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Money in the Bank was WWE's first pay-per-view in front of a full capacity crowd in over 16 months and boy, what a fantastic night it was!
The card was filled with stellar wrestling, insane ladder spots, and epic storytelling. John Cena also made his WWE return at the end of Money in the Bank, but that doesn't factor in this list.
Here is every match at WWE Money in the Bank 2021 graded and ranked, from worst to best. What was your favorite match from the show? Let us know in the comments.
A former WWE writer just went after JBL for his comments HERE
#6 Bobby Lashley vs. Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank
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Bobby Lashley successfully defended the WWE Championship against Kofi Kingston in what was a one-sided demolition. The New Day member received an incredible ovation from the crowd, but it wouldn't lead him anywhere.
Aside from a quick flurry at the start, the All-Mighty was dominant at Money in the Bank, following weeks of him having supposedly "gone soft."
Lashley locked Kofi Kingston in the Hurt Lock but did not allow him to submit and instead, punished him some more. A few Dominators later, the Ghanaian-American was put out of his misery.
It was a fantastic showcase of Lashley's dominance, but not much else. As a result, it cannot be graded high. Kingston simply served to further the heat on The All-Mighty up in time for SummerSlam, where he will likely have a higher-profile opponent.
Grade: C+
#5 Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match
The women's Ladder Match that kicked off Money in the Bank featured an interesting cast of characters. Quite a few members got a huge pop upon their entrances. Alexa Bliss' gaze started things off, followed by Asuka's explosiveness.
Pretty much every superstar in this match got showcased, from Naomi and her athleticism to Tamina and her power. Liv Morgan was among the crowd favorites and put up a spirited performance.
Zelina Vega was hypnotized by Bliss on top of the ladder, who then got taken out and was buried under a sea of ladders. In the end, it was Nikki A.S.H.'s night.
She dove onto the entire field in the ring from an outside ladder before outsmarting everyone at the end. As the six remaining competitors battled at the top across three ladders, the superhero sneaked up and retrieved the Money in the Bank briefcase.
While it is nice to see WWE fully commit to Nikki's gimmick, this was a poor way to end the match since the 2021 Women's Money in the Bank deserved a better conclusion.
Grade: B
#4 AJ Styles and Omos vs. Viking Raiders for the RAW Tag Team Championship
At Money in the Bank, AJ Styles and Omos defended the RAW Tag Team Championship for the first time on a pay-per-view. They were challenged by the Viking Raiders, who looked motivated to put on a great show in front of the WWE fans.
Styles delivered some excellent offense, including when Omos threw him to the outside into a hurricanrana on Erik. The Phenomenal One's partner delivered some great offenses too, even if he still seemed slightly green.
While Erik and Ivar nearly won the RAW Tag Team Titles with a Viking Experience, Omos used his strength and size to prevent a title change. The Nigerian giant pinned Erik after a chokebomb. This was a hard-fought match that was better than anybody expected it to be.
Grade: B+
#3 Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair for the RAW Women's Championship at Money in the Bank
The fact that Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley were able to turn the Money in the Bank crowd around after a rocky start is a testament to their superior in-ring ability. Fans chanted "We want Becky" as the match began, which led to Charlotte flipping them off.
The Queen and The Nightmare gradually grew into the match over time with some innovative and hard-hitting moves. Charlotte was particularly impressive at Money in the Bank, countering the Riptide into a DDT and hitting Natural Selection from the top rope for a close near fall.
She eventually put Ripley away by trapping her leg in the steel stairs and stomping on it, before locking in the Figure Eight for a submission. The effort both women put at Money in the Bank thoroughly deserved the "This is awesome" chant they got.
Grade: A-
#2 Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match
One of the greatest Ladder Matches of all time, the 2021 Men's Money in the Bank match delivered a fantastic showcase for all eight involved. It featured the right amount of crazy spots, with the likes of John Morrison and Ricochet flying about.
The former United States Champion was excellent and pulled off unbelievable feats. Meanwhile, Drew McIntyre showcased his power and took flight as well.
But The Scottish Warrior wouldn't win because Jinder Mahal, Veer, and Shanky attacked him and dragged him out of the arena. The other former Champion in the match, Seth Rollins, was crafty and formed an alliance with Johhny Drip-Drip that took up the middle of the match.
Rollins traded big moves with Riddle, who went on an RKO rampage. The former Money in the Bank winner then powerbombed Kevin Owens through a bridged ladder outside the ring. It was one of several devastating bumps KO took during the match.
Big E finally sent Seth Rollins crashing with a Big Ending off the ladder, climbed it, and unhooked the Money in the Bank briefcase. The perfect winner following an unbelievable car-crash-style ladder match. This was excellent all-around!
Grade: A
#1 Roman Reigns vs. Edge for the Universal Championship at Money in the Bank
Roman Reigns and Edge had a slobberknocker in the main event for the Universal Championship at Money in the Bank. It was a storytelling masterclass between two of the best in the business, going for over half an hour.
Like most of Reigns' matches these days, the action started steadily. But this time, the crowd was present and their energy was palpable. As the action spilled to the outside, the Universal Champion crashed through the barricade after Edge dodged a spear.
The Rated-R Superstar then hit Reigns with a spear of his own through another barricade. The referee would be knocked down a few moments later. Edge applied the chair-assisted Crossface on Roman Reigns, while Rey and Dominik Mysterio stopped The Usos from interfering in the match.
However, Seth Rollins appeared and rocked Edge with a superkick. But it wasn't enough as the 11-time world champion hit another spear on Reigns at Money in the Bank for an intense near fall.
A further distraction from Rollins allowed the Universal Champion to hit Edge with a spear. The match was epic. Both Superstars gave it absolutely everything.
But the booking was even better, with Seth Rollins costing Edge and confronting Roman Reigns before John Cena came out. All-in-all, it was the perfect close to Money in the Bank.
Grade: A+
