Check out our Money In The Bank live coverage featuring Ronda Rousey’s debut match against Nia Jax.
On the pre-show match, the Bludgeon Brothers beat Gallows and Anderson. Daniel Bryan versus Big Cass opens up the show.
Daniel Bryan Vs Big Cass
This is the epitome of a one-man match. Bryan was doing a lot of selling early on, while still getting some offense in to keep the fans engaged.
Cass hit his big boot for a good near fall and Bryan kicked out. Previously, Bryan had hit his kicks to the chest. Cass put him in the torture rack, Bryan got out of it and then finally hit his running knee, which he teased early before hitting a big boot. Rather than pinning Cass, Bryan put him in a heel hook and Cass tapped out.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Sami Zayn Vs Bobby Lashley
This was a squash, but not even a good one. Bobby toyed with him, the crowd didn’t care, and then he did the delayed vertical suplex for the finish.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Elias Vs Seth Rollins
This is another great performance from one side of the ring. Rollins is on quite a roll and he might be the best performer on the main brand today. Seth pulled up lame in his left knee after he jumped off the top rope and worked the rest of the match on one leg. It gave out a couple of times.
Throughout the middle, Elias wrestled without any urgency and it kind of hurt the match. He had Seth on one leg and he just sort of went through his routine. But then, he picked up his urgency and the match got pretty good. Elias had a couple of near falls. The announcers were making it out to be about Elias, so there was a clear vision to try to make him in this match.
Seth did a dive out and Elias turned his momentum against him and he hit the barricade. Then he tossed him into the ring post and the steps and then back into the ring for a two count. Seth won after reversing Elias’ rollup attempt while holding the tights.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Money In The Bank: Sasha Banks Vs Becky Lynch Vs Ember Moon Vs Lana Vs Natalya Vs Naomi Vs Alexa Bliss Vs Charlotte Flair
Early on, the match was a great showcase for Ember Moon. Ember did a springboard from the middle rope into a high cross onto Sasha and onto the ladder. Naomi also was showcased early on and then Naomi and Ember went at each other for a while. That was fun.
Lots of powerbomb-like moves with the ladder being the landing spot. Sasha took her fair share of bumps. The match was worked solely around the women trying to climb the ladder rather than using the ladder as a prop. There were some semi-dangerous spots, but nothing that made you cringe. It was decently safe.
Becky had the briefcase nearly off hook, but Alexa Bliss flipped her backward and she fell into a ladder and Bliss unhooked the briefcase.
Everyone except Lana had some nice moments. Lana was mostly used to get the crowd fired up at her possibly winning.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
Jinder Mahal Vs Roman Reigns
I’ll let Bryan describe this beginning of this one.
If those fans are gonna chant boring, WE'LL GIVE THEM BORING. #MITB
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) June 18, 2018
The crowd turned on the match immediately. They botched a Samoan Drop early and then then went to rest holds. The match was actually okay. The crowd tried to make them the story with a beach ball and the wave. Sunil Singh was out in a neck brace, arms sling, and wheel chair. He interfered in the match on the outside and then went right back to selling his injuries.
There’s also been a CM Punk and a LOD chant.
Sunil tried to attack Roman again. Roman hit him with the Superman punch and then a spear. Back inside the ring, Jinder went for a small package for a great two count. Then Roman speared him to win.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Asuka Vs Carmela
Nothing much to the match as nothing could really happen until the Ellsworth run-in. He showed up wearing Asuka’s garb and just stood there. I think they were trying to do a pantomime thing, but it made Asuka look so dumb. She just stood there with her mouth open. Carmela rolled her up for a two count. Then, Ellsworth took the mask off and continued to stand there. Asuka stood there too. And then Carmela hit a kick on Asuka and pinned her.
Winner: Carmela
Shinsuke Nakamura Vs AJ Styles
The Last Man Standing gimmick hurt the match because there wasn’t a ton of flow to it. Every couple minutes, Mike Chioda had to stop the match and start counting.
There weren’t many close counts and you knew that the match wasn’t going to start until a low blow. Nakamura perched a table against the corner turnbuckle and tossed AJ through it. That got us a 9 count. The turnbuckle came off and Nakamura ran his knee into it.
They went to the outside and Nakamura finally gave him the low blow. AJ was up at 9. Then Nakamura hit him with the Kinshasa on the outside and got another 9 count. AJ hit a Phenomenal Forearm on the outside and then the Styles Clash from the steps to the floor. But Nakamura got up at 9. He asked AJ to come toward him and instead, AJ kicked him low. AJ then went back into the ring while Nakamura was trying to get up and had his back against the announcer’s table. Then AJ did the Phenomenal Forearm from the ring to the floor and they both went through the table. Nakamura was finally finished.
Winner: AJ Styles
Nia Jax Vs Ronda Rousey
The match was much better than I expected and it was all based on Ronda’s selling for Nia’s strength. Kudos goes to both women. Nia played big heel better than she has in WWE before. Ronda sold for her like it was real. The best part of the match was Ronda’s “hulk” up spot. After taking move after move, she basically said, “You can’t beat me.” Then she went did two judo throws and went for the arm bar, standing up and using that for leverage.
Alexa Bliss came in and hit Ronda and Nia with the briefcase. Ronda wins the match by DQ.
Winner: Ronda Rousey
She then cashed it in and hit Nia with a DDT and then Twisted Bliss for the win. Alexa is your new Raw Women’s champ.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
Money In The Bank: Samoa Joe Vs Finn Balor Vs Rusev Vs Kevin Owens Vs Bobby Roode Vs The Miz Vs Braun Stroman Vs Kofi Kingston
With the women’s match, they made sure to focus on the briefcase. That’s not the focus of this match. There’s lots of stuff happening outside, all focused on Braun Strowman destroying people. Kevin Owens was up on a very tall ladder and Strowman tossed him off and through a table near the stage. Owens wasn’t all the way to the top, but he was still fairly high on it.
They focused on the ladder climbing. Owens never made it back after getting tossed through the table. Rusev got in a triple accolade. Strowman, Miz, Balor and Kingston were after the briefcase. Balor was near the top. Strowman was about to climb. Then Kingston springoboarded himself onto Braun’s back. Braun shook Kofi off his back and grabbed the briefcase.
Winner: Braun Strowman
