Wrestle Review: Money in the Bank 2018

Like many events before it, a truncated but still overlong Money in the Bank proves that modern-day WWE is all about inconsistency and excess. Despite some odd booking decisions and match layouts, Money in the Bank still featured moments that make it a part of WWE's Big five PPV's.

With an interesting line up of matches and a gimmick contest that rarely, if ever, fails to entice, there's no way this couldn't have been a good event. Thankfully it went beyond that, with some title matches trying their best to upstage two well-paced ladder bouts. More importantly, Money in the Bank featured the pre-requisite number of shocks moments and turns that WWE is known for.

Yet the PPV can't help but leave a somewhat mixed aftertaste. Maybe it's because individually things were great but as a whole, it doesn't come through. Or maybe it's because the past week has seen the sensational NJPW Dominion and NXT Takeover: Chicago.

Whichever way only a breakdown of the event can tell us why this is.

Smackdown Tag Team Championships: The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) (c) vs. The Good Brothers (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson)

Its wasn't too sweet for Karl and Luke! — It wasn't too sweet for Karl and Luke!

In a kick off show that featured unnecessary banter between Booker T and Pete Rosenberg, WWE decides to cut to commercial during a hotly contested tag team match just about to catch fire.

This pretty much sums up the state of WWE's tag team divisions. With one set of champions defending on the kickoff and the others match canceled, there's no doubt that WWE is foolish enough to let a thriving division die.

Regardless of that, this match was fairly competitive allowing the Good Brothers to gain a modicum of respect. Unfortunately, the way creative characterizes the Bludgeon Brothers has neutered some of the more sensational elements the team once had as part of the Wyatt Family. Thus making this a muted contest at best.

The Bludgeon Brothers down Luke Gallow to retain the Smackdown Tag Team Titles!

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Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.

While fans may not particularly enjoy the way WWE has used Bryan since his return, it's a very smart move. Returning to the fold Daniel Bryan has found himself hovering just below the main event establishing his underdog persona once more with a hint of sublime veteran instinct.

At his best, it's helped elevate some performers including giving Rusev a clean win over him. The same method applies in his matches against Big Cass. Unfortunately, despite adding to his arsenal of moves including a harsh torture rack, Cass hasn't really improved. Worse still with two straight losses by submission, one wonders where WWE heads with a giant who just can't match up to his counterparts such as Braun Strowman and Drew McIntyre.

Meanwhile, the other genius of creative includes providing Bryan an opponent like Cass with a limb injury to target, using his wily technician abilities. This way Bryan avoids going the risky high-flying route to take out men bigger than him.

It's similar to the transition Steve Austin made after his neck injuries from technician to brawler, giving Bryan leeway to continue for longer and give us some much-needed dream matches.

Daniel Bryan makes Big Cass tap out once again!

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Sami Zayn vs. Bobby Lashley

With god awful cringe moments, this feud had no audience engagement in mind. The beauty of pro wrestling is in how immersive and interactive it is. If the audience isn't engaged with the content in front of them, then it shows. This is the case that haunts a lot of matches in WWE. One such match was Lashley versus Sami Zayn.

While his entrance is rousing especially in a wrestler friendly city like Chicago, Zayn has perfected the dorky heel so beautifully that one can't help but hate him. At the same time management has made a hatchet job out of Lashley's return.

In an ideal world, the roles would be reversed of the competitors. Here despite a few cheers over Lashley's strength and showmanship, nothing much really engaged the viewer. Once that happened, the match itself went down the drain. For all purposes an extended squash that does no competitor any favors.

Bobby Lashley slams Sami Zayn towards a win!

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WWE Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Elias

Undeniably on fire since the start of the year, Seth Rollins is untouchable in the ring at the moment such that his desperation fight against Elias, puts over the rockstar drifter. In a thrilling contest that saw both men dig deep, Rollins came out with the win but Elias did more than that.

Beginning with another Elias special concert, the fans were all in on this Chi-town showdown for the Intercontinental championship. Kudos to them biting into each moment and near fall, especially the lengthy injury sell on Rollins. From grasping his recently hurt neck to his tweaked knee, it allowed Elias the opening to continue a relentless attack.

Rollins early caution against Elias did not pay off once he grasped the beaten champion for an unrelenting attack on the outside. That Elias even went to the top rope to put down the champion, who pulled rights for a win shows how important the title is for both men. Rollins came out the champion, yet his work along with Elias puts the drifter in prime position.

Seth Rollins sneaks away with the win on Elias to RETAIN the Intercontinental Championship!

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Women's Money in the Bank briefcase: Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte vs. Naomi vs. Lana vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks vs. Ember Moon vs. Natalya

The issue of the multi-women matches so far has been the penchant of the multitude of contestants to take a powder through its runtime. Thankfully while this did happen, it left the ring open for some face off's between two combustible elements.

The combinations and permutations resulted in new matchups and old rivalries ignited. It was exciting to witness Ember Moon square down against a whole field of future rivals such as Charlotte and Naomi. Similarly having Charllote square off with Bank and Bliss with Lynch, added to the history these classic rivals share.

As with any Money in the Bank, it's about the theatrics and there was a lot going around with some vicious moves on the ladder. No high flying spectacle can compensate for a story, so thankfully two intriguing ones were told.

The most important of which was Becky Lynch's inability to capitalize on the unanimous support of fans and win, simultaneously while her friendship with Charlotte deteriorates. Secondly how each woman in the match played fittingly to their character, including a silly but resilient Lana and more importantly a sneaky Alexa Bliss.

Alexa Bliss sneaks past Becky Lynch to win the Money in the Bank Briefcase!

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Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal

For the way, WWE treats the Chicago crowd with fan-friendly matches and results, it's shocking they would try position two of their most vilified recent figures into one match. Then again for all his claims of knowing the product, Vince McMahon is often delusional and stubborn to a fault.

Sadly so are the fans, and for all those complaining that the Chicago crowd acted childish with 'CM Punk' chants and Mexican waves. Being the interactive sport that it is, such fan disdain enhances the engagement to the product for a hopeful change. Then again for all his claims about listening to fans, Vince McMahon is often delusional and stubborn to a fault.

Had he been acutely aware of anything then Roman Reigns and Jinder Mahal would not run the paces in a lethargic contest full of rest holds and barely any explosives. The fun of the match is seeing Jinder's cohort Sunil Singh rise from his injuries, to attack Roman, a payback played off very well late into the match again. Yet that's all, when the fans are not into it even average begins to look like mediocre.

Roman Reigns spears Jinder Mahal for another win!

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Smackdown Women's Championship: Carmella (c) vs. Asuka

Asuka has entered the world of crazies, time to level up!

The Asuka-Carmella match was an odd duck on the night of the PPV. On one hand, WWE has been very muted in its handling of Asuka's post-streak character. She's floundering no doubt, but there seems a hint to a growth or evolution in that.

At the same time there is a better way WWE could have handled Asuka even before the streak-snapping, she didn't enter the main roster with the same ruthless verve and scrappiness from NXT. Either way, the Asuka part of things is intriguing, the Carmella part, however, seems redundant and a step back.

As Asuka stared for far too long at her impersonator, after what was a serviceable match; the revelation that James Ellsworth is back is surely to stagnate the growing delusions of Carmella. She's been fun in her heel role, quite different from the wicked Alexa Bliss or the annoying IIconics and yet fun. Here now both women are in a holding pattern not worth visiting.

Ellsworth can stay away, hinted as special enforcement much like Khali was for Jinder Mahal last year. While Asuka needs someone to help her tape into that vicious side she's lost, maybe Nikki Cross is finally available? After all, fire beats fire.

Carmella pins Asuka for the win to RETAIN the Smackdown Women's Championship!

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Last Man Standing for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

"He who fights monsters should be careful lest he thereby becomes a monster. And if though gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze into thee."

The quote above from Freidrich Nietzche's iconic Beyond Good and Evil sums up the crescendo hitting finale between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura. Worn down by Nakamura's vile psychological games, Styles had to dig deep to vanquish this monster in a dream match finally living up to expectations.

Neatly this sums up an arc that began on their departure from NJPW. There at Wrestle Kingdom with roles reversed the two fought a bombastic traditional heel-face match resulting in an unexpected show of respect.

Since Nakamura's vicious turn the two men have been at each other's throats. Here finally after a brutal show of resilience from both men, they bury a feud with blood simmering on both ends; friends they can never be.

That Styles won this knockdown fight, after an unevenly paced contest much like the feud puts a neat question for Nakamura to answer. Styles will be wary of how far he needs to go to retain his title, often down on his legs. While the first at Wrestlemania loss sent Nakamura's cool confidence shattering, this one will break his ego and when that happens god help who this psychotic and chaotic monster targets.

AJ Styles barely makes the 10 count with a win against Shinsuke Nakamura to RETAIN the WWE World Championship!

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Raw Women's Championship: Nia Jax (c) vs. Ronda Rousey

If only the WWE could highlight the best side of all their superstars, much like they do for Ronda Rousey. The trick is all in the consistent and easy layout of her two PPV bouts so far. The first against the Authority couple functioned as a special attraction celebrity match, featuring a more than competent celebrity in Ronda Rousey.

This second one plays upon the size as well as the muscle of its two competitors, giving the WWE women its first ever hoss fight. When Godzilla and King Kong collide, collateral damage is bound to occur but both monsters are bound to destroy one another as well.

That just happened with Jax pulling out her most inspired work plowing through Rousey, with a lot to prove. At the same time, Hollywood paid dividends for Rousey, whose expressions sold the nature of her inability to gain momentum, as well as her rowdy, never back down attitude.

The icing on the cake; a perfect Alexa Bliss cash in to save face for both women and set up the women's division on RAW for a lot of mayhem.

Alex Bliss knocks out Ronda Rousey to disqualify the match, cash in and pin a beaten Nia Jax to become the NEW Raw Women's Champion!

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Men's Money in the Bank Briefcase: Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Roode vs. Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe vs. The Miz vs. Rusev vs. Kofi Kingston

This editions Men's Money in the Bank match is probably the most fun the match has ever been. It's thanks to the unique mix of competitors with unexpectedly four hosses, two technical showmen and two high flyers. Add to that a never-dying Braun Strowman wrecking things like a horror movie monster and the scared expressions of Kevin Owens and the Miz.

Everything about this match screams entertainment with an unbelievable rewatch value. The only major issue is that the match avoids really having substance beyond its crash-bang style. More importantly, WWE decided to use it to crown Braun Strowman the winner.

Realistically Strowman would crush the other seven men, even a brutally persistent Samoa Joe. Yet it's not like Strowman really needs the briefcase especially with the seven men banding together to take him out. The fun of the match was in many things, not just Strowman, from Kofi possibly reigning supreme to Rusev day's power show. Regardless of the end, the fun of it all will stick.

Braun Strowman murders seven men to win and capture the Money in the Bank Briefcase

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In Conclusion

Money in the Bank proves once and for all that it is the best PPV on a modern-day WWE calendar. This is because the gimmick match with its vital and shocking stakes adds drama to a calendar full of meaningless scheduled gimmick contests. Secondly, the chaos of the two matches permeates through a card trying its best to show off as well.

Even then the events booking at times is inconsistent and the storytelling despite a few gems a downer, especially considering the quality NJPW and NXT are able to manage. That the current WWE roster is its best yet, no one can deny. If creative can just tweak some major issues, we're on a way to a pro-wrestling renaissance.

From an optimists perspective, with such a summer lined up with stories hinted at there's no way WWE can't capture a glorious Summerslam showdown. Hopefully, that is the case.

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