The show, being filmed in Wichita, Kansas, kicks off with a promo segment with the Club, including AJ Styles. They’re talking about how they’re all going to be victorious at Money in the Bank, but that is broken up by Enzo and Big Cass. The exchange between the two teams was said to be solid, and this sets up a match with New Day on commentary.
Enzo/Cass vs. Anderson/Gallows
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This one ends seemingly ends in a no-contest after the Vaudevillains and the New Day both get involved before the match can come to a resolution. A brawl ensues.
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The Fatal Fourway between these four teams at Money in the Bank is loaded with potential. The Vaudevillains are clearly most people’s fourth choice as for who they’d like to see come away as champion, but they have more than held their own since coming to the main roster. As for the rest, some very realistic tension has developed in a division that has been hokey at times over the years.
Next up is a backstage interview with Renee Young talking to Rusev, who says he’s better than Muhammad Ali. That is interrupted by Titus O’Neil, who guarantees a victory at MITB.
Talking trash about Ali is risky this week, so here’s to hoping that segment is handled tastefully in the editing process. As for O’Neil, a lot of fans would love to see him come out on top in the United States title picture, but it’s hard to see that happening with as big as Rusev is being built up.
Kevin Owens/Alberto Del Rio def. Cesaro/Sami Zayn
In true “Peter Griffin vs. The Chicken” fashion, Owens and Zayn spend a portion of the match fighting backstage. When they return, Owens attacks Del Rio and then pins Cesaro for the victory.
There’s a lot to process in this MITB match build. The Owens-Zayn feud is obviously timeless, but you’ve also got a lot of legitimate in-ring talent mixed with the top-flight mic work of Owens as well as Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho. The mixing and matching of the six men already booked for the match has been fun, and that could only get better if rumors that Bray Wyatt is joining the match are true.
Becky Lynch def. Dana Brooke
Lynch gets a much-needed win via submission to add even more interest to the current women’s division storyline.
There hasn’t been any final indication as to what the women’s plans are for the MITB event. This could easily be a build toward a Becky-Charlotte match for the Women’s Championship, but it seems more likely that it’s more for a tag match with Lynch and Natalya facing off against Charlotte and Dana. With several women off TV, whether due to injury or other reasons, this would get more talent involved ahead of the expected brand split. However, it would also mean two belts not being contested since the Intercontinental title is on a movie set with The Miz.
The next segment is a promo with Darren Young and Bob Backlund, who for some reason claims he only wears one set of clothes to save money.
Young has really never given any reason to dislike him, but these segments don’t seem to be working. Since we know who Young is, these promos have really extended too long without him getting some in-ring or even in-arena action. It feels a little like the Golden Truth story, which extended far too long and lost whatever steam it had.
Baron Corbin def. Kalisto
With Dolph Ziggler on commentary, Corbin takes out another little guy with his End of Days finisher.
Corbin vs. Ziggler is another story that has seemingly run its course, but it also seems like we’re going to get another round of it at MITB. Having Corbin beat Kalisto in the masked superstar’s first real action since losing his U.S. title rematch is also unfortunate.
Sheamus and Apollo Crews are up next for a backstage segment in which Sheamus mocks Crews, who lights up the Celtic Warrior with a punch.
This feud absolutely has to be a win for Crews. Sheamus isn’t exactly in a position to be giving younger talent a boost by letting them go over, but the alternative is not a good one. Crews has lots of promise, but he needs to do something meaningful on the main roster before he gets lost.
Chris Jericho def. Dean Ambrose
In the show’s main event, Jericho gets something of a surprise win with a Codebreaker. After the match, Ambrose goes on the attack with a ladder to close out the show.
This is the main issue with having Jericho take part in the MITB match. In order for all six men to be perceived as a threat, all of them need to collect wins leading up to the match. But Jericho really doesn’t need to be beating guys like Ambrose, Owens, Zayn, Cesaro or Styles at this stage of his career. Contrary to what certain WWE staffers may tell us, wins and losses do matter.
