Money in the Bank 2021 Results and Grades
What a show! WWE did not disappoint in their second show of the post-Thunderdome era, giving the fans in Fort Worth unforgettable moments, long-term storytelling, and surprising delights. Money in the Bank was the first pay-per-view event in front of a live crowd since Wrestlemania earlier this year and the second since Elimination Chamber in March of last year, and the crowd certainly did not disappoint with their especially loud pops. Money in the Bank is annually one of the most anticipated shows of the year, and this year’s event is no exception with the return of Edge and a relatively unpredictable Money in the Bank men’s ladder match. So how did each segment of the event unravel and how did this one wrestling fan on Full Court Press receive it?
Kickoff Show: The Usos def. The Mysterios to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship
Although some may disagree, the Usos winning the titles off the Mysterios was the right call. The finish may be controversial to some considering Jimmy Uso’s recent DUI arrest (with a BAC level of .205 no less), but the finish felt right for the Usos considering their storyline with the Universal Champion Roman Reigns. If the Usos had lost, the Bloodline would be in a weaker position than they should be at this point of their current run. The match was a solid opener, especially with the evident improvement of Dominic Mysterio and the drama involved in the finish itself, which saw Jimmy Uso help Jey Uso pin Rey Mysterio. But for an opening match, it was far too slow at times to bring the crowd into the match.
Grade: B
Nikki A.S.H. wins the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Of all the five women’s Money in the Bank ladder matches over the past five years, this could easily be considered the weakest. At one point, we were supposed to be convinced that Alexa Bliss was hypnotizing Zelina Vega on top of the ladder, preventing her from reaching for the briefcase. The match did have some nice, fun moments like the loud pop for Liv Morgan as she climbed up the ladder for the first time (expect a solid run for Liv as Summerslam approaches). The finish was a mess with the competitors burying Alexa Bliss under multiple ladders and three hastily set up ladders under the briefcase setting the stage for six of the competitors to fight at the top of the ladders. While six of the competitors fought atop the ladders, Nikki A.S.H. snuck up the middle ladder and retrieved the briefcase surprisingly easily. The finish was somehow both clever and lazy (something I never thought possible), but it was also unpredictable as Nikki has been known to portray the sidekick for years since her debut. The pop for Nikki was earned and was one of pure jubilation for an incredibly hard-working woman.
Grade: C-
AJ Styles and Omos def. The Viking Raiders to retain the Raw Tag Team Championship
To be completely honest, I was not very interested in watching this match. With the New Day focused on Bobby Lashley, The Miz entertaining from a wheelchair, and Randy Orton going on a leave of absence, the tag team division on Raw is as depleted as ever. However, the inclusion of the phenomenal AJ Styles in the match saved it from being boring. This was a very fun match that served the show well not only because of AJ Styles but also because of the great performance from the consistent Viking Raiders. WWE continue to do a great job of putting Omos over as a destructive big man, and Omos’s improvement from his debut at Wrestlemania is becoming more and more evident.
Grade: C+
Bobby Lashley def. Kofi Kingston to retain the WWE Championship
No one in their right mind would have predicted that Kofi Kingston would win back the title he lost to Brock Lesnar in nine seconds in October 2019. As great of a story that would have been for Kofi-Mania to get a 2021 reboot, Bobby Lashley losing to Kofi Kingston was just a flat-out impossibility. Lashley has been dominant as WWE Champion since winning it in March, and with rumors swirling around about Goldberg’s return, it only made sense that Lashley would destroy Kofi in order to look dominant enough to beat Goldberg at Summerslam next month. But no one foresaw just how bad Kofi would be beaten. Kofi did not get a single bit of offense in on Lashley and sold all of Lashley’s punishment like an absolute pro. It was reminiscent of John Cena’s infamous loss to Brock Lesnar at Summerslam in 2014. However, the utter dominance of Lashley made this seven-and-a-half-minute match a bit boring at times. A lot of the match felt like filler and felt as though it was about seven minutes too long. But the match gets extra points for its storytelling beyond the match.
Grade: B-
Charlotte Flair def. Rhea Ripley to win the Raw Women’s Championship
If it were not for an almost completely tired storyline, this match would have easily been my favorite of the night. Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley stole the show with an extremely physical encounter that featured quite a bit of drama and high spots. Charlotte has the best moonsault in the world (and it’s not all that close), and Ripley’s physicality and intensity melt through the screen. The finish was also well-earned as Charlotte exploited a leg injury to Ripley from this past Monday night and locked that leg into the Figure Eight for the win. A lot of hardcore fans may be disappointed with the result as this is now Charlotte’s 14th (14th!!) title win, and it is very obvious that WWE wants Charlotte to catch up to her father’s record of 16 world title reigns by the end of her career. It’s not just that it’s her 14th title run but also that it’s her 14th title run in only six years. However, I truly believe Charlotte is in the argument for the best women’s wrestler of all time and that she deserves all that she is getting. As for Ripley, her work in this match proves that she’s ready for the top spotlight. This was technically only her second match as a member of the main roster in front of a live crowd, and she worked the crowd like a charm.
Grade: A-
Big E wins the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
This was an amazingly wild and action-packed match, and all eight men in this match deserve a big round of applause for their efforts. Seth Rollins was his usual diabolical self, using John Morrison as an ally to beat down Kevin Owens and betraying Morrison at the right time. Riddle hitting RKOs never gets old, as his RKO party on everyone in the ring drew huge pops from the crowd. He even recreated the iconic RKO that Randy Orton hit on Rob Van Dam in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match in 2013! Just as Drew McIntyre was building momentum and looked like he could win the match early, Jinder Mahal and his goons attacked Drew and essentially took him out of the match. Given the fans booing Drew earlier in the night during a pre-match promo, this was the right call as the creative behind his babyface run over the last three or four months has been uninteresting drivel to say the least. Ricochet was great as the high-flying spot monkey in this match, creating chaos with his incredible diving. Kevin Owens began to gain momentum in this match stunning just about everybody and their mother, but Rollins took him out with a powerbomb through a ladder. Just as Rollins was climbing up, Big E stopped his climb and hit him with the biggest Big Ending ever. Seriously, the visual of that Big Ending was just too hilariously stunning. Big E got right back up and climbed the ladder to grab the briefcase in an amazing moment that should begin the rapid ascent of Big Ettore to the top of the card.
Grade: A
Roman Reigns def. Edge to retain the Universal Championship
Has Roman Reigns had a bad match since winning the Universal Championship 11 months ago? He has mastered his craft as a heel worker, creating drama with the simplest takedown. The match was a delight for old-school fans who appreciate a match that starts slow and ramps up to a fast-paced conclusion. The start of the match was dominated by Roman until Edge countered a Superman Punch with a backslide and create an even match. Edge even tried John Cena’s STF (foreshadowing much?) to beat Roman. Edge’s first spear attempt was countered by a Guillotine Choke, and Roman’s first spear attempt was dodged by Edge on the floor and sent him through the barricade into the timekeeper’s area. The match really kicked into its final gear when Roman hit Edge with a Superman Punch that levelled the referee as well. This appeared to allow the Usos to interfere on Roman’s behalf, but the Mysterios stopped the Usos from coming close to the ring. This paved the way for Seth Rollins, who cut a promo before the match complaining about not being in the Universal Championship match, to interfere and hit Edge with a superkick. Edge was able to recover and hit a spear on Roman, but Roman kicked out. Rollins came back to distract Edge enough, opening up a thunderous spear from Roman onto Edge for the win. An infuriated Edge and Seth Rollins brawled around the arena while Roman cut a short promo. I still remember the moment on an episode of Raw in 2014 in which Rollins essentially threatened to kill Edge on live television; now it looks like we are going to get a match at Summerslam between the two. My only wish is for WWE to do this kind of gripping long-term storytelling more often. As Roman was about to leave the ring, John Cena’s (!) music hit and the fans went absolutely berserk, welcoming Cena with one of the biggest pops WWE has seen over the past decade. Cena stared down Roman and that was the end of an amazing show. This is another great piece of long-term storytelling as the last time Cena and Roman were in the ring together, Roman had beaten Cena in a classic at No Mercy in 2017. At the time, the feud was intense and personal with Cena calling Roman out for being a cheap “corporately created John Cena bootleg”, but with Roman’s heel turn and evolution, this feud has taken on a different and more interesting form. Also, is it just me or is John Cena skinnier than usual?
Grade: A
