Jun 29, 2014
A frantic scramble to claim an empty throne highlights WWE Money in the Bank 2014.
With the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship hanging above the ring, a blend of established and emerging stars battled for the right to wear that prize. The pay-per-view’s other key bouts pitted two backwoods bruisers against the WWE Tag Team champs and placed a pair of comrades-turned-enemies in a crowded field of hungry stars.
Did Boston’s TD Garden play host to history? Did Roman Reigns or Cesaro earn his first world title, or did the company turn to a familiar face as its top titleholder?
The following is a breakdown of Money in the Bank’s results, complete with highlights and letter grades. The recap begins with the man who last held the WWE title, a neck injury forcing him into a non-wrestling role for the pay-per-view.
Daniel Bryan Interview
In lieu of a pre-show bout, WWE offered up a chance to hear Daniel Bryan speak about his health and being stripped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Michael Cole welcomed the former champ, who led the Boston fans in an echoing “Yes!” chant. He grinned as the crowd roared for him.
Bryan said that his recovery was going poorly and that he didn’t know when he’d be back. He promised to return better than ever and to win back his title.
Bo Dallas walked down to the ring and tried to cheer Bryan up. Bryan told him to “Bo-leave” before leading another round of chants.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Fans chant “No!” when Bryan asks them to shush.
“The strength hasn’t come back in my arm, and they are talking about doing another surgery.” —Bryan.
“It wouldn’t be a Daniel Bryan story if it didn’t have a few setbacks.” —Bryan.
“You can still climb the ladder of life.” —Dallas to Bryan.
Grade
C+
Analysis
WWE did what it could with this.
The news on Bryan’s recovery is disappointing and makes one worry about if Bryan can even come back at all. The possibility of him undergoing multiple neck surgeries is not what he or his fans wanted to hear.
Adding Dallas to the mix was a fun addition. It’s not a career-making segment, but it gets him a spotlight on the pay-per-view that he wouldn’t have otherwise received.
It’s smart of WWE to highlight Bryan even if he can’t compete, as it works to keep his momentum going for when he does return.
With The Usos waiting for them, Erick Rowan and Luke Harper slunk toward the ring. Jey Uso attacked first, kicking Harper in the gut before tagging his brother in.
The Wyatt Family soon gutted the champs’ momentum, though.
Uppercuts and boots to the throat briefly had The Usos down. Jey fought back, diving at Rowan and earning a number of near-falls. Rowan snatched back control by pushing Jey off the top rope into the security barricade.
The match slowed at this point. It became an alternating showcase of Harper and Rowan’s viciousness.
After taking a glut of punishment, Jey finally tagged out. Jimmy went on a flurry, dropping both foes.
Two superkicks weren’t enough to keep Harper down. Near-falls came at a rapid pace after that as the match crackled with energy. Jimmy saved his brother after a two-man slam. He then saved himself by knocking Rowan off the top rope.
It took both brothers, but after two splashes, they kept Rowan down for the three-count.
Result
The Usos win via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Jey hits a flying forearm off the security barricade.
“They’ve run into the proverbial buzz saw here.”—Michael Cole on The Usos.
Jimmy barely lands a corkscrew moonsault.
Both of The Usos superplex Rowan.
Grade
A
Analysis
This bout featured the contrast in styles and great chemistry that has made their previous matches so entertaining. It was a thrilling contest, one that reinvigorates the tag team division.
The Usos, who haven’t had nearly enough challengers as champs, fought through their toughest battle and came out of it looking like absolute warriors.
Both teams benefited here, each delivering its best bout as a duo.
Shortly after the opening bell, Paige and Naomi locked up on the outside. Naomi flung Paige off the apron onto the floor before hitting a suicide dive on the champ.
The Funkadactyl controlled the action, forcing Paige to kick out several times. She then twisted her in a submission hold that had the champion’s arms bent backward.
After a spill outside the ring, Paige used the Stump Puller, testing Naomi’s pain threshold. Cameron looked on from ringside unamused.
Naomi responded with a short flurry. The Rear View wasn’t enough to beat Paige, and a split-legged moonsault attempt failed thanks to Paige’s knees to her gut.
The Anti-Diva ended things with a cradle DDT.
The Funkadactyls showed more tension after the match. Naomi seemed disinterested in talking to her partner.
Result
Paige wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Naomi dives out of the ring onto Paige.
Both Divas fall off the top rope onto the floor outside the ring.
Grade
A-
Analysis
The bout served as Naomi’s coming-out party. She kept up with Paige, delivering great counters and matching Paige’s intensity.
An early hallmark of Paige’s title reign has been that she produces more aggressive in-ring action than fans are used to seeing from the Divas. She and Naomi showed that WWE should consider keeping this rivalry going and putting more spotlight on both women.
It would feature far better matches than what Naomi and Cameron would do against each other.
Dressed as Paul Revere, Damien Sandow insulted the Boston fans. Adam Rose soon followed him, joined by his dance-happy entourage.
Rose rubbed his butt in Sandow’s face, but the former Mr. Money in the Bank fought back with forearms to the back and elbows to the sternum. Sandow was nasty as he stomped on his foe.
Speed had Rose back on top, as he ducked the overdressed Superstar and tagged him with right hands.
Moments later, Sandow’s missed moonsault cost him. Rose hit the Party Foul afterward for the win.
Result
Rose wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
“Boston will always live in the shadow of New York.”—Sandow.
“The elbow is coming!”—Sandow before hitting his Elbow of Disdain.
Grade
B-
Analysis
For an unannounced short match, this was surprisingly entertaining. Rose gets the win and the momentum, but Sandow was the standout performer here.
Despite his silly persona-shifting gimmick, he came off as a compelling villain. He had flashes of impressive action. Should he have enough ring time to do more of this, he can flourish regardless of what costume he is wearing.
WWE announced that Bad News Barrett’s injury would keep him out of the match. That left Kofi Kingston, Jack Swagger, Rob Van Dam, Dolph Ziggler, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins in the fray.
Ambrose hurled himself at Rollins right away. The two former comrades brawled near the timekeeper area while the other combatants battled.
Kingston was the early star leaping from, crashing onto and swinging ladders. He went for the briefcase early, but Ambrose pushed him down. Ambrose and Rollins struggled to suplex each other onto a ladder until the former flipped the latter over, flesh hitting steel.
Ziggler and Kingston darted up toward the briefcase but soon found themselves tasting a ladder shot to the head courtesy of Rollins.
Van Dam went on the attack, sending Rollins out in spasms, knocking Swagger to the mat and clearing the ring for his own attempt at the briefcase. Several wrestlers went on flurries, including Swagger, who sent Van Dam crashing from high above the ring.
The powerhouse later emptied the ring and tried for the case. Foes soon pulled at his legs.
Ambrose and Rollins traded fists with the briefcase swinging just above them. In the ensuing chaos, Ambrose emerged with his left arm limp at his side. WWE’s doctors forced him out of the match.
More pain followed. Van Dam soon clutched his hamstring after falling, and Kingston hurled Rollins into a ladder in what looked like something out of a demolition derby.
Ziggler emerged from the wreckage, but an injured ankle slowed his ascent too much.
Ambrose barreled back into the match and wrecked Rollins’ back with steel-chair shots, but Kane ran in and prevented his victory. After a Tombstone Piledriver, Ambrose was out, allowing Rollins to climb to the top and celebrate a win.
Result
Rollins grabs the briefcase for the win.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Kingston falls from a ladder, bounces off the top rope and onto a pile of enemies.
Van Dam hits Rolling Thunder onto Rollins, who is lying on a ladder.
Swagger powerbombs Van Dam from a ladder, and then Ambrose superplexes Rollins off a high rung.
Swagger hits a Swagger Bomb on both a ladder and Kingston.
Ambrose fights off the medical staff.
Kingston flips Rollins onto a propped-up ladder, resulting in a violent crash.
Ziggler cracks Kingston’s head against the steel with a Zig Zag.
Grade
A+
Analysis
WWE got everything right with this match. Rollins’ win furthers his feud with Ambrose, elevates a new star to a higher tier and continues The Authority angle.
The action along the way was fantastic. This ranks as one of the best Money in the Bank Ladder matches ever, a conveyor belt of great spots and dramatic near-wins. Rollins and Ambrose’s feud provided the heart of it, tying all those highlights together in an engaging narrative.
Crouching in the center of the ring, Stardust inspired a look of confusion from Curtis Axel.
Stardust sprinted around the ring, knocking Axel off balance before Ryback tried to slow the face-painted star. Stardust was too agile and quick for The Big Guy, though.
It wasn’t until Goldust tagged in that RybAxel took control. Axel pounded him before Ryback wrapped his arm around his neck. The heels used quick tags to stay fresh as they kept The Bizarre One down.
Momentum shifted when Stardust got back in, as he dodged Ryback’s blows, sprang around the ring and sent Axel out of the ring.
Ryback went for Shell Shocked, but Stardust turned it into Cross Rhodes. That didn’t get him the win, but a schoolboy pin soon after did.
The action continued after the bell, the Rhodes brothers fighting off Axel and celebrating in the ring.
Result
Stardust and Goldust win via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Stardust leaps off his brother’s back onto Axel.
“I still got it.”—Ryback to the crowd.
Stardust sprints across the ring apron.
Grade
C+
Analysis
This was a slower, less energetic version of the tag title match.
Stardust was the clear highlight of what was at best a solid contest. How unreservedly he dove into his character was fun to watch. With more strange mannerisms like he showed here, Stardust is sure to win over fans and have this team continue for the next few months.
He and Goldust will likely need a different set of rivals, though. There was little chemistry between these duos.
After planting the Russian flag at ringside, Rusev bowed in the ring. Lana struggled to get her speech started thanks to “USA!” chants. Once she did, she praised Vladimir Putin and looked down on America, as per usual.
Big E and Rusev slugged it out. The sound of fists on ribs filled the TD Garden.
The American went for the spear off the apron that he hit at Payback, but Rusev waited for him with a knee to the jaw. Rusev then smashed his foot into Big E’s back and head.
After Big E dropped Rusev on his head, The Bulgarian Brute grew angry, swinging his fists like clubs. Big E responded with slams and suplexes before nailing the spear off the apron he went for earlier.
Both men were stunned and rolled back into the ring. Rusev wiped blood off his lips and struggled to his feet.
A kick to Big E’s ear got him control of the match once more. He riled himself up, howling along with Lana before bending his foe’s back in The Accolade. Big E fought to escape but eventually tapped out.
Result
Rusev wins via submission.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Rusev bends over a fallen Big E, shouting at him in Russian.
Big E sends Rusev to the floor with a spear off the apron.
Big E nearly breaks free of The Accolade.
Grade
B+
Analysis
Pushed further than he ever has been before, Rusev flourished. The physical bout was his best with WWE yet, a chance to reveal his showmanship skills and toughness.
It was wise for WWE to tease Big E breaking Rusev’s finisher. When someone finally does, it’s going to be a hugely dramatic moment.
Had this battle gone on a touch longer and produced a few more highlights, it would have slid into an A grade. As it stands, WWE saw more of what its big, foreign beast can do.
Fandango served as the referee as Summer Rae and Layla faced off. Layla threw Summer out of the ring and tried to seduce Fandango while she was out.
Summer went to kiss Fandango, but Layla attacked her. The former Divas champ bent Summer’s legs in a submission hold as Fandango swiveled his hips. Summer came back, tossing her opponent around by the hair.
Layla knocked Summer, over and Fandango had no issue counting to 10.
Result
Layla wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Fans chant for CM Punk.
“Fandango can’t lose.”—John “Bradshaw” Layfield.
Grade
D-
Analysis
There’s a reason the crowd grew restless during this match.
It failed to build on the feud or make much use of the fact that Fandango was referee. Fans have seen Summer deliver top-notch matches at NXT, but this wasn’t one of them. A hurried, uninspired affair failed to showcase her skills and do much more than fill airtime.
Summer not being a true babyface before this made it hard to feel for her after her loss.
Entrants: Bray Wyatt, Sheamus, John Cena, Alberto Del Rio, Kane, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Cesaro
The Authority watched from ringside as all eight men entered the ring. The bout opened with a brawl where old rivals went after each other. Sheamus and Cesaro collided, as did Wyatt and Cena.
Cesaro and Del Rio fought over a ladder but still managed to crack it against Orton. Wyatt flung himself into it, sending his foes rolling out of the ring.
Reigns had a moment alone on the ladder, but Sheamus charged at him. Kane then ruined Sheamus’ hopes of winning. Several competitors climbed up at the same time, but Kane started pushing everyone aside.
Kane then held the ladder for Orton, but Reigns cleared the way for himself.
The match picked up intensity here. Wyatt forced Sheamus and Cesaro to hang above the ring. Orton and Sheamus brawled outside the ring. Using a propped-up ladder, Orton hit The Celtic Warrior with a DDT.
Orton looked to be en route to the titles when the entire field converged on the ladder. Kane thinned out the battle before slugging it out with Sheamus. The Irishman went on a run, hitting ring-rattling slams on everyone within reach.
One ladder crammed into another until they became a central figure. Men fought atop the contraption as others pushed it and slammed each other into it before Kane dismantled it.
Reigns hit a pair of Superman punches that sent Kane and Orton out of the ring, then ran around the ring nailing folks with dropkicks. That left Cena and Reigns alone in a one-on-one battle that Reigns won courtesy of the spear.
It looked as if Orton was going to win, but he couldn’t climb high enough. Sheamus, Cesaro, Wyatt and Del Rio also had close calls.
Kane looked to help Orton once more, but Cena knocked both men over and yanked the championship off its hook.
Result
Cena wins the WWE title.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Reigns and Sheamus make a ladder sandwich out of Kane.
Cesaro flings Cena into the air and uppercuts him.
Sheamus and Cesaro hang above the ring with no ladder under them.
“You can’t see me, fella.”—Sheamus to Cena.
Reigns tilts a ladder with both Sheamus and Cesaro on it into the corner.
Reigns hits a dropkick onto Wyatt on the announce table.
A wound on Orton’s head opens up, blood blanketing his forehead.
Grade
A-
Analysis
Money in the Bank’s main event was slower and featured less spots than the pay-per-view’s other Ladder match. Its high stakes and great teases at wins propelled it, though.
These bouts are inherently exciting, and in terms of in-ring action, there was a lot to like here. The result is the most bothersome part of this one.
There isn’t any excitement about a Cena world title win. It’s something fans have seen again and again over the last decade. It’s as predictable an outcome as the ghosts in Scooby-Doo not actually being ghosts.
WWE had a chance to let one of its emerging stars take a huge step, but instead, it took the well-worn path. Cena as champ likely sets up a huge SummerSlam bout between him and Brock Lesnar, so the decision makes sense. Still, the lack of a new face with the championship is a letdown.
SD Yankee Report 