It’s been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of having Jey Uso’s presence here on the blue brand. On the eve of Money in the Bank, the six men participating in the men’s Ladder match; LA Knight, Jey Uso, Andrade, Carmelo Hayes, Drew McIntyre and Chad Gable, meet in the middle for a little… chat. Ha! The amount of interruptions is staggering.
In regular wrestling fashion, a brawl commences after McIntyre introduces his competition one by one in the most insulting way he could imagine. Andrade was dubbed “El idiot”, he felt pity for Gable, Drew referred to himself as Him in front of Hayes, he reckons that LA Knight will be saying “No” instead of “Yeah”, and as for Jey, McIntyre questioned how he managed to cross the border. Wow. Such parasitic words from such a bitter, bitter man. It’s sad that this is the empty shell he’s reduced himself to.
Hayes looked lost for a second before the fighting started. Ha! Ha!
The men’s Money in the Bank participants at WWE Smackdown on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Photo by Steve Argintaru, Twitter/IG: @stevetsnMORE PHOTOS IN OUR GALLERY
After an explosive opening to the show, we head backstage to interview Bayley on her prior success in acquiring the Money in the Bank briefcase back in 2019 and became the longest SmackDown’s Women Champion. While that’s happening, Chelsea Green materializes to add her input on how C-List Bayley’s narration is to her ears.
It gets even worst when Piper Niven attacks her from behind as Green mentions that when Piper drops her again like that next time, she’ll be there to cash in her contract. Because of this, Bayley issues a match against Niven later tonight.
The Street Profits vs. Pretty Deadly – Tag Team match
While Montez Ford has Elton Prince in a waist lock, Prince attempts to whine himself out with the expression of someone who’s in desperate need of a restroom. Later on, Pretty Deadly play a double that results in Ford getting slammed against the mat. Montez repays the favor by displaying his athletic strength before tagging Dawkins.
Pretty Deadly regain some wind back as Prince hammers down on Angelo in the corner of the ring. Dawkins ducks out of the way and makes both of his opponents pay.
A bit of shenanigans from Pretty Deadly prevents Dawkins from keeping up, especially when the referee isn’t paying attention to what’s happening behind him. Prince and Wilson are seemingly the ones in control with that shoulder tackle to Angelo. When Dawkins and Wilson had the same idea, they collide in the middle and collapse like human inflatable mascots you see at car dealerships.
Ford and Prince come back into fray to pick up the pieces, and Montez is bringing in the smoke, as they say. Elton survives a standing Moonsault. They even manage to avoid disaster during a tag switch-a-roo by the Profits.
Ford and Dawkins make a comeback after Angelo bulldozes through Kit Wilson, so he could push Elton off the apron, which gives Ford the clear for a somewhat silly but victorious frog splash.
Winners: The Street Profits
Indi Hartwell & Candice LeRae at WWE Smackdown on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Photo by Steve Argintaru, Twitter/IG: @stevetsn MORE PHOTOS IN OUR GALLERY
Indi Hartwell & Candice LeRae vs. Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair – Tag Team match
The match was already underway with Jade and Indi in the center. Cargill shoves Hartwell into the turnbuckles, then tries to remain in pursuit, but she ends up colliding with the middle turnbuckle instead. She makes a comeback by face planting and Super Kicking Indi.
A series of overwhelming double teams from Hartwell and LeRae nearly stuns Cargill. Despite the pain, Jade attempts to reach Bianca, but couldn’t at first. Luckily, they both tag their respectable partners as Belair rams through Candice as the freshest competitor.
Cargill and Belair were looking to apply their newfound double team against Candice, the one that has brought them previous successes. However, Indi sees this and yanks Bianca by the braid, which allows Candice to roll Jade up for a near fall.
Jade’s pump kick to Candice stops her cold. Belair delivers a KOD to Indi, but it’s Cargill’s Jaded that wins the match.
Winners: Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill
Rhodes, Orton and Owens prepare themselves to fight the most dangerous faction to have ever descended upon WWE in the Bloodline tomorrow at Money in the Bank. We can continue to talk about that, or we can shift gears as what makes Kevin the essence of a Prize Fighter.
He mentions that the past five days, he’s been in a Quebec hospital tending to his mother, who’s fighting for her life, so she and his father won’t be there on Saturday. Despite the fact that if Owens had stayed home with no complaints from anybody, it would have bothered his mom if he did.
She wants him to do what he’s been doing for the past four years, only this time, he won’t simply kick the living hell out of the Bloodline but decimate ever inch of their body till there’s nothing remotely left.
Bayley vs. Piper Niven
At the start of the bell, Bayley does her best to get an early jump on Piper as Naomi stands in her corner, while Chelsea remains in Niven’s. But someone else is here tonight ahead of tomorrow’s proceedings, former Miss Money in the Bank and Damage Control leader, Iyo Sky.
Niven plants Bayley against the mat, despite the champ’s attempts at fighting back. Piper follows that up with a soul-crushing Senton that almost ends Bayley. The champ looks to get creative with a Bulldog. That only angered Piper as she quickly spins Bayley, so she could collide her head with the post to the point that she may be out cold.
Sky isn’t the only one present as part of the Money in the Bank Ladder match, Zoey Stark, Lyra Valkyria and Tiffany Stratton are here, too. Bayley regains some leverage as she suicides after Piper on the outside. She even ventures to apply a sleeper hold that Niven gets out of.
Things inside are at a standstill for the moment, outside; however, begin to boil over between Chelsea and Naomi. Just as Naomi disposes of Green by shoving her into the barricade, Iyo gets involved as well. Then Lyra, Zoey and Tiffany go after each other.
Regardless of the nonsense going on outside, Piper remains focused on Bayley, yet she’s unable to body splash her from the second rope. Bayley uses that failure to deliver a victorious Rose Plant.
Michin goes after Nia Jax at WWE Smackdown on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Photo by Steve Argintaru, Twitter/IG: @stevetsn MORE PHOTOS IN OUR GALLERY
Unfortunately, all the happiness to celebrate go out the window once Nia Jax makes her presence known by taking out Bayley knowing she has a Championship opportunity at SummerSlam.
She was going for the Annihilator, but her attempts get thwarted by Michin’s kendo stick to her body.
Winner: Bayley
The mess going on during the previous fight was simply a preview for what’s to come in the women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match. Hope you’re ready for Sami Zayn to defend his Intercontinental Championship against a formidable foe in Bron Breakker. “Fight like hell,” says Kevin Owens as he, Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes face the Bloodline in a 6-man Tag Team match that I prefer has no disqualifications, or count-outs.
If Seth Rollins pins the current World Heavyweight Champion in Damian Priest, El campeon would have to leave the Judgment Day. And if Seth loses, he’ll never challenge Damian as long as he holds the title. Jey Uso, LA Knight, Drew McIntyre, Chad Gable, Carmelo Hayes and Andrade compete in the men’s Ladder match for the contract. BREAKING NEWS Hall of Famer Trish Stratus will be hosting Saturday’s show!
Next Friday, Nia Jax and Michin run it back inside the ring. On the men’s side, Baron Corbin teams up with Apollo Crews to fight Angel and Humberto from Legado del Fantasma.
DIY vs. A-Town Down Under (c) – WWE Tag Team Championship match
Ding. Ding. Ding. Grayson blindsides Gargano, who’s standing in his corner. Tommaso leaps in after him once he gets the momentum of things. But never mind that, a brawl ensues in mid-ring with all the competitors throwing hands. DIY are on a roll.
Waller tries to help his Tag partner in the corner, but he meets with Johnny’s fist instead. That distraction did allow Theory to regain his composure and strike back at Gargano.
A-Town Down Under are now in control of their opponents as they continue to squish Johnny down to his knees. Theory hammers lefts and rights so much so that it drains Gargano. Later on, Johnny delivers the Cleveland Destroyer move against Grayson on the main floor, but Theory makes him pay with a clothesline.
Austin nearly retained the titles after Grayson was finally able to get up and remove Ciampa from the equation. DIY came very close to victory with Willow’s Bell from Tommaso and a Super Kick from Gargano, but it wasn’t enough.
Grayson looks to give Gargano a cheap shot while Theory held his arms, yet Johnny ducked out leaving Waller to punch Austin instead. DIY almost, ALMOST pinned Grayson with Shatter Machine; however, he kicked out. They were looking for Meet Me in the Middle, but Theory intervened.
This battle has been swinging back and forth as Gargano stops Waller from successfully pinning Tommaso. The second attempt at Meet Me in the Middle could have ended this match if it weren’t for the selflessness of Austin as he quickly places Waller’s foot on the bottom rope.
Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano vs A-Town Down Under at WWE Smackdown on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Scotiabank Plaza in Toronto. Photo by Steve Argintaru, Twitter/IG: @stevetsn MORE PHOTOS IN OUR GALLERY
In order to win, Johnny applies the Gargano Escape on Waller while Ciampa traps Theory with the Sicilian Stretch. Both Champions tap out.
Winners: DIY
As we reach the closing of the show, Solo Sikoa addresses the public after the heinous conclusion to the wise man Paul Heyman last week. The Ula Fala neckless represents leadership, the makings of a Tribal Chief, which Sikoa now possesses.
Sikoa claims he didn’t want this, but this is what the family needed. He believes that Roman Reigns wasn’t man enough to defend his Undisputed Championship versus Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. That he wasn’t supreme enough to defend his and his family’s legacy.
The title of Tribal Chief was stripped from him from under his nose by the Tribal heir, Solo Sikoa. Him proclaiming to be the new head of the table was inevitable given the previous awarding of a new title being the heir to this dynasty. The problem with some people’s perceptions is that they forget that detail and get mad. Ha! I’m not saying you have to like it because y’all don’t, but recognizing this reality for what it is isn’t going to turn you into an idiot. Or a collaborator.
You’re simply not blind. That’s all. Sikoa ventures to take the Undisputed Championship back from Cody. And if Roman wants it, he’ll have to go through Solo. Enjoy yourselves tomorrow because the work truly begins on Monday.
TOP PHOTO: Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano win the WWE Tag Team titles at WWE Smackdown on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Scotiabank Plaza in Toronto. Photo by Steve Argintaru, Twitter/IG: @stevetsn
WWE MONEY IN THE BANK IN TORONTO WEEKEND STORIES & GALLERIES
- July 7, 2024: NXT Heatwave: Tales from Scotiabank Arena Part Two… Electric Boogaloo
- July 7, 2024: NXT Heatwave: The All Ego Era Begins
- July 7, 2024: Steve Argintaru’s WWE Money In The Bank Toronto photo gallery
- July 7, 2024: John Cena announces retirement tour
- July 6, 2024: Stratton’s time is now, Cena’s time is up at Money in the Bank
- July 6, 2024: Money in the Bank Toronto: A live perspective from the press box
- Countdown to Money in the Bank
- July 6, 2024: More than just briefcases at WWE MITB pop-up store
- July 6, 2024: Steve Argintaru’s WWE Smackdown Toronto July 5, 2024 photo gallery
- July 6, 2024: Carmelo Hayes determined to prove himself again in WWE
- July 5, 2024: LA Knight: I am the total package
- July 5, 2024: WWE superstars gift fun and support to Toronto kids