If you haven't watched my immediate reactions for the Pay Per View in my show section, then you won't know until now how excited I was last night. It's not often I feel like that after any sporting event, let alone a WWE Pay Per View outside Wrestlemania, but last night certainly delivered on so many levels. When a show combines fun matches, excellent booking, and a bit of intrigue and surprise, most viewers will be left with smiles on their faces. I would expect that most viewers certainly left this Pay Per View with just that.
I must be honest with everyone and admit that I missed the first 10 minutes of the pay per view. I guess I missed all the Smackdown MITB intros and a few spots, of which I am most disappointed in not seeing "Dashing" Cody Rhodes' entrance. Luckily for me, I did catch about 15 minutes of the opening contest and it was a fun one if nothng else. For a ladder match, it had some fun spots and some that were quite innovative. It always amazes me that there is always something new to be seen in these matches. I particularly liked the spot where everyone buried Big Show with ladders. It was both amusing and smart by the other competitors. As the match passed the 20 minute mark, I think we all started to wonder when it would end. With Matt Hardy and Christian on top of the ladder, I hoped one would knock the other off and grab the briefcase, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. Both fell off, and Drew came out of nowhere to start scaling the ladder. I was literally fuming with disappointment as he climbed higher and higher, because I believe he isn't ready just yet for the main event. Luckily, he didn't win........but Kane did? First match and already a shocker. However, I wasn't sure how to feel about this.
My initial thought on the previous match result was disappoinment. My fear of established main eventers both grabbing the briefcase was half right, though I never quite included Kane in the mix of those that shouldn't win. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that Kane couldn't possibly hold the case very long, as the character just isn't that type to be walking around with that thing for months. I began to hope for the earliest possible cash in.
Before we get another match, Sheamus cuts a promo, and a really good one at that. He was able to talk about Nexus and Cena and still come off as a hated heel. It was a long promo, but an impressive one.
The next match was the Divas title match, and I'm sure most people wrote this off before it began. Since I need to review it, I can't be one of those people and I'm glad I didn't. While it in no way rivals Bret Hart/Bulldog for the IC title, it was actually a pretty good little match that included some actual psychology. It's amazing how a little bit of storytelling makes a match watchable. Not surprisingly, Alicia got the win, so she, her gigantic forehead, and her crazy hips walk away still holding the Divas title.
While Alicia is getting decent heat, the guy we saw next has really upped his performances lately to get great heat. That man is Jack Swagger. He was shown backstage on the phone with his mother, and when he told her to shut up, it got more heat that most heels on the program. The promo served to show that Swagger's self absorbed opinion of himself and it did well in that capacity. I think Swagger's work has actually been better since he lost the belt.
After that promo was the Unified Tag Titles match. It's amazing how a rookie team can suck the life out of these belts. I know some complained when main eventers were holding the belts, but at least there was some excitement in those matches. I find it hard to care about the Usos, despite the fact that I do like the character base they have. Decent match, but nothing special here. I have to call out Matt Striker though, who at the end of the match said DH Smith was being distracted by Tamina's beauty. Tamina may be many things, but beautiful isn't one of them. She is closer to a transvestite than to an attractive female. Regardless of Striker's stupidity, DH locked in the Sharpshooter, giving the Harts the win. I love the move, but I would prefer the Hart attack as the finisher, since this is an "old school" tag team after all.
This match led right into the World Heavyweight Title match, which apparently is just the World Championship match. It's weird, but since Rey Mysterio won the title, they do not refer to it as the Heavyweight belt. I know he's small, but he won it under that title, so why sell around that? Anyway, I have been harsh on Rey lately as I don't believe he deserved this title reign, and this match did nothing to change my opinion. The entire story of the match was the injured ankle of Rey and Swagger's focus on injuring it further. Rey sold the injury walking to the ring, but the majority of his moves were "rana" variations! That means that every move he was doing involved throwing a 260 pound man with his legs! What the hell kind of selling is that? After all these years in the business, you'd think he'd understand the concept of selling that he can't use that body part. Swagger did well in this match, and he continues to be a dynamo inside the ropes, but he got the loss when Rey channeled his inner Eddie Guerrero (the man whose death is responsible for Rey's main event success) by removing his boot to escape the ankle lock, leading to his victory. While it was a nice tribute to his friend, remember that his ankle should be damn near broken, so escaping should really hurt him and he didn't sell that at all. In fact, he finished off Swagger with a "rana" pin. Just awful stuff from Mysterio, at least in my opinion.
After the match, Kane came out. I got excited as I thought he'd cash in his briefcase, but he was devoid of the case and a referee, so my hopes were dashed........temporarily. He attacked Swagger and chased him off backstage. This effectively continued the angle where Kane now believes Swagger is responsible for Undertaker's condition. Just when everyone was ready to move on to the next match, Kane's music hit and out he came, this time with the briefcase! Although some cynics might criticize this move, saying "this doesn't help with the youth movement", I loved it! Kane won easily, and is the new World Heavyweight champion! This is his first run with a major title since 1998, a run that lasted about 24 hours. For a man that has given so much to the business, this is somewhat of a "lifetime achievement award", and I'm glad he was finally given another run. Also, for those that question this move given Kane's age, do you question Kane's abillity and willingness to put over young superstars? Somehow I think this move will only result in positive things to come.
After the excitement of the crowning of a new champion, we see Edge watching it unfold backstage. I guess he i just a mark at heart, because Smackdown matches mean very little to a Raw superstar, but in any event, Chris Jericho comes to talk to him and they argue over who is more desperate to win tonight. They both apparently are desperate, but usually promos like this mean that the men involved won't be winning. I am hoping this holds true, as neither guy needs the briefcase in any way, shape, or form.
Before we can see those two in action, we had to suffer through the Women's Championship match between Kelly Kelly and Layla. I'm sorry, but Kelly is just awful in so many ways. I have no idea why she gets any reaction from the crowd, as she posesses absolutely nothing of value to the wrestling community. Thankfully, the match was short and Layla kep the title. I would have lost it had Kelly been giving the title. Her finisher is just awful and I'm glad Laycool cheated to win. It's a good thing this only took up like 5 minutes of the broadcast. I know the Smackdown women's storylines are better, but the matches certainly are not. Keep their stuff on TV, not on my Pay Per Views.
Luckily, that monstrosity was the last of the garbage, as only 2 matches remained. First up was the Raw Money in the Bank match, which would be followed by the WWE Title match. This was make or break time for me, as these matches and their outcomes would shape my overall view of this show.
The Money in the Bank match had a lot to live up to, as just 2 hours ago, another match of its kind did quite well to entertain the fans. The one thing it certainly could provide that Smackdown's did not was a winner who could use the briefcase as a springboard from the midcard to the main event. The odds were tough, but I was hopeful. The match certainly delivered, as there was somehow psychology interwoven in a match like this, where spots tend to overwhelm the presentation. We got a cool spot as everyone was down and Maryse tried to climb the ladder and retrieve the breifcase for her beau, Ted Dibiase. Points for creativity there! John Morrison also provided some great spots, and Orton did as well, as his RKO on Jericho off the middle of the stairs near the end got one of the biggest reactions of the night! Of course, after he hit that move, he began to ascend and I couldn't contain myself. Expletives starting flying and I couldn't contain my anger. I like Orton a lot, but again, I did not want to see him win the briefcase. Luckily, Miz emerged from ringside to knock Orton off, ascend, and retrieve the briefcase himself. For the first time in about 10 years, I literally jumped out of my seat! Not only did I make this pick, but I made it from my heart. I've made no secret about the fact that I believe Miz is a rising star in the WWE, and this victory certainly validates that.
After the match, Miz took the mic and you could see the emotion pour out of him as he proclaimed himself Mr. Money in the Bank. He got booed like crazy, but it was almost a face promo in that he was "living in the moment". I'm not sure if this is the precursor to a face turn down the road, but I do know that WWE made a GREAT decision in giving the case to Miz. This is a guy that will bring attention to the case and use it to build himself up. That is what it was designed for, and Miz will use it for everything it is worth. I'm glad WWE didn't go the safe route like a warned, as this will have a huge payoff in the end, as I can guarantee that Miz will become a big, big star.
The emotions from the Money in the Bank may have skewed some opinions of the main event, but the truth is, it was a pretty decent match. While I do some times question why escaping the cage isn't focused on as much as it should be, last night's match did a better job of using escape tactics in telling the story. This match got a lot of time, and even though there wasn't anything terribly new or innovative, it told a good story and both performers did a good job of seeling their roles in the match. The ending was a little weird, as Nexus came out and tried to foil both men's exits. I liked how they brought out bolt cutters, as it again shows that Nexus run on intelligence, but it was even better that the refs took away the cutters and threw the cage key into the stands. It told the story of a group with a plan getting foiled and resorting to bully tactics to accomplishing their goal. It didn't really work, and since half the team went after Sheamus, Cena's odds were better, and he actually got in some good shots on the remaining 3. As far as the Nexus goes, this was one of the weaker endings in their reign of terror, but it still furthered their story and should lead to bigger things in the near future.
While the end could be seen as a letdown, this Pay Per View had some fun matches and some magicial moments. It more than exceeded my expectations, and I am glad I got to watch it live. Perhaps I am a bit biased because my boy, Miz got the biggest win of his life. Perhaps I am also biased towards this event since I went 6 for 7 in my predictions. Even with both of those undeniable facts, I still feel this was a fantastic Pay Per View and will be on the short list of "Shows of the Year". If you haven't seen it yet, watch it! You will not regret it! And of course, make sure to tune into Raw tonight to see the fallout of the major event.
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