It was about Ambrose ‘s personal journey to the metaphorical top of the ladder, it was about Jericho trying to win the match that he created. It was a match for the future. There were brutal spots with the thrill reaching its crescendo with all six men on ladders.
Frog Splash by KO on Ambrose onto a ladder, Blue Thunder Bomb from Zayn on Owens onto a ladder that clove the Prizefighter, Owens returning the favor later on by giving Zayn a Powerbomb onto a ladder. This may not be the most exciting MITB ladder match of all time but this had one of the best stories, hands down.
Electricity in Vegas
This match was about styles. Different styles. The power of Cena and the quickness of Styles. It was electric in Vegas, for sure with ‘Let’s Go Cena’ and ‘AJ Styles’ chants ringing all over the arena.
It moved on as any big match that Cena has hyped about so well for so long. The Face Who Runs The Place barely got a sequence going. Cena was outmanouevred every step of the way and just when you thought AJ Styles made a mistake, he proved you wrong by getting the upper hand again. Flurries of elbows and fists and counters. This match had electricity all throughout.In the end Styles’ victory didn’t matter much since he did not win clean.
New Feud
There are more than 4 women in the main roster. If you didn’t really care, you should. Charlotte sure has a future match coming against, possibly, Sasha Banks and that will certainly be for the Women’s title.
But the revitalization of this division isn’t complete without acknowledging how deep it is at the moment. So, it is obvious to have more than one feud, more than one match going for the women.
Natalya turned heel by attacking Becky Lynch who has really come out looking like a convincing babyface. This wasn’t the greatest heel turn ever but it was still progress for Natalya who has had a stale character for quite long. Lynch on the other hand was cheered on by the audience after Natalya’s attack.
