Kane, Miz make most of Money In The Bank

WWE’s Money In The Bank pay-per-view comes to you from Kansas City. A separate Raw and Smackdown MITB match will take place as well as battles for the World Heavyweight title and WWE Championship. Let’s get right to the action.

Main Event: WWE Championship Steel Cage Match- John Cena vs. Sheamus (c)

The steel cage has been put in place to keep The Nexus out and attempt to settle the score between these two Superstars once and for all. We are told that Sheamus is the 39th WWE world title holder. Cena receives a smattering of boos when he is introduced. Both men take their time to feel each other out and not wanting to make the first mistake. Sheamus lays down some heavy right hands and uses the cage to his advantage. Cena bounces back with a fisherman suplex and then exchanges fists with the Irishman. The first escape attempt out of the steel structure occurs and ends with John hitting a superplex.

The Celtic Warrior sinks in a sleeper hold, which followed an exchange of near falls and changes of momentum. With Sheamus strapped on his back Cena starts to climb the rungs of the cage before dropping from exhaustion and barely kicking out at two. The Franchise has caught his second wind and nails the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but the champion nearly scurries up and out of the cage. After missing a top rope Five Knuckle Shuffle, Sheamus ties up Cena’s arms in the ropes and climbs right over him, nearly escaping before John broke loose. The WWE champ decides not to climb out of the cage when given the chance and gets caught in the Attitude Adjustment for a near fall.

Out comes NXT with bolt cutters, but one of the officials grabs them and runs away. The other referee takes the keys to the cage and throws them into the crowd. While all this is going on Sheamus chucks Cena into the in-ring ref, knocking him out. John locks in the STFU, but there is no referee to see the tap out. NXT surrounds the ring and Cena throws Gabriel inside from atop the cage. As Cena was fighting off NXT members, Sheamus snuck out and sprinted out into the crowd. The Celtic Warrior is still your WWE champion. NXT has scattered, except for a couple of members and it looks like Cena has snapped as he starts to decimate the remaining groupies one by one. The Franchise whips the steel steps into Darren Young’s face and storms up the ramp shaking with rage.

WINNER: Sheamus
RATING: 3 out of 5

Match 1: Smackdown Money In The Bank- Kofi Kingston vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Kane vs. Big Show vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Christian vs. Matt Hardy

In my opinion knock off Big Show, Kane and Kofi right off the bat, and give strong consideration to McIntyre and Christian. Big Show cleans house early and attempts to get his own personalized ladder from underneath the ring when the other Superstars gang up and take down the giant. Nearly every competitor takes a go at the briefcase with Christian coming the closest before Hardy tips over the ladder.

Kane is decimated by a combo of attacks from Kingston, Rhodes, and Hardy. Kane and Show have been largely left on the outside, most likely to let the more agile performers show off. Kofi lays out McIntyre on the announcer table and leaps off the top of the ladder with a leg drop that sends his foe through the table. Amazing looking spot. Show now brings out his customized 350-pound ladder and this thing is a monstrosity!

On an injured left ankle, Big Show makes a go up his custom ladder, however, Kane tips him off of it and then all the other wrestlers bury Show in ladders outside the ring! The Big Red Machine is on a rampage as he hurls Rhodes into an ambulance at the top of the ramp, but is double teamed by the ongoing in-match partnership of Matt and Christian. Now it is the two ladder match legends warring atop the special ladder, ending with both Hardy and Christian falling off. McIntyre finally comes to and is tossed off by Kane who…takes the briefcase! Wow, I did not see that coming. Hopefully this will be the first Money In The Bank winner who does not become champion.

WINNER: Kane
RATING: 4 out of 5

Josh Matthews is backstage with WWE champion Sheamus who discusses his challenges with The Nexus and says that he helped Cena last week so that John would have no excuses in their match tonight.

Match 2: Divas Championship- Eve Torres vs. Alicia Fox (c)

Eve has a couple of near falls early and she takes a nasty spill when Alicia pulled her leg first down from the second turnbuckle. The ladies are looking pretty smooth with some back and forth action where Eve is favouring her back. A falling sommersault off of the second rope by Eve results in two knees to the back. Fox follows that up with her axe kick to retain the title cleanly. Alicia looked quite strong coming out of this.

WINNER: Alicia Fox
RATING: 2.5 out of 5

Footage from this past Smackdown is shown where Jack Swagger turned his back on his own father where Kane choke slammed and tombstoned dear old dad. Back live in the dressing room, Swagger is on the phone with his mother where he tells her to shut up and that his father got what he deserved for always trying to bask in his glory.

Match 3: Unified Tag Team Championship- Jimmy & Jay Uso w/ Tamina vs. The Hart Dynasty (c)

The last time tag titles changed hands in Kansas City was back in 2001. D.H. Smith and Jay Uso start this one off with Smith in control. The Uso’s isolate the 3rd generation Smith who delivers a belly to belly suplex, which allows him to make the hot tag to Tyson Kydd. Tyson gets the knees up to block a top rope splash. Natalya takes care of Tamina with a body slam on the outside when she tried to distract Smith. He then slaps on the Sharpshooter to Jay who quickly taps out. A solid bout, too bad it didn’t go longer.

WINNER: The Hart Dynasty
RATING: 3 out of 5

Match 4: World Heavyweight Championshp- Jack Swagger vs. Rey Mysterio (c)

Jack Swagger has taken on a very Kurt Angle type of profile by trying to cripple opponents with his ankle lock and of course promoting his amateur wrestling background. Champion Rey Mysterio limps down the entrance ramp on the ankle that Swagger injured. Jack chases Rey’s ankle right off the bat, however, the champion is able to scamper away for the first few minutes. Mysterio flies off the top rope to the outside onto Swagger with a seated senton. Swagger shows more signs of emulating Kurt Angle by doing Kurt’s famed running up the turnbuckles to belly to belly toss his opponent off of the top.

Time catches up with the world champ as the challenger begins to work over that injured ankle. Rey Rey gamely fights back and scores a near fall courtesy of a split legged moonsault from the top, before Jack regains control from a wheelbarrow suplex. Mysterio gets his foot on the rope in the nick of time after being crushed by a gut wrench suplex. Rey reverses a second rope powerslam attempt into a tornado DDT for a long two count. The champion connects with 619, but gets caught into an ankle lock off of his springboard attempt. Mysterio escapes the hold twice and wraps up Swagger for the win thanks to a modified head scissors. After the bell Swagger snaps and sinks in the ankle lock. Kane comes down for the save and mauls Jack up the ramp and to the back.

WINNER: Rey Mysterio
RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Kane comes back out with his briefcase in hand as Mysterio stands gingerly on his injured appendage. He officially cashes in his Money In The Bank contract that he won earlier tonight. Kane obviously goes right after the injured ankle and delivers a vicious choke slam. The Big Red Machine adds a tombstone to the mix and we have ourselves a new world heavyweight champion. This is Kane’s second title reign, the first coming about 11 years ago and lasted only one day where he won and lot to Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Edge and Chris Jericho have a backstage encounter where each one states their desperation to win the Money In The Bank battle later on.

Match 5: Women’s Championship- Kelly Kelly w/ Tiffany vs. Layla w/ Michelle McCool

Filler women’s match part deux up now as WWE’s answer to TNA’s Beautiful People, Laycool, get ready to defend the title. Layla catches Kelly’s leg in the apron skirt and starts to focus on the left leg. The women’s champ is dominating by whipping Kelly to the outside barrier and then providing a distraction so that Michelle can get some cheap shots in. Kelly goes berserk and hits K2 for a two count. A sudden end comes where Layla reverses a rollup to pin down the challenger.

WINNER: Layla
RATING: 2.5 out of 5

Match 6: Raw Money In The Bank- John Morrison vs. Randy Orton vs. The Miz vs. Mark Henry vs. Evan Bourne vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Chris Jericho vs. Edge

Outside of Mark Henry this war is pretty much a pick’em. Bourne and Morrison don’t appear to be at that main event level quite yet, but Kane won tonight so who knows what can happen. The ultimate opportunist goes for the briefcase quickly before being yanked off by arch nemesis Randy Orton. The 416-pound Mark Henry squishes The Miz through the second rope, but gets some steel in the teeth thanks to Jericho. The Viper pulls Bourne through the ladder steps to hit an elevated DDT, however Morrison strikes quickly with a head kick.

While Edge and Morrison battle a top one ladder, Y2J and Orton take swings at one another right beside them. Henry stands between the two ladders and tips all four men over. With everyone down Maryse sneaks in and tries to climb the ladder to grab the briefcase for herself. Morrison pulls down Maryse gently and tells her to leave, during which, Dibiase nearly takes the case. Edge sticks Morrison in between the middle rungs of the ladder and destroys him with another ladder. The World’s Strongest man squashes Edge and Jericho, and then all hell breaks loose as bodies are flying all over. Orton hits the RKO on a charging Edge, which leaves Jericho and Morrison slugging atop the steel structure.

Bourne comes oh so close to unlatching the briefcase, however, Y2J stops that dream and starts to duke it out with Edge. The Miz shoves off Randy Orton and scoots up to grab the case. Miz now has a title shot over the next year. The push rocket pack is firmly strapped on the back of The Miz. The winner picks up the microphone and tells the Kansas City crowd that he has now “made it”.

WINNER: The Miz
RATING: 4 out of 5