A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Super ShowDown PPV, which is Roman Reigns vs. Shane McMahon in a singles match.
This contest was set up during a promo segment that aired on Monday’s episode of RAW between the two stars. Their storyline dates back to an episode of SmackDown Live last month where Reigns attacked WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon. “The Big Dog” interrupted McMahon’s “Biggest acquisition in SmackDown history” segment that turned out to be Elias.
WWE presents the Super ShowDown pay-per-view event on Friday, June 7th, 2019 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium that will air on the WWE Network at 2PM ET/11 AM PT.
This marks the third show in WWE’s 10-year deal with the Saudi General Sports Authority. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:
Updated WWE Super ShowDown Card
The Undertaker vs. Goldberg
Randy Orton vs. Triple H
50-Man Battle Royal:
Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley
Roman Reigns vs. Shane McMahon
WWE Intercontinental Champion Finn Balor vs. Andrade
What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? Sound off in the comment section.
We have some positive news to share regarding WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair as TMZ reported on Monday evening that the legendary pro wrestler is currently recovering after undergoing successful heart surgery earlier today.
Flair’s wife Wendy Barlow told the media outlet that the operation was a success. She took the time to thank everyone for their prayers and support during this difficult time for their family.
It was added that Flair’s doctors are optimistic that he will make a full recovery. Despite this setback, he’s been good spirits over the past few days as he has spoken with some of his friends including Offset, who is a rapper.
Flair’s hospitalization all started last Thursday when he had a medical emergency. This led to him suffering complications that they were working around and the surgery being postponed until today.
As a result of this surgery, the pro wrestling legend had to back out of the Starrcast II weekend and “The Roast of Ric Flair.” He wasn’t healthy enough to make the trip by Friday evening to Las Vegas, Nevada.
As of this writing, there is currently no word yet on if the roast will be re-scheduled. We wish Flair a speedy recovery.
The May 20th, 2019 edition of WWE RAW took place at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY.
– Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar come out to the ring with Lesnar’s Money In The Bank briefcase to kick off tonight’s show. Heyman gets on the mic and talks about Lesnar’s big win in the men’s ladder match at Money In The Bank. Heyman talks about Sami Zayn getting taken out of the match last night, and Heyman quickly negotiated for Lesnar to take his place. Heyman says Universal Champion Seth Rollins should be paranoid right now. Heyman says the whole world isn’t out to get Rollins, but Brock Lesnar is, and Lesnar has a shot at his Universal Title any time he wants. Rollins comes out to interrupt and gets in the ring with a mic. Rollins says he should be in a good mood for beating the Phenomenal One AJ Styles last night, but instead he’s out here looking at Brock and his briefcase. Rollins says he wants to be the champion that Brock never had the guts to be. Rollins tells Brock to be a man right now and cash the contract in tonight, and lets get it on for the Universal Title right now. Heyman says no, and Rollins has to wait until Brock feels like cashing it in. Heyman says Rollins will have to wait like he did for 7 hours at WrestleMania because his girlfriend was the main event. Rollins and Lesnar come nose to nose. Heyman says Rollins might not even be worthy of facing Lesnar, and maybe Lesnar will cash in his contract against Kofi Kingston over on SmackDown. Kofi’s music hits, and the WWE Champion comes out to the ring to interrupt. Kofi says he’s not trying to steal Rollins’ thunder, but Kofi wants to establish his own legacy and beat the best. Kofi congratulates Brock on becoming Mr. Money In The Bank, and tells Brock to cash the contract in on him. Heyman says it looks like Brock has his pick of the two Champions. Heyman says Brock and his contract aren’t going anywhere, and that he heard Seth and Kofi are scheduled to compete later, so stay tuned. Heyman drops the mic and heads to the back with Lesnar.
– Mick Foley is shown arriving outside the arena and walking in the building. He has what looks like the new WWE Title belt over his shoulder in a black bag covering the whole thing.
– Sami Zayn is backstage complaining to Bobby Lashley about Braun Strowman. Sami says he has an opportunity for Bobby tonight to team up to help him soften up Braun tonight. Bobby declines and wishes Sami good luck.
– Kofi Kingston and Seth Rollins are backstage, and they run into Triple H. Triple H informs them that they’ll be in a tag match tonight against Baron Corbin and Bobby Lashley.
– Braun Strowman vs. Sami Zayn: As soon as Braun steps in the ring, Sami runs out of the ring and into the crowd. Braun chases Sami all the way to the backstage area. Braun runs into Bobby Lashley and they have a stare down. Sami takes advantage of the distraction and blindsides Braun with a sucker punch. Braun fights back and drops Sami. Sami begs Bobby to help him, but Bobby declines. Braun says he’ll deal with Bobby later, and then Braun drags Sami all the way back down the ramp towards the ring. Back in the ring, Sami starts to mount a comeback, but Braun shuts him down with a clothesline. Sami rolls out to ringside, and then Braun runs around the ring and tackles him. Back in the ring, Braun hits the running powerslam for the three count.
Winner: Braun Strowman
– We see Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross chatting backstage.
– Lars Sullivan is shown walking through the hallways. He’s heading to the ring for an in-ring interview.
– Lars Sullivan comes out to the ring and we see a video package looking at all of the people he’s attacked so far. Charly Caruso is in the ring to interview Lars, but before Lars can answer the first question, The Lucha House Party comes out to interrupt. They want revenge for last night, and they surround the ring and hit missile dropkicks on Lars. They knock Lars out to ringside and he lands on his feet. The Lucha House Party tries to brawl with Lars at ringside, but Lars turns it around and starts beating down the Lucha House Party members at ringside. Lars takes Linda Dorado in the ring for a powerbomb, but Metalik and Calisto pull Dorado out to safety at ringside. The Lucha House Party retreats and heads up the ramp.
– Cesaro approaches Ricochet in the trainer’s office backstage and talks trash to him about being sore after his match last night. Ricochet says he’s not too banged up to compete tonight, and they come nose to nose before Cesaro leaves.
– Ricochet vs. Cesaro: The opening bell sounds and Cesaro starts off by throttling Ricochet into the corner. Ricochet tries to fight back, but Cesaro hits a back body drop and Ricochet falls out to ringside. Ricochet is selling a back injury from last night. They brawl at ringside and Cesaro continues to target the back of Ricochet. Back in the ring, Ricochet fights back and hits a spinning headscissors on Cesaro. Ricochet looks for a shot off the top rope, but Cesaro knocks him out of mid-air with a European uppercut. Cesaro follows up with a backbreaker and then the Neutralizer for the three count.
Winner: Cesaro
– Referees check on Ricochet’s back after the match.
– AJ Styles is backstage for an interview, but Baron Corbin interrupts and they briefly exchange words.
– We see Kofi Kingston and Mick Foley backstage talking. Foley is still holding the Title belt covered in a black bag.
– Roman Reigns comes out to the ring with a mic, but before he can talk, Shane McMahon comes out to the stage. Shane talks about beating The Miz last night, and says he’s done with The Miz, so now he wants to deal with Reigns. Shane talks about Reigns hitting his dad Vince McMahon with the Superman punch. Reigns says it’s good Shane is done with Miz, because Reigns is done with Elias, and now they can get it on. Shane says they won’t face off tonight, because like all spoiled rich kids Shane does what he wants when he wants. Shane says he has a better idea, and he brings out Drew McIntyre. Reigns says no matter who he faces, they’ll all be saying the same thing as everyone else, that Reigns just beat them. Shane says he’ll face Reigns, but not tonight, they’ll face off at the Super Show Down.
– Becky Lynch is shown backstage getting ready for an interview with Alexa Bliss later.
– Lesnar and Heyman are backstage polishing the Money In The Bank Briefcase.
– Shane and Drew are shown walking backstage. They stop for an interview, but they’re interrupted by The Miz. Miz says he’s done done with Shane. Shane hides behind Drew. Drew tells Miz that if Shane has a problem, he has to take it up with Drew. Miz says it looks like Shane has other people fighting his battles for him now, but that’s fine because he’ll take out Drew and then Shane. Miz walks off.
– The Usos vs. The Revival: The Revival attacks off the opening bell and gets the upper hand early on. Jimmy finally fires back with a kick on Dawson, then Jey gets the hot tag and cleans house. Jey hits Samoan Drops on both Dawson and Wilder. Dawson tags himself in for a double team powerbomb/elbow drop on Jey for a two count. Dawson and Jey trade right hands in the middle of the ring now until Jimmy tags himself in and they hit the double superkick on Dawson. Wilder breaks up the pin. Wilder hits a tornado DDT on Jimmy at ringside, then Jey hits a suicide dive on Wilder at ringside. Back in the ring, Dawson and Jey trade strikes. A distraction from Wilder leads to Dawson rolling up Jey for the three count with a handful of tights.
Winners: The Revival
– We see Alexa Bliss having her makeup done backstage. Nikki Cross walks over. Alexa says Nikki did a great job filling in for Alexa at Money In The Bank, except for one problem, Nikki didn’t win. The Revival interrupts with their victory celebration. The Revival says they should be the next guests on A Moment of Bliss.
– We see a new Bray Wyatt “Firefly Fun House” video, with Bray Wyatt wearing the freaky mask again. There’s lots of footage edited in of kids with “let him in” written on their foreheads or shirts.
– Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross come out to the stage for A Moment Of Bliss. Alexa has someone bring coffee out to her, and then she introduces her guest Becky Lynch. Becky comes out and sits down. Alexa asks about Becky losing one of her belts last night, but before Becky can answer, The Iiconics come out to interrupt. Becky says The Iiconics haven’t defended their Titles since they won them, and she would beat them and take both their belts. Lacey Evans comes out to interrupt. This leads to Becky challenging Lacey and The Iiconics. Nikki Cross says she’ll team up with Becky. Becky tells Alexa she has to team with them too, but she can just stand on the apron and let Becky do all the work. It looks like we have a six-woman tag match.
– The Iiconics & Lacey Evans vs. Nikki Cross, Becky Lynch & Alexa Bliss: Alexa is standing at ringside instead of on the apron, and she’s holding a cup of coffee. Becky and Nikki take turns beating on The Iiconics in the opening moments. Becky wants Lacey to tag in, but she won’t yet. The Iiconics get the upper hand on Nikki and they try to keep her grounded. Lacey tags in and beats on Nikki some more, then Peyton tags back in. Peyton misses a spear in the corner and Becky tags in. Becky cleans house, and it looks like Lacey Evans is going to walk up the ramp and leave the ringside area. Becky lays out both Iiconics members, then Becky goes to the top rope and hits a missile dropkick on Billie. Becky follows up with flying leg drop for the three count.
Winners: Becky Lynch, Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss
– Mick Foley is backstage walking through the hall with the black bag over his shoulder containing the new WWE championship belt he’s unveiling tonight. Foley is scheduled to come out to the ring next.
– Mick Foley walks out on the stage and down to the ring. Mick has the bag over his shoulder, and says it’s time to get down to business. Mick says he has an announcement to make, and there’s been something missing on RAW. Mick says he wants to focus on the name of he show, and he wants to make Monday Nights “raw” again. Mick says a Championship Title isn’t just something you defend, it’s something you live and breathe, and will sacrifice teeth or an ear for. He says it’s something you bring with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He says with that spirit in mind, he is presenting to us, the new 24/7 Title. He explains that as the name may imply, the Title may be defended any time, any place, any where. This seems to get a mixed reaction from the crowd. Mick says you don’t have days off when you own that Championship. Mick says he’s laying the new Title on the line tonight, and starting tonight, the third hour of RAW is going to get mean and dirty. Mick says tonight the first 24/7 Champion will be crowned in a scramble open to everyone on the WWE and NXT rosters. Mick says when the bell rings, the first person to retrieve the belt from the ring takes it. Mick exits the ring and calls for the bell. Several wrestlers now run down the ramp and start fighting at ringside, trying to get into the ring to grab the belt. Eric Young and Ricochet get in the ring, but Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows drop them both. Gallows and Anderson fight over the belt now. EC3 knocks them both out, then he brawls with No Way Jose. They both spill out to ringside. Drake Maverick gets in the ring, but Titus comes in and throws him out. Titus picks up the belt and celebrates at ringside, then he runs up the ramp. Bobby Roode attacks Titus on the stage and rolls him up for the three count, and no Roode is the 24/7 Champion. Roode runs backstage as all the other wrestlers chase him through the curtain.
– WWE airs an ad for Super Show Down promoting the Goldberg vs. Undertaker match.
– Bobby Roode runs and hides backstage, and the mob of wrestlers chasing the 24/7 Belt run past him.
– The Miz vs. Drew McIntyre: Shane McMahon is at ringside in Drew’s corner. The opening bell sounds and Miz starts off strong with some kicks and punches. Drew stops Miz’s momentum with a headbutt. Drew looks for a slam, but Miz escapes and fights back. Miz takes Drew out to ringside and drops him. Back in the ring, Miz looks for a roll-up, but Drew stops it and throws Miz into the corner. Drew and Miz trade blows in the corner until Drew sends Miz flying with a belly-to-belly overhead suplex. Drew follows up with a vertical suplex for a two count. They fight up the turnbuckle and Miz throws Drew down to the mat. Miz hits a series of kicks on Drew, and then some running knee strikes. Drew misses a spear in the corner and hits the ring post. Miz hits a running clothesline in the corner, and then an axe handle off the top for a two count. The Miz hits another series of kicks on Drew, until Drew ducks one and attempts a powerbomb. Miz reverses the powerbomb attempt into a hurricanrana. Drew connects with an elbow in the corner, then he gives Miz a reverse Alabama Slam for a two count. Drew misses a shot, and Miz starts working over Drew’s knee now. Shane hits a cheap shot on Miz behind the ref’s back. Drew follows up with a spinebuster on Miz for a two count. Drew misses a big boot, and Miz locks Drew in the Figure Four. Drew breaks out and Miz gets distracted by Shane. Miz chases Shane at ringside, then Shane hits a cheap shot on Miz behind the ref’s back again. Shane rolls Miz in the ring, then Drew hits the Claymore Kick for the three count.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
– After the match, Drew holds Miz down in the corner. Shane gets on the opposite corner and it looks like he’s going for the coast to coast dropkick. Before Shane can leap, Roman Reigns comes out for the save. Shane exits the ring, and Reigns hits a Superman punch on Drew. Shane tries to sneak in the ring to ambush Reigns, but Reigns sees him and Shane retreats. Shane and Drew retreat up the ramp while Reigns helps Miz to his feet in the ring.
– Bobby Lashley and Baron Corbin are backstage going over strategy for their tag match tonight. Bobby Roode runs past with his 24/7 Title, with a mob of wrestlers chasing him.
– Seth Rollins and Kofi Kingston are backstage for an interview with Charly Caruso. They discuss having to focus on their match tonight, without forgetting that Brock Lesnar could cash in at any moment. Kofi says Champions need to multi-task. Rollins says not a single human in the world has ever liked Baron Corbin.
– We see a pre-taped promo from Samoa Joe in the locker room, talking about Rey Mysterio. He wants Rey to give back his United States Championship.
– Robert Roode is running through the arena and ends up at the loading bay at the back of the arena. R-Truth is loading up his car, and Roode asks him for help. Truth hides Roode in the trunk of his car. After the mob of wrestlers leaves, Truth lets Roode out of the trunk. Roode opens the passenger door to Truth’s car, and there’s a referee in there. Truth drops Roode and pins him, and the ref counts the three count. Truth takes the 24/7 Title belt and drives away from the arena.
– Kofi Kingston & Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley & Baron Corbin: This one is a No DQ match. Corbin and Lashley attack Rollins from behind on the ramp as Rollins is making his entrance. Kofi runs up to help, but Lashley drops him. They take Rollins down to the ring, and the ref calls for the opening bell. Rollins starts firing up and fighting back, but Corbin shuts him down with the Deep Six. Kofi breaks up the pin. Corbin dumps Kofi outside, then Lashley slams Kofi into the barricade on the floor. Corbin continues the offense on Rollins in the ring and tries to keep him grounded. Kofi finally gets the tag and he stuns Lashley with a dropkick and a flying clothesline. Kofi follows up with the Boom Drop, then he knocks Corbin off the apron. Lashley fights back against Kofi and dumps him outside. Lashley and Corbin double team Kofi at ringside, and then they double team Rollins on the floor too. Back in the ring, Rollins and Corbin go at it now. Corbin misses a shot and Rollins capitalizes with the Sling Blade on Corbin. Corbin rolls outside. Rollins looks for a suicide dive on Corbin, but Corbin catches him and slams Rollins into the ring apron. Corbin buries Rollins in chairs and garbage in the timekeeper’s area. Lashley and Corbin double team Kofi in the ring now. Corbin hits a chokeslam backbreaker on Kofi for a two count. Lashley and Corbin take Kofi to the top turnbuckle. They look for a double superplex, but Rollins runs in and nails both Corbin and Lashley with a steel chair. Rollins lays out Corbin and Lashley with kicks. Rollins looks for a curb stomp on Corbin, but Lashley pulls Rollins outside and stomps on him on the floor. Lashley gets back in the ring but Kofi dumps him back outside. Kofi dumps Corbin outside next. Rollins gets back in the ring and hits suicide dive on Corbin and Lashley, then Kofi does the same. Kofi throws Corbin in the ring and hits the Trouble In Paradise for the three count.
– Immediately after the bell, Lashley hits a spear on Kofi. Lashley then hits a spear on Rollins. Lashley picks up the steel chair and misses a shot on Kofi, then Rollins kicks the chair into Lashley’s face. Brock Lesnar’s music hits, and Lesnar and Heyman walk down the ramp. Brock and Heyman circle the ring, and Lesnar steps on the apron. Lesnar then backs off and retreats with Heyman up the ramp. Heyman says next week they’ll tell the whole world which champion they’re going to cash in on.
John Cena has his next Hollywood gig booked as he’s slated to host the revival of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”
On Monday, it was announced by Nickelodeon that the return of the television series will premiere on June 10 at 7pm ET. The game show will relaunch with new episodes airing for several days straight until June 19 where it will settle into its regular 7pm Monday timeslot on June 24.
Cena also serves as one of the executive producers of the show along with Mark Burnett and Barry Poznick. This is just one of the new shows that are set to air on the TV network.
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy originally served as the host of the television series when it ran from 2007 to 2015 on Fox. The show sees adult contestants appear on the stage where they answer questions as if they came from an elementary school quiz.
The former WWE Champion continues to grow his brand as an actor in Hollywood. Cena was last seen on WWE programming when he appeared at WrestleMania 35 to do a segment with Elias.
You can watch the entire trailer by clicking on the player below:
Former WWE Superstar Al Snow (and Head) recently spoke with entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet at Gangrel’s Wrestling Asylum Show “Let it Ride” in Dania Beach, Florida.
During the discussion, Al Snow spoke about what type of impact All Elite Wrestling will have on the wrestling industry, not taking any jabs at Mick Foley in his new book, what is missing from wrestling and much more.
Tonight on Raw, WWE will introduce a new championship title. The belt will be unveiled by Mick Foley, which has led speculation that the new belt will be held under 24/7 rules, similar to the Attitude Era’s Hardcore title.
Even before this new belt was announced, Al Snow coincidentally spoke with Chris Van Vliet about whether or not he thinks a hardcore title would work today.
“I don’t think so,” Snow said. “I think it was the right thing at the right time for the right reason. It kind of organically developed out of it being a joke for Mick Foley and then it just grew from there. In OVW before I took it over, they had a similar title called an Anarchy Title which is where the champion could, basically it was anarchy, he could call his own stipulations no matter how ridiculous based on whatever he wanted to do.”
He continued, “I explained that in this day and age, I think it’s hard because every time you have that title on the show and it has a stipulation, it now waters down the stipulations for matches where you have a personal vendetta or a reason that they have to be in this type of a match.”
Click here to check out Chris Van Vliet’s YouTube channel for recent interviews with Dasha Fuentes, Zack Gowen, Justin Roberts, Rhyno and more.
Ric Flair is expected to undergo a medical procedure today. He was originally scheduled to have the procedure done last week but it was postponed due to complications. According to a report from TMZ, Flair is in good spirits and expected to make a full recovery but he has had to pull out of the planned “Roast of Ric Flair” scheduled for Starrcast this weekend.
“A spokesperson for Flair tells us … unfortunately, Ric won’t be healthy enough by Friday evening to make the trip from Atlanta to Vegas,” the report reads.
As of this writing, Starrcast has yet to confirm the news.
TMZ originally reported last week that Flair had been rushed to hospital due to an emergency medical situation. This was later refuted by Conrad Thomspon and Wendy Barlow, Flair’s wife and son-in-law. They stated this was a planned medical procedure.
Wendy Barlow released the following statement regarding Flair’s condition:
“Due to ongoing health complications, Ric was taken to the hospital and is expected to undergo a procedure tomorrow morning, after which he expects to fully recover.”
She would later address the procedure’s postponement.
“Ric’s surgery has been postponed until Monday to address some complications that needed to be taken care of first,” Barlow’s statement reads. “Thanks for all the well wishes.”
Conrad Thompson had the following to say regarding Flair’s condition yesterday:
“Ric was not worried about this,” said Thompson. “Ric did not think this was going to be reported or on TMZ. It’s all systems go. The Roast of Ric Flair is still happening”
WWE is bringing back WarGames for an upcoming NXT TakeOver special.
On Monday afternoon (May 20, 2019), the company announced that the NXT TakeOver: WarGames 3 event is slated to go down on Saturday, November 23rd in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena.
Tickets will be available at ticketmaster.com beginning this Friday, May 24, at 10 a.m. local time. Triple H made the news first with the following post on his official Twitter account:
WWE hyped in the news announcement on their official website that “This will be the first time that the city has hosted TakeOver: WarGames, featuring arguably the most destructive match in sports-entertainment, the annual WarGames Match, which takes place in two rings surrounded by a steel cage.”
History
WWE decided to bring the match back for NXT TakeOver event that took place on November 18, 2017 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. WWE used it for this TakeOver special again last year. For those who may not know, the gimmick match was originally used in the NWA and later held annually in WCW.
What are your thoughts on WWE bringing back the theme? Sound off in the comment section.
With just 5 days to go until Double or Nothing, the Young Bucks released an episode of Being the Elite today.
Cody Says AEW UK PPVs Are Coming
On this week’s BTE mailbag, Cody addressed AEW PPVs possibly coming to the UK.
“AEW UK PPV, considering the most recent events, I’d say yes and I’d say hell, we were already planning on it,” Cody said. “And of course we’re going to host an actual PPV in the United Kingdom.”
He also answered a question regarding if the weekly TV show will air on ITV.
“As far as the weekly shows, you’ll have to ask the kind folks at ITV,” Cody said before winking. “Can you tell I’m winking?”
Cody Admits BTE Was Behind Anonymous Messages To Hangman Page
Cody admitted to Hangman Page this week that he’s not too big or too skinny to be in full gear. He also said that it was the producers of BTE who sent him the “juice” and had been surveying his progress.
Cody finally revealed to Page that he never needed the “secret sauce”, Page has had the ability to beat PAC this whole time. Page then adopted full gear, drove to the airport, boarded a plane, and confronted PAC at a show in Nottingham, England. The full match between the two will be posted tomorrow at 12 PM.
Brandon Cutler Added To Battle Royal
Brandon Cutler left pro-wrestling for 7-years between 2011 and 2018. He now has a contract with AEW and will compete in the Casino Battle Royal on May 25th. In addition to being a wrestler, Cutler is the Executive Content Producer for the organization. His contract signing opened up this week’s episode of Being the Elite.
Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus Confirmed For Casino Battle Royale
In addition to Cutler, both Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus were confirmed for the Casino Battle Royale as well. Luchasaurus also confirmed he’s able to talk during the episode.
Christopher Daniels No Habla Espanol
SCU’s Christopher Daniels was in Santiago, Chile for a bit this week. He noted (in Spanish) that his Spanish is quite poor, however. As a result, he was unable to say that Santiago was the worst town he’s ever been to. He later said he’d stop taking solo bookings.
MJF Was Going To Attack Dustin Rhodes With A Samurai Sword
MJF appeared to run after Dustin Rhodes with a samurai sword in this week’s episode. Rhodes turned around and noticed, however, causing MJF to stop. MJF later denied it was him.
The full episode can be viewed in the player below:
Kofi Kingston Has Sights Set On Facing Brock Lesnar
Despite being on separate brands, WWE Champion Kofi Kingston has made it known that he’s ready to take on former WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.
The Money in the Bank pay-per-view event was a newsworthy show as Kingston successfully retained the WWE Title over Kevin Owens earlier in the night. Moving along to the main event, Lesnar won this year’s Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match after taking Sami Zayn’s spot in the match where he beat Drew McIntyre, Ricochet, Baron Corbin, Randy Orton, Andrade, Finn Balor, and Mustafa Ali.
Lesnar can cash-in his MITB contract anytime within the next year for a championship match. That could be on RAW, which is a brand that he’s a member of the roster, or go to SmackDown Live to challenge for the top title on the blue branded show.
Kingston from sent a message to “The Beast” as he took to his official Twitter account where he wrote the following:
“The top of one mountain is always the bottom of another.”
Rey Mysterio made WWE history by beating Samoa Joe in a short match to win the United States Title at MITB. As a result of this win, he has been placed in the history books as someone to join the ranks of WWE Grand Slam Champions.
Mysterio is a former WWE Champion and World Heavyweight Champion, 4-time WWE Tag Team Champion, 3-time Cruiserweight Champion and finally a 2-time Intercontinental Champion and United States Champion.
Following the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event, WWE is planning a big show for tonight’s episode of their flagship show, Monday Night RAW.
PWinsider reported on Monday morning that former WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar is scheduled to appear on the show. This comes after Lesnar won this year’s Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
Although not originally advertised for the match, he took Sami Zayn’s spot in the contest to go onto beat Drew McIntyre, Ricochet, Baron Corbin, Randy Orton, Andrade, Finn Balor, and Mustafa Ali.
WWE is in Albany, NY at the Times Union Center for tonight’s RAW. This will serve as the post-MITB episode of the red brand, which should see an increase in viewership for the weekly TV show. Also, WWE has already confirmed that former RAW General Manager Mick Foley will appear on the show to introduce a new championship belt.
WWE has also confirmed that Lesnar will be working their next pay-per-view event, Super ShowDown, on Friday, June 7th, 2019 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. As of this writing, his opponent at this show has yet to be revealed.
The winner of the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic says he’s making more money since leaving WWE than he did while a member of the 205 Live roster. TJ Perkins (aka TJP) was a recent guest on the WINCLY podcast and spoke about what has changed in his career since leaving WWE.
“In half a year alone, I’m probably gonna more than double what I would have otherwise made if I would have stayed [with WWE],” TJP said.
TJP also spoke about what has changed on the independent scene.
“The freelance side of wrestling now is becoming standardized so people know what they can do and start checking off all the boxes…I’m looking forward to the rest of the year more so than maybe any year I’ve ever had over the last 21 years,” he continued.
TJP On Possibly Going To AEW
The former Cruiserweight Champion also addressed the possibility of his ending up in AEW.
“I’ve known Nick and Matt for so long,” TJP said. “We came from the same area and I remember when they were running their own show in their own town. I think I was even their champion at that time. So Nick and Matt, everyone loves reunions so we should do a nostalgia thing!”
As for if TJP will be brought into AEW, here is what he had to say:
“I’ve talked to them a little bit – not necessarily coming in in that fashion,” said Perkins. “But maybe that will be something down the road. But I wouldn’t be able to land anywhere for a while because I have 50-60 appearances between May and October. Even if anybody wanted me to wrestle somewhere in that capacity, I don’t have the time. We’ll see maybe in 6-8 months what happens.
During the second of Becky Lynch’s title defenses at last night’s (Sun. May 19, 2019) WWE Money In The Bank (MITB) pay-per-view (PPV), “The Man” was unsuccessful in retaining her “Becky Two Belts” moniker. Charlotte Flair bested Lynch to capture the SmackDown Live Women’s Title, following Lynch’s successful defense of the RAW Women’s Title over Lacey Evans.
However, after her match, a beaten Flair was cashed-in on by Women’s MITB Ladder match winner Bayley. “The Hugger” came out and successfully cashed-in her briefcase before defeating Flair to become the new SDL Women’s Champion. Shortly after her defeat, Flair took to Twitter to react to the situation.
Also at last night’s MITB PPV, former Universal Champion Roman Reigns made very quick work of Elias inside the ring. It only took “The Big Dog” 10 seconds to dispatch of the man formerly known as “The Drifter.” Following his victory, Reigns did an interview backstage with Cathy Kelly for WWE’s YouTube channel.
Reigns said he’s unsatisfied with the quick victory over Elias, as he was prepared for a competitive contest:
“It really wasn’t at all (satisfying) to be honest,” Reigns said. “I geared up for a match tonight. I was ready to rock n’ roll, give Hartford a great match, give them what they paid for. Considering, I’ve been here for a long time. I’m an established Superstar.
“It would’ve been a great opportunity for a guy like Elias to be in the ring with me, and to feel what top competition feels like. What a championship fight feels like. But, he made the wrong choice. He pulled the trigger early. Therefore, I pulled it late. That’s why I’m standing here.”
With under a week to go before their first official event, AEW has had to cancel a high-profile match from Double or Nothing. PAC vs Hangman Page was scrapped from the PPV.
In storyline, the match took place in England recently and will air on AEW’s social media channels. According to a recent report from Wrestling Observer Radio, it wasn’t that PAC was not free to lose to Page which was the sticking point, it was that he wouldn’t be able to lose a follow-up match after.
“Essentially the deal is PAC is the Open the Dream Gate champion in Dragongate and he wasn’t going to lose and he wasn’t losing in the UK,” Meltzer said. “It wasn’t so much this show and I think that’s where everyone’s all confused.”
PAC Vs Page Scrapped From AEW Double or Nothing
“(AEW) have an idea of what they want to do with their storylines and it was a long-term thing and this no longer fit,” Meltzer continued. “It wasn’t if he could do the job on this show or not, that wasn’t the issue. He wouldn’t but that wasn’t’ the issue.”
In terms of why AEW didn’t decide to go with a draw or a DQ finish, the decision was made that either of those finishes might be ill-received from the live audience. The main point was really that PAC’s situation with Dragon Gate prevents him from losing on future shows as well.
“They could have put PAC over,” Meltzer continued. “The issue is then what do you do? If you put PAC over, who does he face in Chicago?”
Kenny Omega’s name was referenced as a possible future opponent.
“I don’t know but I do, so to speak,” Dave Meltzer said. “If that was the case that it might be Kenny Omega or an equivalent. Given the way the 6-man tag was going and everything, it was Kenny Omega, almost for sure.”
Last night’s (Sun. May 19, 2019) Men’s Money In The Bank (MITB) Ladder match certainly took an interesting turn. After a great bout, just when it looked like Ali had things won, former WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar made his way out to the ring. “The Beast” destroyed everything in his path, including Ali, before climbing the ladder and retrieving the briefcase.
Lesnar is now “Mr. Money In The Bank.” However, upon making his way to the ring and clearing out the path to the briefcase, Lesnar reportedly busted open one of his fellow WWE Superstars. According to F4WOnline‘s Bryan Alvarez, when Lesnar tossed one of the ladders, he actually busted open Ali. Cameras were then instructed not to film him from that point due to the blood:
Ali badly busted open by the ladder that Brock threw, cameras were commanded not to shoot him. #MITB
It will be interesting to see how WWE handles Lesnar with the MITB briefcase. Currently, Lesnar is being advertised to take on Seth Rollins at the WWE Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia. However, it remains to be seen whether or not that will be as a result of Lesnar’s cash-in option. As for Rollins, he successfully retained the Universal Title after a great bout with AJ Styles last night.
What do you think about Lesnar’s assault busting open Ali at MITB?
Lana took to Twitter following Money in the Bank last night from Hartford. According to Lana, something which occurred last night was similar to an idea she pitched for herself. Lana vented on Twitter,
This post will not give out Game of Thrones spoilers, but Lana wasn’t happy with what happened there either.
Lana’s Unhappiness With WWE
Lana’s Tweet from Sunday night is the latest in a growing body of evidence which suggests she is not happy with WWE. In February, Rusev and Lana were guests on Lillian Garcia’s podcast.
“We’re not going to be forgotten,” Lana said on the show. “We’re going to fight for our careers. We’re going to knock on Vince McMahon’s door and fight for it. If you do not fight for your career, you will be lost. We’re going to do everything possible. If it’s not meant to be, we’re going to look back and say, ‘We did everything possible.’ And if that was the way the journey was supposed to go, then that’s the way it was supposed to go.”
New matches are being advertised for the upcoming WWE Stomping Grounds pay-per-view event.
WWE Champion Kofi Kingston vs Kevin Owens, WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins vs Baron Corbin, and Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre in a singles match.
Originally, it was hyped that Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns will take place “for the first time ever in Tacoma.” That is a change.
WWE often takes full advantage of the “card subject to change” disclaimer, so it’s possible they will go in a different direction with at least one of these matches. These matches indicate where WWE’s storyline plans are headed in the months ahead.
WWE has replaced the previously scheduled Backlash pay-per-view event that was supposed to take place on June 16th with this show. For those who are wondering, the reason for the schedule changes is due to the Saudi Arabia show being moved from early May to June 7th.
The Stomping Grounds pay-per-view event will take place on Sunday, June 23 at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, WA. This venue holds over 23,000 seats.
WWE’s 2019 PPV Calendar
With the addition of Stomping Grounds, here’s an updated look at WWE’s pay-per-view calendar for the remainder of 2019:
It has been an interesting weekend for Impact Wrestling. Reports surfaced recently that Jordynne Grace was not under contract as she was believed to be. According to a report from PW Insider, while Grace’s signing with the promotion was announced in October, she never actually signed the papers given to her.
Grace is now confirming on Twitter that despite receiving other offers during her free agency period, she has opted to agree to terms with Impact.
Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux are also said to have requested their releases recently. Neither has been granted their release as of this writing, however.
Update: An earlier version of this article stated Bordeaux’s contract was up later this summer (as was reported via PW Insider). Impact Wrestling has since reached out to media to say Bordeaux is in the middle of a multi-year deal with the promotion.
Kross reportedly asked for more money and the two sides have not been able to work out a deal.
Impact Wrestling Issues Apology Over Pursuit Broadcast
While Impact Wrestling’s broadcast on Twitch this Friday went without complaint, the broadcast on Pursuit evidently was not as lucky in some areas. The Pursuit channel failed to return to Impact after what was supposed to be the final commercial break of the evening. Fans were treated to nearly 30 minutes of commercials rather than the headlining match of Michael Elgin vs Rich Swann.
Impact issued the following apology in response:
We apologize to Pursuit viewers who were not able to watch last night’s @MichaelElgin25 vs @GottaGetSwann main event due to a technical issue.
We’re making this episode available immediately to US users on @IMPACTPlusApp.
The Money In The Bank match between Samoa Joe and Rey Mysterio ended very quickly and latest reports suggest that the company made the decision to cut this match short after the bout had begun.
A lot of fans noted that Joe’s face got injured during the opening moments of the match and according to PWinsider, the former United States Champion suffered a broken nose early in the bout.
The Officials then decided to cut the match short because of the blood coming from his nose though the post-match angle went exactly as planned.
Although it looks like the former TNA Star might have not been the only star to have suffered an injury and Rey might have suffered some damage as well.
According to the report, Mysterio was being evaluated for a
shoulder injury backstage after this match was over, however, there is no
update on the result of the medical examination.
A broken nose means that Joe will definitely be missing some time and it wouldn’t be a surprise if we see a new star challenging the United States Champion on this week’s Raw.
On the other hand, Mysterio’s injury has not been confirmed and it’s possible that the new United States Champion doesn’t stay away from the ring for long, if at all.
We noted before how fans reacted negatively to the former Universal Champion Brock Lesnar’s surprise return and Money In The Bank win after the show went off air.
However probably the most interesting reaction to this
surprise win of the Beast came from none other than the former World Champion
Chris Jericho.
Chris took on his twitter after the cameras stopped rolling. Trolling the company for this decision he wrote the following sarcastic tweet saying that this is the perfect example of the genius booking:
Awesome to see @BrockLesnar win the #MoneyInTheBank match…even though he wasn’t officially entered! Brock is the future of the biz and this perfect example of genius booking shows why @WWE will remain on top FOREVER! #GoBrockGo
For years now Jericho has been trying to break his image of being only a WWE guy and he has been positioning himself as an independent star who can work for any company.
Though so far Y2J has been careful about not disrespecting
his former employers even when he has been working for the rival promotions of
the company.
But Chris himself had recently claimed that he is banned from WWE now and it appears that after the company’s moves, the former World Champion has decided not to pull his punches anymore.
Just recently he had claimed that the WWE vs. AEW scenario
is a war even if WWE doesn’t admit it, and after this tweet, it appears that
Chris Jericho will be talking openly about the company going forward.
WWE will introduce a new Championship title on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw from the Times Union Center in Albany, NY.
WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley will be on hand to unveil the new title. According to sources in WWE, the new championship will have a “24/7” aspect to it, similar to the Hardcore Championship of the Attitude Era.
This news has surprised fans as there has been no such
update in recent times and there has been no discussion of introducing a new
belt from the company either.
However, the choice of the WWE legend to introduce the belt is very interesting as Foley is mostly known for his hardcore style of wrestling.
A new belt like that could help the mid-card, allowing WWE to build new storylines around the talents which are not main event caliber and often find themselves working meaningless filler matches on the show.
Though how effective a hardcore title will be in the current PG rating is something fans have been wondering about, and it’d be interesting to see if the company actually re-introduces the Hardcore Title on this week’s Raw as the speculations suggest.
While the Money In The Bank PPV started and ended with a ladder match for the guaranteed championship contract, the reaction to both the bouts was very different.
The first match saw Bayley winning the briefcase and she went on to cash in the contract later in the night and become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Both her victories were met with a positive reaction from the crowd. However, the main event provoked a very different response from the fans.
The main event of the show began with 7 men as Sami Zayn had been taken out of the bout after an attack backstage earlier in the night.
The match featured some great spots with stars like Finn Balor, Ali, and Andrade putting it all on the line to try and win the briefcase guaranteeing them a future World title opportunity
Though nobody could have predicted the finish of the match as Brock Lesnar entered the bout as the 8th participant during the closing moments of the show and went on to win the match.
After the PPV, people started reacting to the show and the finish of the event and below are some of the top reaction from the fans to the surprising win of Brock Lesnar:
7 men absolutely kill each other for Brock Lesnar to do NOTHING and win a fucking #MITB briefcase. Vince McMahon can truly go fuck himself. @AEWrestling can not come fast enough because these people will truly never learn
WWE Money in the Bank 2019 aired live from the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Here are 10 takeaways from the PPV:
Bayley Won The Women’s MITB Ladder Match
Bayley
Carmella, Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke, Nikki Cross , Ember Moon, Natalya, Naomi, and Bayley competed int he women’s MITB Ladder Match to start off the show. Nikki Cross trapped Carmella and Dana Brooke in the ring apron and unloaded a flurry of punches. Cross then put a ladder over her head and started spinning around. Cross took everyone out before Brooke hit her with a Dropkick.
Nikki applied a Sleeper Hold to Moon but Ember slammed Cross into the ladder. Carmella cleared out the ring and set up a ladder in the corner. Natalya launched Carmella into the ladder but then turned around into an Enziguri from Naomi. Carmella hit Bayley with a Superkick. Mandy then booted the ladder into Carmella and she grabbed her knee. Rose went to attack Carmella but Carmella told her to get away and rolled out of the ring.
The medical staff started bringing Carmella up the entrance ramp as Dana Brooke set up Moon on the ladder. Dana flipped onto Moon and then traded shots with Bayley. Natalya and Mandy sandwiched Bayley inside a ladder and slammed it on her several times. Naomi then hit Bayley with a Moonsault as Cross leveled Natalya with a Spear.
Cross through Naomi to the outside and then hit Ember with a spinning Neckbreaker. Dana bounced the ladder off of Nikki’s face and then made her way towards the briefcase. Mandy joined her on the ladder and started trading punches. Bayley and Naomi hopped on the ladder and Nikki tried to climb to the top. Natalya shoved over the ladder and then turned around into an epic Eclipse from Ember Moon.
Mandy Rose slammed Moon onto a ladder and was then alone in the ring. Rose set up the ladder and Carmella started limping down the entrance ramp. Carmella bashed Rose’s face off the ladder several times and then launched her into the barricade surrounding the ring. Carmella made her way towards the briefcase but Sonya Deville dragged her to the canvas. Deville leveled Carmella with a Spear and then rolled Rose back inside the ring.
Sonya lifted Mandy onto her shoulders and started climbing the ladder. Bayley climbed up the other side and shoved both Deville and Rose to the mat. Bayley then grabbed the briefcase and won the match.
Bayley absolutely deserved to win this match and capture the MITB contract. In a perfect world, I would have liked to see someone like Ember Moon win this match since she has been completely overlooked since joining the main roster.
Rey Mysterio Captured The United States Championship
Rey Mysterio
Samoa Joe defended his United States Championship against Rey Mysterio tonight at MITB. Mysterio got in some offense to start off the match and hit a Joe with Setnon off the top rope
Joe somehow broke his nose during this exchange. Joe went to Powerbomb Mysterio but Rey countered into a Hurricanrana for the pinfall victory. Samoa Joe’s shoulders were clearly up during the cover but the referee missed it.
After the match, Rey’s son came down and celebrated with him on the ramp. Joe attacked Mysterio and hit him with a Uranage in the ring as Dominick pleaded with him to stop. Joe hit Rey with a Senton and started taunting Dominick before leaving the ring.
I haven’t been able to get into this feud at all. Joe squashed Rey and WrestleMania and then lost the belt in goofy fashion tonight. I enjoyed Joe taunting Dominick while beating his father down, but it doesn’t change the fact that the match was a letdown.
The Miz battled Shane McMahon in a Steel Cage Match at Money in the Bank. Miz dominated the match early and hit Shane with a series of It Kicks. Shane caught Miz and Powerbombed him into the cage.
Shane stomped on Miz in the corner of the ring and then made his way to the top rope. McMahon went for the Coast to Coast Dropkick but Miz caught him and locked in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring.
Shane broke free and tried to escape through the cage door. The Miz caught him but Shane was able to bring a steel chair into the ring. Miz booted Shane to the canvas and won the race to the steel chair.
The Miz stood over Shane as McMahon pleaded for mercy. Shane tried to escape through the door again but Miz bashed him with the chair several times. The Miz bounced Shane’s head off the cage door and continued to hit him with the chair.
Miz then hit Shane with the Skull Crushing Finale on the steel chair. The Miz went for the cover but Shane got his foot on the ropes. The announcers pointed out that the referee shouldn’t have stopped the count during a cage match as the crowd chanted “bullsh*t!”.
Shane knocked Miz to the canvas and started climbing. The Miz hit Shane in the leg with the chair a couple of times and joined him on the top. Miz slammed Shane’s face into the cage and threw him to the canvas. The Miz then connected with one of the worst Frog Splashes I’ve ever seen for a near fall.
McMahon locked in the Triangle submission in the middle of the ring. The Miz countered into a cover for a two count. The Miz catapulted Shane towards the cage but McMahon grabbed on and started climbing. Miz caught him again and set up for a Superplex from the top of the cage. Shane desperately held onto the cage and then slipped out of his shirt. Shane fell to the floor to win the match.
I thought this match was quite disappointing. Shane and Miz put on a much better show at WrestleMania and I was hoping that this feud would wrap up tonight. Judging by the way this match ended, I’m guessing The Miz will still be out for revenge in the weeks to come.
Tony Nese defended his Cruiserweight Championship against Ariya Daivari tonight at Money in the Bank. Nese ducked under a Clothesline and hit Ariya with a Leg Drop for a near fall to start off the match.
Daivari raked Nese’s face off the top rope and then slammed him to the canvas. Daivari followed it up with a Neckbreaker for a near fall. Tony sent Daivari to the outside and flipped onto him.
Back in the ring, Nese connected with the 450 Splash and went for the cover but Daivari kicked out at two. Daivari hit a Superkick and followed it up with a Splash off the top rope. Ariya connected with the Hammerlock Lariat for another near fall.
Nese hit a Hurricanrana off the top rope and then a running knee to the face in the corner of the ring. Tony then covered Daivari to retain the Cruiserweight Championship.
Becky Lynch defended her RAW Women’s Championship against Lacey Evans tonight at the PPV. Lynch also had to defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair later tonight.
Lynch started off the match with a Dropkick that sent Evans tumbling out of the ring. Becky went after her and slammed Lacey into the barricade surrounding the ring. Back in the ring, Evans took control and slammed Lynch to the canvas as the crowd sang Becky’s theme.
Evans targeted her attack on Lynch’s arm and slammed it against the steel ring post. Lacey connected with a springboard Elbow Drop for a near fall. Evans followed it up with a Neckbreaker for another two count.
Becky battled back with a Clothesline off the second rope and both superstars fell to the canvas. Lynch hit a boot to the face and followed it up with an Exploder Suplex. Lynch made her way to the top rope and hit a Dropkick that sent Lacey out of the ring.
Lynch hit her with a forearm off the apron and brought her back inside. Lacey connected with a knee for the face for another near fall. Becky went for the Dis-Arm-Her but Evans quickly grabbed the rope. Evans hit Becky in the back of the knee and rolled her up but the referee didn’t count for some reason. Lynch countered into the Dis-Arm-Her for the submission victory.
Bayley Cashed In And Won The SmackDown Women’s Championship
Bayley
Charlotte Flair came down to the ring with a huge grin on her face and said that the match was happening right now. Becky had the option to wait to have the match when it was originally scheduled but Lynch got into the ring.
Flair drove Becky to the corner and beat her down. Charlotte climbed to the top rope but Lynch caught her with a punch to the face. Lynch slammed Charlotte to the mat and went for the cover but Flair kicked out at two.
Charlotte hit Becky with a few chops as the crowd chanted “woo!”. Lynch went for a Dropkick but Charlotte caught her. Flair locked in a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring but Becky fought through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold.
Lynch dodged a kick and hit Flair with a Clothesline. Charlotte blocked the Dis-Arm-Her and sent Becky to the apron. Flair went for Natural Selection but Becky held onto the ropes and Charlotte fell to the floor outside the ring.
Lacey Evans ran down to the ring and hit Becky with the Woman’s Right while the referee wasn’t paying attention. Lynch rolled up Charlotte for a near fall and then Flair connected with a big boot for the victory. Charlotte Flair is the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.
After the match, Becky attacked Lacey Evans outside the ring. Flair then hit Becky from behind and asked Evans to help her bring Lynch into the ring. Evans held up Lynch as Charlotte hit her with a few chops.
Bayley’s music hit and she rushed the ring with the briefcase. Bayley leveled Charlotte with a Clothesline and then sent Evans to the outside. Charlotte charged at Becky but Bayley dodged it and sent Flair into the turnbuckle.
Bayley then said she was going to cash in her MITB contract. Bayley made her way to the top rope and hit the Elbow Drop for the pinfall victory. Bayley is now the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Bayley then celebrated in the crowd as the crowd chanted her name.
This was a cool moment for Bayley, and the crowd gave her a great reaction when she won the title. However, both the title matches, and the majority of the show so far has seemed disjointed. While Lynch and Flair usually put on great matches, tonight it felt like they couldn’t get on the same page. Lynch’s match with Evans was also underwhelming.
Roman Reigns was set to face Elias tonight and was shown backstage making his way towards the ring. Elias snuck up behind him and struck him with his acoustic guitar.
Elias then brought an electric guitar into the ring and insulted the Hartford crowd. Elias performed a song that insulted Roman Reigns and claimed the Whalers left this city because Hartford is a disgrace.
Roman Reigns hit Elias with a Superman Punch on the entrance ramp and then brought Elias to the ring. The match then started and Roman connected with a Spear for the pinfall victory.
Seth Rollins Retained In A Terrific Match Against AJ Styles
Seth Rollins defended his Universal Championship against AJ Styles tonight at WWE Money in the Bank 2019. The match started out back and forth as the crowd applauded both superstars.
Seth connected with a Clothesline and followed it up with a chop in the corner. Rollins followed it up with a knee to the face for a near fall. AJ battled back with a Dropkick and a Backbreaker.
AJ went for the Styles Clash off the apron but Seth escaped at the last second. Styles then hit Rollins with a knee to the face but Seth shrugged it off and hit a Suicide Dive through the ropes.
Rollins hit another Suicide Dive and then the action returned to the ring. Seth hit the Slingblade and followed it up with a Flying Clothesline for a two count. Rollins went for a knee to the face but Styles countered with a Neckbreaker.
Seth slammed AJ to the canvas and hit a Frog Splash off the top rope for a near fall. Styles lifted Rollins up in the Torture Rack and transitioned into a Powerbomb for a two count.
The crowd chanted “this is awesome” as AJ made his way to the apron. AJ went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Rollins blocked it and perched Styles on the top turnbuckle.
Rollins hit an inverted Superplex off the top rope and then the Falcon Arrow for another two count. Seth went for The Stomp but AJ countered into the Calf Crusher in the center of the ring.
Seth broke the hold with a boot to the face and both superstars regrouped on the canvas. Styles was the first to his feet and connected with a reverse DDT for a two count.
AJ charged at Rollins but Seth hit a Superkick out of nowhere and both superstars fell to the mat once again. Back to their feet, Rollins and Styles traded shots as dueling chants broke out. Rollins hit an Enziguri and then dodged a Pele Kick from Styles.
Rollins went for The Stomp but AJ beautifully countered into the Styles Clash and went for the cover. Rollins somehow kicked out at two and the crowd erupted as Styles had a look of disbelief on his face.
“This is awesome” chants broke out again as Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm. Rollins countered with the Ripcord Knee and then hit a Superkick. Seth followed it up with The Stomp for the pinfall victory.
After the match, AJ Styles got back into the ring and stared at Seth. Rollins raised the title and then Styles offered his hand. Seth shook AJ’s hand and Styles exited the ring.
I hope we get to see this match again soon because Rollins and Styles have amazing chemistry in the ring. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and the only complaint I have is that the match didn’t go on longer.
Kofi Kingston put his WWE Championship on the line against Kevin Owens tonight. Kingston leveled Owens with a Clothesline to start things off. Owens rolled out of the ring to try and regroup but Kingston followed him and hit another Clothesline off the steel steps.
Kingston sent Owens into the barricade and followed it up with a Splash off the top rope. Back in the ring, Kevin dropped Kingston with a Superkick and then stomped on him in the corner of the ring.
Owens shouted “that is why this is my show!” and slammed Kington into the turnbuckle. Owens connected with a Senton for a one count and immediately started shouting at the referee.
Kevin slammed Kingston to the floor outside the ring and hit him with a Frog Splash off the ring apron. Back in the ring, Owens went for a Powerbomb but Kofi countered into a Back Body Drop.
Kofi went for the Boom Drop but Owens countered into the Boston Crab. Kingston escaped and hit a Double Stomp that slammed Owens into the ring apron. Kofi then leaped off the top rope but Owens caught him with a Superkick.
Owens went for the cover in the ring but Kingston kicked out at two. Kofi blocked the Pop-Up Powerbomb and the Stunner and connected with the SOS for a near fall. Kofi went for Trouble in Paradise but Owens countered into another Boston Crab.
Kofi broke the hold and hit Owens with a Superkick. Owens battled back with the Pop-Up Powerbomb for another two count. Owens shouted at the crowd to stop clapping and then geared up in the corner.
Kevin went for the Stunner but Kingston avoided it. Kofi connected with Trouble in Paradise but Owens tumbled out of the ring. Kingston rolled Owens back inside the ring and then walked right into a Stunner from Owens. Kevin went for the cover but Kofi grabbed the bottom rope to break up the cover.
Owens ripped off Kofi’s shoes and then climbed to the top rope. Owens went for a Swanton Bomb but Kingston got his knees up. Kingston then hit Owens with the Trouble in Paradise for the pinfall victory. Kofi Kingston is still the WWE Champion.
Both the Universal Championship and WWE Championship matches were great tonight. AJ and Seth clearly stole the show, but Kingston and Owens put on a hell of a match as well. I’m not really sure what the point of taking Kofi’s sneakers off for the finish of the match.
Earlier in the PPV, Sami Zayn approached Triple H backstage. Zayn stated that he wanted protection from Braun Strowman but Triple H laughed it off. Braun was then shown looking for Sami backstage. Later on the show, Sami was found hanging upside down backstage and was ruled out of the match. Triple H confronted Strowman backstage but Braun denied that he was involved in the attack on Zayn. Triple H didn’t buy it and told Strowman to leave the arena.
Baron Corbin, Finn Balor, Andrade, Ali, Randy Orton, Ricochet, and Drew McIntyre made their way to the ring for the men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. The match started out in a brawl between the 7 superstars. Ricochet charged at Orton but Randy slammed him onto the announce table.
Orton took his sweet time setting up a ladder in the middle of the ring and started to climb. Andrade knocked the ladder over and sent Randy to the outside. Corbin and. McIntyre brought ladders into the ring and set up them in opposite corners.
Ali hit Corbin with a Facebuster and then took out McIntyre with a Suicide Dive. Ricochet sent Andrade out of the ring and then tried to climb the ladder. Ali stopped him and then both superstars climbed up opposite sides. Corbin and McIntyre brought them back down and Baron sent Ali into the ladder in the corner. McIntyre then launched Ricochet into the other ladder in the corner of the ring.
Randy planted Corbin with DDT on the ropes and geared up for an RKO. Corbin blocked it and McIntyre hit Orton with a Claymore Kick. Finn hit Corbin with a Slingblade and then Dropkicked McIntyre into the ladder. Balor hit Corbin with a Double Stomp and slammed the ladder onto McIntyre’s back.
Balor made his way up the ladder but Andrade knocked him back down. Andrade set up a ladder in between one of the rungs and on the top rope. Andrade started climbing but Balor joined him on the ladder in the middle of the ring.
Andrade then hit Balor with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb that dangerously sent Finn into the ladder. The crowd lost their minds at this spot and then comically transitioned into a “yowie wowie!” chant.
Ali and Ricochet got back into the ring and Ali hit an unreal inverted Frankensteiner that spiked Ricochet into the mat. Andrade hung up Ali in one of the rungs and set up another ladder in the ring.
Ali escaped and joined Andrade at the top of both ladders. Ali planted Andrade with an awesome Spanish Fly off the top of the ladders. McIntyre set up a ladder from the apron to announce table. Ali Superkicked McIntyre but turned around into a Chokeslam from Corbin through the announce table.
Corbin finally stabbed McIntyre in the back and sent him flying over the barricade. Baron then Chokeslammed Balor on top of the ladder. Ricochet knocked Corbin out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but Baron countered into a Deep Six. McIntyre came out of nowhere and leveled Corbin with the Claymore Kick.
Drew Suplexed Balor onto the ladder and then slammed Andrade on top of him. McIntyre set up the ladder again but Ricochet flew into frame and hit Drew with a Clothesline. Ricochet started climbing but McIntyre brought him down and sent him flying onto the ladder set up from the apron to the announce table.
McIntyre then started climbing the ladder but Orton brought him down with an RKO. Corbin threw Orton into the ring post and made his way to the top. Ali brought him down and sent Baron to the outside. Ali started climbing but Lesnar’s music hit. Brock shoved the ladder over and Ali fell to the floor. Lesnar then climbed the ladder and grabbed the MITB briefcase.
The men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match was set up to be a match of the year candidate and still should be, but this ending was terrible. Brock Lesnar will now likely face Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship at Super Show-Down in Saudi Arabia. Thus, seven superstars put themselves through hell to set up a rematch that not too many people were asking for.
You cannot build up new talent if you constantly rely on the past. Brock Lesnar winning this match didn’t piss me off in the way that WWE wanted it to. I was just disappointed that after an excellent match, WWE managed to take a step back and deliver more of the same garbage. Money in the Bank 2019 had some great matches, but the biggest thing it did was get me even more excited for Double or Nothing next weekend.
Brock Lesnar can now call himself Mr. Money in the Bank.
Lesnar won this year’s Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match as he beat Drew McIntyre, Ricochet, Baron Corbin, Randy Orton, Andrade, Finn Balor, and Mustafa Ali at the WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view event in Hartford, CT.
Just like the women’s contest, Lesnar will have a contract that he can cash-in anytime that he wants within a year from this pay-per-view event. Obviously, Lesnar wasn’t originally advertised for this match. WWE did a storyline where Sami Zayn, who was supposed to wrestle in the match, was attacked backstage earlier in the night with his spot available. Thus, Lesnar was legally allowed to wrestle in this match.
Since the introduction of this match back in 2015, there have been 19 attempts at cashing in the contract with only 15 successful stars to win a World Title.
John Cena failed in 2012 during the RAW 1000 episode against CM Punk for the WWE Title, Damien Sandow against Cena the following year on RAW for the World Heavyweight Title, Baron Corbin for the WWE Title against Jinder Mahal in 2017, and most recently, Braun Strowman at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view event for the Universal Title against Roman Reigns.
What are your thoughts on Lesnar winning this year’s men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
Kofi Kingston has remained on top of the mountain in the WWE, and the reign as the WWE Champion continues.
The top champion on SmackDown Live successfully retained his WWE Title over Kevin Owens at the WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view event in Hartford, CT.
This match got booked once Owens turned heel and attacked Kingston on the April 23 episode of SmackDown Live. Instead, of doing a rematch against Daniel Bryan, WWE went in this direction. The reason for that at the time was due to Bryan being sidelined with an unknown injury.
Moving along, Bryan got his rematch for the WWE Title against Kingston on a recent episode of Monday Night RAW and then moved to the tag team division where he became the SmackDown Tag Team Champions with Rowan.
Thus, it appears that the program and Owens and Kingston will continue heading into the next pay-per-view event that goes down Friday, June 7th, 2019 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
Styles earned this title opportunity back on the April 22nd episode of WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night RAW, when WWE held two triple threat matches that were contested with the winners of those bouts going one on one later in the night, with the winner of that match being crowned the new #1 contender for the title.
The triple threat matches were AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe and The Miz vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Baron Corbin. The winners of these matches were Styles and Corbin. The winner of the final contest was Styles.
Time will tell whether WWE continues this feud or goes into a different direction heading into the next pay-per-view event that goes down Friday, June 7th, 2019 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.WWE Money in the Bank Results & Live Coverage
