We are a little over halfway through the year. With Money in the Bank behind us, the WWE will now focus on building up its second biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam. With that said, I felt it would be interesting to look at the top five matches from the second quarter of 2014. I included full match videos and highlights where possible, but WWE licensing restrictions made it difficult at times. (I also apologize for the terrible music in a few of the videos.)
5. Dolph Ziggler vs. Bad News Barrett (April 14th Raw)
Dolph Ziggler is rarely given more than ten minutes to perform anymore, so it is definitely worth enjoying when he is given enough time to show off his talent. In this match, Ziggler squared off with Bad News Barrett in the first round of the Intercontinental Championship tournament. Both superstars put on a great show, with Barrett ultimately winning after hitting a Bad News Bullhammer Elbow. The action was fast paced in this contest, with both guys showing why they have main event talent. This would start Barrett’s push to win the title, although he would of course later be stripped as a result of injury. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdwcxG9A8UU
4. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane (Extreme Rules)
This would end up begin Daniel Bryan’s only title defense, as he was stripped of the title just a few weeks later due to injury. He made the most of his time with the strap, however, by engaging in a great contest with Kane. Of all the matches on the list, this is definitely the one that had the most old-school feel to it, with the action spilling to the back of the arena at one point. Bryan also used a forklift to help secure the victory by delivering a diving headbutt from the top of the vehicle. Ultimately, the match was a throwback to the Attitude Era, providing fans with a simultaneous glimpse into both the past and future of the company. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReEU8WzzQo
Advertising for next Monday’s WWE RAW at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada confirms the recent reports that claimed WWE Hall Of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart will be at the show.
Also listed in the advertisement for the show are Chris Jericho, Kane and a six-man tag-team main event of John Cena, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins.
The following is the advertisement, sent out in French:
WWE – MONDAY NIGHT RAW
LUNDI 7 JUILLET À 19H30 / CENTRE BELL (Événement télévisé)
QUELQUES BILLETS ENCORE DISPONIBLES
Billets en vente aux guichets du Centre Bell
Commande téléphonique: 1 855 310-2525
Commandez en ligne: www.evenko.ca
Billet: 31,50$ / 46$ / 64,50$ / 87,50$/ 127,75$ (incluant taxes et frais de service)
WWE – MONDAY NIGHT RAW DÉBARQUE À MONTRÉAL !
JOHN CENA, CHAMPION DU MONDE POIDS LOURD DE LA WWE
ROMAN REIGNS et DEAN AMBROSE
VS
RANDY ORTON, BRAY WYATT et SETH ROLLINS
EN PLUS DE :
BRET HART, TRIPLE H, CHRIS JERICHO et DEMON KANE
While it would seem inevitable at some point, and thus obvious, there is already said to be talk within WWE about plans for a reunion of The Shield in late 2015 or early 2016.
The motivation behind the talks was long-term planning, where it was pointed out how successful reunions in the past have done, such as D-Generation X.
The idea is to keep Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins apart as far as any kind of unity from now until then, building to an eventual alignment down the line.
The following is the latest Mick Foley Facebook blog:
“A GOOD NIGHT FOR DEAN
Following the tumultuous reaction he received last night, it’s clear that Dean Ambrose has made a very real connection with the WWE universe. In wrestling, momentum is so vital – I hope WWE does something special with Ambrose.
What would you like to see happen with Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns?
Thanks again for getting me to 1 million likes here on Facebook and for supporting the #HardcoreLegendTour. — with Frans Nthoke.”
– John Cena captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Sunday’s night’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view. This is Cena’s 15th world title reign. He’s expected to defend the gold against Brock Lesnar at WWE SummerSlam on Sunday, August 17th.
– Former Shield member Seth Rollins is the Money in the Bank briefcase holder after receiving help from Kane and The Authority to win the Money in the Bank ladder match.
– There were several celebrities in attendance at last night’s pay-per-view, including Jon Stewart (“The Daily Show”), former WWE Superstar Chris Nowinski, Mick Foley’s daughter Noelle, DeAngelo Williams of the Carolina Panthers, Josh Daniels of the New England Patriots and ESPN’s Robert Flores.
– We received reports from several people who experienced issues with the WWE Network feed of Money in the Bank. WWE’s technical support attributed the problem to “high demand.”
WWE Money In The Bank REACTION: Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts
The following is the final card for tonight’s WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view:
Money In The Bank Ladder Match (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
– John Cena vs. Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton vs. Cesaro vs. Kane vs. Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio
Money In The Bank Ladder Match (Briefcase For Title Shot Up To One Year)
– Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Bad News Barrett*
WWE Tag-Team Championship
– The Usos (c) vs. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan
WWE Divas Championship
Paige (c) vs. Naomi
Divas Match (Special Guest Referee: Fandango)
– Summer Rae vs. Layla
Tag-Team Match
– Goldust & Stardust vs. Ryback & Curtis Axel
Singles Match
– Rusev vs. Big E.
* – Barrett suffered a separated shoulder during the SmackDown taping this past Tuesday, however WWE has yet to announce whether or not he has been pulled from his match.
Make sure to join us here later tonight for the absolute best live play-by-play results coverage of the fifth annual WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view!
The WWE’s brightest stars will attempt to cash in at this Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Two ladder matches will main event the program, with one being held to declare a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. In addition, former champion Daniel Bryan will address the WWE Universe during the pre-show.
Here are my predictions for this Sunday’s event.
Summer Rae vs. Layla (Fandango Guest Referee)
I was never the biggest Fandango supporter, but I definitely thought he would be doing something bigger than referring a divas match a year ago. He has regressed over the past year and lost a lot of momentum. This will likely be the bathroom break match of the night, and Fandango will play a major role in the outcome, of course. Summer Rae will win this one by either rejoining Fandango or using him to influence the outcome of the contest before abandoning him.
Winner: Summer Rae by pinfall
Rusev vs. Big E
These guys performed well together at last month’s Payback, even though they were given less than four minutes total. They will hopefully get a little more time during this one, allowing both superstars to showcase their strengths.
I think Rusev will ultimately win this one, but Big E will also look strong during the match. Big E cut a passionate promo on last week’s Raw, so it appears the WWE wants to showcase him a bit more. Both guys will look good, but Rusev will force Big E to tap out in the end.
Winner: Rusev by submission
Stardust and Goldust vs. Ryback and Curtis Axel
The Rhodes Brothers storyline has been moving slowly over the past few months. It first looked as if the two brothers were going to feud with one another, with Cody searching for an adequate replacement because he felt Goldust deserved better.
He eventually rebranded himself as Stardust and the two have been on a winning streak ever since. They will continue to look strong on Sunday, picking up the win after Cody hits his Diamond Dust finisher on Curtis Axel.
Early advertising for the WWE Battleground pay-per-view, which is the next show following Sunday’s Money In The Bank, has been released in the local Tampa market and may have already spoiled two of the matches planned for the show.
According to the ads in Tampa, Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton and Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose will be taking place at Battleground.
Also advertised to appear at Battleground are John Cena, Bray Wyatt, Kane, RVD, Sheamus, Cesaro, Big Show, Alberto Del Rio, Bad News Barrett and Kofi Kingston.
Check out these photos of WWE Tag Team Champion Seth Rollins and his girlfriend, Schultz. On her Twitter page, Schultz describes Rollins as, “My best friend, my rock, and my soulmate!”
The following are highlights of a recent RVAMag.com interview with Dean Ambrose:
Money In The Bank is this Sunday night and you’re in the traditional match alongside six other wrestlers. What kind of thoughts or reservations do you have going into this match, especially considering ladder match pioneers like Edge and Matt Hardy have been so vocal about the long-term damages from them?
You know, it’s one of those things where a lot is at stake and you might have to take a big risk to get up that ladder. There’s a lot in play. Lots of metal, high heights, and a lot of players in the game. It’s a very unpredictable situation. You just have to go into with no fear and no reservations. You just have to go for it. You got to pick your spots and be smart though. Once you’re in front of that crowd, those lights go up, you see the briefcase hanging, and you feel the adrenaline; all your fears disappear. If you have fears in your head, that’s when you’re going to get hurt. You got to let that stuff leave your head, otherwise it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. You can be smart, but just don’t hesitate. It’s like Patrick Swayze said in Point Break. “Fear causes hesitation and hesitation causes your worst fears to come true.”
Now, three weeks ago, Seth Rollins turned on you and judging by the recent TV, it looks like you and Roman Reigns are no longer partnering together. What did you think about the turn and how it was done?
You never know what’s going to happen on Monday Night RAW. You always got to to tune in because anything can happen and the same things goes for us when we show up each Monday night. You never know what’s lurking around the corner or what twist they’re going to throw your way. The cool thing is The Shield never started going on the downslide. We went out at our absolute apex with a clean sweep of Evolution, one of the most decorated and dominate stables of all time. The cool thing to take away is that we did go out on a high point whereas other groups don’t and I take a lot of pride in that. We’re all still three of the best performers in the company and are still always going to carry that mindset and that work ethic and be that symbol of excellence. That becomes part of your psyche and you want to go out there every night, bust your ass, put on the best show possible, and refuse to be out-done by anyone. You’re still going to see that from us. You won’t see us working together in the classic Shield way, but all three of us with all of our egos and aspirations and desire are still going to be on your TV making our way up top. It’s an exciting time for the fans.
With Reigns being booked as WWE’s next big star and Rollins aligned with Triple H, are you worried at all about getting lost in the shuffle like so many other superstars are lately?
Nope.
Pretty confident, huh?
I’ve got confidence for miles and miles every day I wake up. If you know anything about me or anything about my history, if I’m backed into a corner, I will put my head down and swing and bite and scratch and crawl and throw punches until my arms fall off. I get where I want to go whether anyone likes it or not. I’ve made a career and life out of proving people wrong and making people eat their words. I get where I want to go and get what I want. It’s not always a typical storybook because it’s Dean Ambrose – it’s not going to be. It might get ugly and might not always be the prettiest. I might have some scratches and bruises, but I’m going to get to where I want. You know, it can be really easy to listen to people. I’m a guy – I don’t listen to things or to the little things that is. The gossip or comments of public perception. All that matters is the crowd. I know who I am and I know what I do and I know how hard I’ve worked to get here. You never know which way the road is going to turn. I think the top guys wake up every day in the morning and look at themselves and say, “I’m a top guy, I’m a world beater, and no one’s going to stop me from getting what I want.” I do the same and I feel the same and have for a long time.
To finish up, who in the locker room are you closest with?
Roman Reigns. He’s still my best friend, my buddy, and travelling partner. Me and Roman are tight. We’ve had on our differences on TV and we get into each our faces because we’re two alpha males so we’ll butt heads, but that’s why we love each other. We’re brothers and push each other and still got each other’s back. For Roman, he’s a super-charismatic, loveable, soulful guy that can be a beacon for everyone in the locker room which I think is just really good right now.
The following are highlights of a recent Between The Ropes interview with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin:
Which WWE star would have the least difficult time on “The Broken Skull Challenge”: “I think Seth Rollins and Antonio Cesaro might be able to get through the course. But you know, they would have to get through the challenges first and had the competitions and then take on the course. It would be (laughs) very interesting to see Seth Rollins compete against Antonio Cesaro at the Broken Skull Challenge.”
Next mainstream star in WWE: “Whew, that’s a great question. There’s three guys who have big superstars written on them. I think Bray Wyatt is one of them, Cesaro is one of them, but when I got to mention the guy your asking for is Roman Reigns. He happens to be related to The Rock. Good looking kid, damn good worker in the ring, I want to know some more about his promos. But man, if I got to look at the roster right now and say whose my next megastar, his name is Roman Reigns.”
With eight superstars in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match and seven in the Money in the Bank contract ladder match, the future is very intriguing.
With eight superstars in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match and seven in the Money in the Bank contract ladder match, the future is very intriguing.
Someone is walking out of Boston with the WWE World Heavyweight title. Whoever wins has to be careful though. Because lurking behind them will be someone else with the Money in the Bank briefcase. The two winners of these matches will have a microscope on them. Many of these stars have a long history with each other. From the three members of The Shield to Attitude Era stars like Kane and Rob Van Dam, WWE fans could see some fantastic feuds come from the outcomes of these matches.
At Money in the Bank 2010, Kane won the briefcase and become the first and only superstar to cash in that very same night. History could repeat itself this year, except this time the title can change more times. The WWE World Heavyweight title will change at least once since it is currently vacant. However, it could change twice in the same night if the Money in the Bank winner cashes in like Kane did four years ago. This would expedite a feud between superstars in each match.
With that said, here are seven fantastic and intriguing feuds that could begin thanks to the outcomes of the two ladder matches at Money in the Bank 2014.
The following are highlights of a new DC 101 interview with Seth Rollins:
Money In the Bank Ladder Match on Sunday: “Looking at the field there’s a lot of guys who are going to take risks, I think a lot of people might think I might be one of those guys. But in this scenario, what I’m going to do I think is let the other guys take their risks and when they crash and burn I’m just going to climb that ladder, snatch that contract and be the man for the next year!”
Being the first NXT Champion: “To be the inaugural, to be the first is very special. And if you look at the legacy NXT has already created within the past couple of years, and the legacy that I’m sure it’s going to have moving forward shaping our industry for the next couple of decades most likely, to be the first guy, to be the placeholder is pretty awesome.”
Will Wade Barrett be able to compete on Sunday after hurting his shoulder: “I think we’re still waiting to see how that goes. I know Wade’s been riding an incredible wave of momentum over the past couple of months, his Bad News thing has really been awesome. As a competitor in the match I can’t say that it’s a shame that he may not be in it anymore, but as someone who is a little bit of a fan of Bad News Barrett I would be kind of upset if he had to miss out.”
Check out the complete interview above, or by going to DC101.com.
Money in the Bank is only a few days away, and it appears that the card is all but set. There are two ladder matches scheduled so fans can enjoy double the fun. Leading into the event, most questions have been answers, but a few still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered heading into Money in the Bank.
5. Should Big E Be Given More Time to Speak?
This past week on Raw, Big E cut a rather passionate promo on Rusev. During his Intercontinental Title run, Big E was never really given an opportunity to connect with fans, leading many, including myself, to believe that his run with the title was stale.
However, after seeing him on Raw last week, I think that he could be one of the top superstars if booked properly. Instead of writing Big E cookie cutter promos that bore the fans, he should be given more time to speak freely and be himself as he did on Raw. If he had been given this opportunity while he still held the title, he could still be holding the strap today.
4. Will Bad News Barrett Compete?
Bad News Barrett was unfortunately the one receiving the bad news this week after separating his shoulder during a SmackDown taping. It seems that Barrett cannot avoid the injury bug, as he has been known to go down to injury at the worst possible times.
There has been no official announcement regarding his status for this Sunday’s pay-per-view, but it seems as if he will have to sit out while his fellow competitors attempt to win at shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. One can only hope that he recovers quickly and gets back in the ring, especially considering how successful his latest push has been.
– While this could always change, the current working plan is for a one-on-one match between Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose on the upcoming WWE Battleground pay-per-view on July 20th.
– The latest edition of the WWE YouTube web-series, “Five Things” looks at the five Money In The Bank “MVPs.” You can check that out below.
A huge six-man tag-team match featuring teams of three Superstars, all of whom will be part of the second “traditional” Money In The Bank ladder match this Sunday night on pay-per-view, was announced on RAW as the main event for this week’s edition of WWE Main Event, which airs live on the WWE Network on Tuesday night at 8pm EST.
Tuesday’s edition of Main Event will feature Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler and Rob Van Dam vs. Bad News Barrett, Seth Rollins and Jack Swagger.
The additional participants for the second Money In The Bank ladder match for the briefcase at this Sunday’s pay-per-view were announced during the “go-home” RAW show on Monday night.
During an in-ring segment with Triple H, “The Game” revealed the following participants for the match:
– Seth Rollins
– Kofi Kingston
– Jack Swagger
– Dolph Ziggler
– Rob Van Dam
– Bad News Barrett
Later in the show it was confirmed that Dean Ambrose would indeed be the seventh and final participant in the match.
One week from today, WWE’s annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view will be held in Boston, Massachusetts. The event has quickly become one of the most anticipated programs of the year, as it provides exciting action and sets up the storyline for months by allowing a WWE superstar to stalk his prey while holding a contract for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.
There will be two Money in the Bank ladder matches this year. One will be held for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and the other will be a traditional contest for a shot at the title. The first contest will feature perennial title contenders such as John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Alberto Del Rio, as well as up-and-coming stars such as Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, and Cesaro.
It seems like John Cena is once again the favorite to leave Boston as the champ.
The second ladder match will feature Seth Rollins, with the rest of the lineup to be determined in a series of qualifying matches. Thus far, only three matches have been announced for the entire pay-per-view, and with only one week left before the event, one has to wonder how the WWE will tie everything together in such a brief period.
Other than the two ladder matches, a matchup between the Usos and Luke Harper and Erick Rowan of the Wyatt family is the only confirmed contest on the card. It seems apparent that Dean Ambrose will be one of the participants in the traditional ladder match. Potential options also include those who did not qualify for the championship ladder match, including Bad News Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, and Rob Van Dam.
The two ladder matches will soak up a large portion of the roster, meaning the midcard will have to pick up some slack in order to fill up the three hours of airtime. Rumored contests include Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs. RybAxel, Rusev vs. Big E, and a Divas Championship match involving Paige and all or part of the Funkadactyls.
WWE has released all-new entrance videos for Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. Reigns’ theme is a remix of the original theme song of The Shield.
Comment below and tell us which song you like the best.
As previously reported, WWE announced a second Money In The Bank ladder match for the upcoming June 29th pay-per-view, one that will be for the usual Money In The Bank briefcase, which earns the winner a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at a time of his choosing.
We noted that this coming Monday’s RAW, which is the Money In The Bank “go-home” edition of the show, will feature a segment where the participants in the second ladder match will be revealed. As things stand now, Seth Rollins is the only confirmed participant, however the rest will be revealed on RAW, and it is believed that there will be six participants added in addition to Rollins.
As noted recently, names rumored to be included in the second ladder match are Dean Ambrose, Big E., Rob Van Dam, Bo Dallas, as well as Bad News Barrett and Dolph Ziggler, the latter two of which will either be part of that match or in an Intercontinental Championship match with each other.
The WWE dog pound is a lot emptier after the dissolution of the Hounds of Justice. Since leaving the Shield, Seth Rollins has adopted new entrance music and wardrobe, trading in his Shield garb for attire that resembles something Catwoman would sport.
Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, although still affiliated, have also distanced themselves from one another. Ambrose debuted new ring gear, now wearing a pair of jeans and a white tank top. It appears that the only member of the Shield who will continue to wear the riot gear the group has become synonymous with will be Roman Reigns.
Reigns found a way to gain entry into the Money in the Bank main event. Does he have a chance to come out victorious?
Speaking of Reigns, he is also the only member of the Shield who will compete in the Money in the Bank ladder match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the next pay-per-view. Although it seems unlikely that Reigns, a man who has never held a singles title in the WWE, would win the championship, he has to be considered one of the favorites after looking at his competition.
In my opinion, the best way to further the feud between Reigns and Triple H would be to have the Game screw Reigns out of victory at Money in the Bank, possibly by helping Randy Orton secure the title once more.
Reigns has not seemed too interested in exacting revenge from former partner Seth Rollins, instead allowing Dean Ambrose to handle the situation. This has set up a storyline between the two, with Rollins and Ambrose attacking one another on multiple occasions over the past few weeks.
This week on Main Event, Seth Rollins announced that there would be a second ladder match at this month’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view, this one a traditional ladder match for a title shot. Rollins also announced that he would be the first entrant in the contest.
Thus far, no other competitors have been announced for the match, but with Rollins and Ambrose feuding, it seems obvious that Dean will be one of the superstars vying for a title contract next Sunday. If handled correctly, Ambrose and Rollins could pull off one of the greatest feuds in recent history.
The main event for the June 29th WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view will be the ladder match for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which features John Cena, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Cesaro, Bray Wyatt and Alberto Del Rio. As noted recently, Cena or Reigns (and Cesaro as a long-shot) will likely come out on top, as the winner is the likely candidate for Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.
Also confirmed for the 6/29 PPV is a WWE Tag-Team Championship match with The Usos defending against Luke Harper and Erick Rowan of The Wyatt Family.
The second ladder match, which was made official recently and will be for the usual Money In The Bank briefcase, as of right now only features Seth Rollins. Additional names rumored for the match include Dean Ambrose, Big E., Rob Van Dam, Bo Dallas, as well as Bad News Barrett and Dolph Ziggler, the latter two of which will either be part of that match or in an Intercontinental Championship match with each other.
Additionally, the direction for the WWE Divas Championship match at Money In The Bank seems to be Paige defending against Naomi of The Funkadactyls.
On the June 17th edition of WWE Main Event, Seth Rollins announced that there will be a traditional Money in the Bank ladder match at the pay-per-view in less than two weeks. Rollins also announced that he will be one of the participants in the match.
Who will join Rollins in the traditional Money in the Bank ladder match?
That remains to be seen. Rollins didn’t have to qualify for this match, just like Randy Orton didn’t have to qualify for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match. The next two weeks, the top midcard stars will likely compete for the opportunity to qualify for the traditional Money in the Bank ladder match. These midcard stars are hoping to be the next one to make the transition to main event star.
Here are five WWE superstars who should join Rollins in the Money in the Bank ladder match on June 29th.
As previously reported, Seth Rollins revealed during this week’s edition of WWE Main Event that at the upcoming Money In The Bank pay-per-view on June 29th, a second ladder match will take place with the infamous Money In The Bank briefcase on the line. Rollins announced that he was the first official participant in the match.
Since then, Triple H has confirmed the match in his latest sit-down interview with Michael Cole, which is available right now on the main page of this website.
The remaining participants in the second ladder match at the Money In The Bank pay-per-view will be revealed during next Monday night’s MITB “go-home” edition of RAW. This was revealed during a graphic shown during the SmackDown television tapings on Tuesday night, as it was noted that the remaining entrants would be announced next Monday night.
