Top 8 Best Money in the Bank Ladder Matches

Just a couple of days away before Money in the Bank and this year's event is shaping up to be something memorable in the main event department. To help me get ready, I'll go ahead and discuss my Top 8 Best Money in the Bank Ladder Matches, which also sort of extends into my Top 8 Favorite Money in the Bank Winners. These are my 8 favorite editions of this annual ladder match, utilizing the most interesting participants and delivering with innovative spots. Most importantly, these matches need to have winners that I genuinely enjoyed seeing with the briefcase and what they did with their opportunity. So let's make that long climb to the top with the Top 8 Best Money in the Bank Ladder Matches.


Number 8: Dolph Ziggler vs. Santino Marella vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Damien Sandow vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Sin Cara vs. Tensai vs. Christian (Money in the Bank 2012)

As much as I loved Ziggler's run with the briefcase (including one of the best cash-ins in history), this match gets docked a little for the list of participants. Guys like Tensai, Santino, Sin Cara (the original Sin Cara), and Damien Sandow (at least that early into his WWE career) seemed a little out of place to be competing for a World Heavyweight Championship opportunity. The result was something fans had wanted for a long time. Whether it was Rhodes or Ziggler, those two were the favorites. It didn't matter which one it was, as long as one of them won and had a good run with the case. That's exactly what we got with Ziggler and we couldn't ask for much else other than a better World Championship reign had Ziggler not been injured.

Number 7: Jeff Hardy vs. King Booker vs. Finlay vs. CM Punk vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. Matt Hardy vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge (WrestleMania 23)

My first Money in the Bank Ladder Match and my first WrestleMania match, this match is more than just nostalgia. The eight competitors were 8 of the best the company had to offer at the time and they went out and delivered a spectacle in front of over 80,000 people. Many of the spots still hold a spot in my mind when I think of the greatest ladder match moments in history. Kennedy's victory was the right decision at the time but it hasn't aged great due to him losing the briefcase to Edge due to injury. Had he not been injury prone, this would definitely be Top 5 material because he would have been a great World Heavyweight Champion.

Number 6: Rob Van Dam vs. Christian vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. CM Punk (Money in the Bank 2013)

The All-Star premise for this match was much more than tolerable than the former champions MitB match from 2012, because these were 6 guys that were at least workhorses in a ladder match and had been out of the main event longer. This match was definitely focused on the returning Rob Van Dam, Daniel Bryan's rise in popularity with the fans, and Paul Heyman turning on CM Punk. Add Christian and Sheamus helping to take most of the spots and Orton capitalizing to win the briefcase, and we have a pretty solid main event. Orton's time with the briefcase only lasted a month, but his cash-in created The Authority, so this is definitely an important Money in the Bank moment for wrestling history.

Number 5: Randy Orton vs. The Miz vs. Mark Henry vs. Ted DiBiase vs. John Morrison vs. Chris Jericho vs. Evan Bourne vs. Edge (Money in the Bank 2010)

When this happened live, my draw dropped at the idea of Miz being a future WWE Champion. But then we got his reign with the briefcase. His feud with Daniel Bryan was great, his mic skills were improving weekly, and he was constantly adding new facets to his character. When it was time to cash-in, I had bought into the hype. Miz's moment of glory was well-handled and the more times I watch this match, it grows on me. History probably has a big factor in that, because there's some moments here and there that are a bit silly, but it's an otherwise good ladder match. Having an even mixture of veterans (Jericho, Mark Henry, Edge, and Orton) and younger talent (Morrison, DiBiase, Bourne, and Miz) really helped give this match a unique, yet balanced flavor to it. The spots aren't too memorable, but the shock of the final moments seal this as an important entry in Money in the Bank.

Number 4: Seth Rollins vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Jack Swagger vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose (Money in the Bank 2014)

The big story in this match was the rivalry between Rollins and Ambrose. While it may have been obvious that Rollins was going to win, that was the point. This victory was a HUGE boost for the new heel Rollins and he was being pushed up the main event before he even needed to cash-in the briefcase. And what does he do when he finally does cash-in? He steals the whole show at WrestleMania 31. Again, a lot of people had a feeling that was going to happen, but that didn't mean we didn't want it. When it happened, it really felt like the culmination of a new era in wrestling being ushered in by one of its newest established superstars. I guess with some hindsight, Rollins winning the briefcase really was best for business.

Number 3: John Morrison vs. Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. CM Punk vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. MVP vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania XXIV)

With 7 competitors (originally 8 had Jeff Hardy not been suspended right before Mania), this was one of the first MitB matches to feature all young talent. It was a Sophie's Choice of people you wanted to see win the briefcase and they tore it up in the ring. So many great spots occurred, but the most memorable moment for most fans was seeing Punk victorious at a high-profile match like this. At that time, most fans never would've imagined they'd give an indy guy a shot at the World Title, but this signified that it was gonna happen. Of course, his first run with the briefcase and title wasn't as good as his second, but this was the superior match and I'm a huge Punk fan, so I hold a special place in my heart for this one.

Number 2: Sin Cara vs. Wade Barrett vs. Justin Gabriel vs. Sheamus vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Heath Slater vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane (Money in the Bank 2011)

In a match that had a couple of odd choices for World Heavyweight Championship contenders, the Chicago crowd and the athleticism on display really helped turn this match into a classic. Sheamus powerbombing Sin Cara through a ladder, the tension between the former members of The Corre, Cody Rhodes during his time with the face mask, and the surprise of surprises when Daniel Bryan won the briefcase. Granted, Bryan getting buried while he held the briefcase was a severe disappointment, but it made his cash-in that much more sweet of a moment. This was the moment that turned Bryan into a main eventer, led to the Yes! movement, and showed that the Money in the Bank ladder match can still have surprises all these years after the inaugural match.

Number 1: Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit vs. Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Edge vs. Kane (WrestleMania 21)

It's hard to top the original. This was the right 6 men at the right time in history. They busted their humps trying to steal the show at Mania 21 and make a mark in wrestling history. This match led to Edge getting the main event push he craved, becoming the Rated-R Superstar, and gave us the most iconic Money in the Bank cash-in to date. This is the standard that Money in the Bank needs to live up to every year and I don't know if we will ever see this match get topped. Maybe this Sunday will change that, maybe it won't. Without this match, the ladder match wouldn't have evolved and given us something new and inventive, superstars like CM Punk, The Miz, and Seth Rollins might not have received their push at the right time. Where would history be without this match? I shudder to think about that and I'm forever grateful for this instant ladder match classic.

Are there any that I'm forgetting? Is there one on this list that you think isn't deserving of a top spot? Well, let me know in the comments and also suggest what type of wrestling countdown you'd like to see me do next.


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NXT TakeOver: The End Review

Let's skip the formalities and head right into my thoughts on NXT TakeOver: The End. Or is it The End of the Beginning? That's what they decided to market it as once the show started. I was confused because I thought The End might have been hinting that NXT could be coming to an end (with the announcement of the upcoming brand split being an opportunity to move the roster up to the main shows), but the opening video package gave me more of an idea that this show could be the beginning of a new era in NXT, since some of our favorites like Finn Balor and Bailey could be on their way up to the main roster by the end of the Summer. So let's see if this is the type of show that can usher in a new era for NXT.

Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Tye Dillinger

I'm still shocked to this day when I hear the reaction whenever Dillinger comes out. That man is so over with the NXT crowd that he hopefully gets some level of steam rather than being possibly the best jobber to the stars we've seen in decades. The crowd's reaction actually rubbed off on how they responded to Almas when he came out. An actual strong amount of boos to start, as they were really backing Dillinger, but the match itself worked them over to Almas' side by the end. Really good action for the amount of time they got and I'm really interested to see what they can do with Almas heading forward. He's got a charisma about him and a solid work effort, but I wouldn't put him in the main event division just yet. Why do I have the strangest feeling they may pair him up with No Way Jose?

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: American Alpha vs. The Revival

A lot of the same that happened in their match at TakeOver: Dallas works the same here. These are 2 of the best tag teams NXT has to offer and I love their chemistry together. The spots towards the end really picked things up in high gear, and I was absolutely blown away by the ending. I never imagined The Revival would pick the straps up again, making them the first ever multi-time champions for any title in NXT history. Good for them. And the post-match beatdown on American Alpha by these two mysterious big men has me wondering what in the world is going on. All we know is that they're destructive and managed by Paul Ellering. Just keep the words "Legion," "Doom," Road," or "Warriors" out of their name and we'll be fine.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Austin Aries

I was looking forward to this match the most heading into the show and I won't lie: I was a little disappointed. Not overly, but this just wasn't the wrestling spectacle I was expecting. They kind of worked themselves in a corner when they had these two debut around the same time. Nakamura is the biggest rising star in the company right now, but we don't want to see Aries' momentum sacrificed as a result. The match picked up the pace after a while and I was really getting into it, but then they had Aries lose very decisively. That just felt like the wrong call for me. Nakamura is going to be fine, but I wonder what they'll do to regain some credibility for Aries. He's one of the best wrestlers in the world, but a lack of momentum like this will snuff out his stardom in NXT quickly. Here's hoping they give him something good to do.

NXT Women's Championship Match: Asuka vs. Nia Jax

This was a match I'd waited months for them to touch on. On one side, the overly-dominate powerhouse of Nia Jax. On the other side, the unorthodox combat style of Asuka. It's a dream match for the Woman's Division. When it started, you saw very early on that Jax was dominating the whole contest. It was completely one-sided to the point where you had the sneaking suspicion that Asuka would pull a surprise win. I'm not too upset about that, but it's how they did it that needed work. The match felt like it ended abruptly and I could have honestly see them go on another 5 minutes. Jax is a dominant woman, but she's constantly losing her championship opportunities. I'm sure she'll bounce back, but my question is when (not if) she wins the NXT Women's Championship, will we be able to take it seriously? As for Asuka, I'm not sure if I like seeing her in feuds where her opponent actually stands a chance in beating her. That was part of the intrigue for her character early on. It was her offense that made her stand out so I'll need to see a few more feuds against different opponents. A rematch feud with Bayley, a feud with Alexa Bliss, and so on. If the booking staff can utilize her style with different types of opponents and she'll do just fine as NXT Women's Champion.

Steel Cage Match for the NXT Championship: Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor

I think this is the weakest of their 3 TakeOver matches (I can't judge the house show match where Joe won the title because I haven't seen all of it), but that's probably because I'm not the biggest fan of Steel Cage matches. For what it was, the cage stipulation was fine here in helping deliver a few key spots. It's fairly obvious that Joe was going to retain and we're on our last run with Finn Balor in NXT, so this wasn't too bad. Had this been the match where Joe won the belt, I'd be a little more won over. But it is what it is. And as for me, my focus was geared at the backstage moment they aired before the match, hyping up another appearance from Bobby Roode. Just sign him already and make him a thing in NXT!


Final Thoughts: Maybe not the right event to usher in a new era, but even the weakest NXT TakeOver events still have a silver lining here or there. NXT TakeOver: The End can get a solid Recommended for the Tag Team Championship match and the Steel Cage match. NXT continues to be entertaining, but this event shows there is definitely some fine tuning in the works to restore this show back to being the superior brand in WWE.


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Top 8 Worst Money in the Bank Ladder Matches

We're a few weeks away from Money in the Bank and I want to spice up my Top 8 lists, so I'm going somewhere I haven't gone before. I'm going to do a review talking about the WORST of something. With the ladder match being my all-time favorite gimmick, it's hard for me to say any of these are really bad. The top 3 or 4 could easily be considered ladder matches that aren't very good at all, but the other ones rounding on the list may not necessarily be bad. They just aren't as good as the elite choices. Some of the factors that can affect that include the pacing of the match, the amount of noticeable botches that take place, a lack of story or character progression for the participants, the choice of participants, the decided winner of the match, and the legacy that winner had when it came to holding the Money in the Bank briefcase. So let's look at the least prestigious matches in the history of Money in the Bank with my Top 8 Worst Money in the Bank Ladder Matches.


Number 8: Matt Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Finlay vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Ric Flair (WrestleMania 22)

Might get a little hate for not including this one in my Top 8 Best, but I think this one suffers a bit from the sophomoric slump. The first Money in the Bank match was a game-changer for wrestling and ladder matches in general, so there was a lot of hype for the second installment to live up to. While it was the first to feature participants from both RAW and SmackDown, including the likes of Bobby Lashley and Ric Flair felt out of place. On top of that, Van Dam's run with the briefcase wasn't too bad, but it was his championship reign that was completely tarnished due to legal troubles. It wasn't able to live up to the standard the first match set and RVD's title reign is marred in real-life controversies. It's a little hard for me to endorse that as one of the greatest Money in the Bank matches when it has those massive strikes against it.

Number 7: Fandango vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Antonio Cesaro vs. Jack Swagger vs. Damien Sandow vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Wade Barrett (Money in the Bank 2013)

This one probably would have been my Number 8 or 7 on my Top 8 Best had it not been for how the royally messed up Damien Sandow's push with the briefcase. This match took 7 guys who could all be considered heels, but heels majority of the fans liked. The match did have some fun, innovated spots, but the shining moment of the match was how it made a babyface star out of Cody Rhodes by the end of the match. But even with Rhodes' recent release, that feels a tad dated. Heck, giving Fandango some kind of push like this is dated even when he's on the current roster. And having Damien Sandow win the briefcase to a solid ovation and have him in a solid summer feud with Rhodes, only to have him be the first man to cash in his briefcase and lose cleanly is not only dated, but also a huge letdown in the history of Money in the Bank.

Number 6: Kofi Kingston vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Christian vs. Dashing Cody Rhodes vs. Matt Hardy vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kane vs. Big Show (Money in the Bank 2010)

I really liked this match at the time I first saw it. But over time, I realize that it's not as exciting as I remembered it. Don't get me wrong, that spot with Kofi Kingston putting Drew McIntyre through the announcer's table is awesome, but there's not much else to it. Kane winning the briefcase was a nice moment since he'd been away from the main event in a legitimate sense for over a decade. And him cashing it in on the same night was pretty awesome, but the rest of this match is a little dull. Too much time is focused on Big Show's giant ladder and the story they had with Christian and Matt Hardy heading into the match was treated like a footnote. Still, I look a good number of the participants involved so I won't be too harsh on it. Just needed a little something extra to give it a little spice.

Number 5: CM Punk vs. Mark Henry vs. MVP vs. Finlay vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Christian vs. Kane (WrestleMania XXV)

WrestleMania XXV is considered one of the biggest PPV disappointments in my entire life and a lot of that started with this match. Something didn't click right with these components. The spots didn't feel as big or epic as past Money in the Bank ladder matches, there was a lot of obvious botches during pivotal moments, and the result at the time was mixed at best. We didn't have the foresight to see how this would lead to CM Punk's amazing heel turn in the summer of 2009. All we saw was that they gave the briefcase to the guy who had a chance the year before and couldn't make much of it. Because of that, some fans felt cheated at the beginning of Mania XXV. It was obvious the favorite to win was Christian and fans didn't want to settle for anything less. My thoughts have since cooled a tad on the match itself because of Punk's character transformation from it. But I can't deny that this is one of the earliest examples of a Money in the Bank match that left a bitter taste in my mouth from the result.

Number 4: Randy Orton vs. Neville vs. Kane vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns (Money in the Bank 2015)

Technically, this isn't a bad match. Technically, Sheamus had an ok run with the briefcase. And technically, all the participants in this match worked in their respective roles. Technically, this should work as a match. But here's the issue: it's BORING! I remember falling asleep during this match when I first saw it live on the WWE Network. I first chalked it up to my own fatigue, but then I went back to see what I missed and realized I hadn't missed a thing. Bray Wyatt interfering to screw Reigns out of the briefcase was the only interesting moment and all it had me wonder was why he wasn't included in the match. This could've worked just fine and I think they were depending on that, so they didn't go the extra mile to ensure the best match possible. A perfect example of coasting through a match. You get all the style you're expecting, but none of the substance to hold your attention.

Number 3: Alberto Del Rio vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger vs. Evan Bourne vs. R-Truth vs. Alex Riley vs. The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio (Money in the Bank 2011)

Right out the gate, I didn't like when these 8 superstars came out and began battling each other with different sized ladders. Add that this match had a lot of noticeable botches and Del Rio winning the briefcase was all too predictable, and it just ends up being one I'd gladly skip over in the Money in the Bank history retrospective. Also, when I went through it this time, it just felt like some spots were too heavily choreographed. I know this is all pre-determined, but I still like the idea of suspending my disbelief and I can't really do that with this match. I knew Del Rio was going to win heading into this match, so the lack of surprise is completely gone. Then with a match full of majority of lackluster spots (although the one spot from Evan Bourne is spectacular), there's really no point in watching it too many times in one lifetime. Del Rio only held the briefcase for a month anyways and his championship reign only lasted a month, so this really feels insignificant in the long run.

Number 2: Kofi Kingston vs. MVP vs. Evan Bourne vs. Jack Swagger vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Matt Hardy vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kane vs. Christian (WrestleMania XXVI)

This was the final nail in the coffin of having the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania. Whether or not it had to do with having an actual PPV in the works, this entry easily sealed its fate at the Show of Shows. Having 10 people in the match was just overkill and left a number of people just filling a spot out there. Two I can particularly think of were MVP and Shelton Benjamin, who both asked for their respective releases by the end of that year. Minor coincidences I'm sure, but this match was a showcase of how their young talent should have been utilized. Not to mention the fact that this match has some noticeable botches (but another awesome spot from Bourne) and Jack Swagger's brief run with the case (HA!) was so underwhelming for his character that it led to one of the worst World Heavyweight Championship reigns in history, and I wouldn't have been surprised if the match gimmick would have died out completely after this match.

Number 1: Kane vs. Chris Jericho vs. The Miz vs. Big Show vs. John Cena (Money in the Bank 2012)

Let this picture sink in. The entire purpose of the Money in the Bank ladder match was so talent that had yet to win a World Title could win an opportunity. Their cash-ins determined the passing of torches and gave us fresh faces in the main event. Having John Cena win it in a match that consisted of all former World Champions, in the year 2012 nonetheless, is something NO ONE wanted. It completely negates the concept of the ladder match and Cena's cash-in was a complete failure. He won his match by disqualification, therefore he was unable to win the title and makes this boring, uninspired, ladder match completely and utterly pointless.

Are there any that I'm forgetting? Is there one on this list that you think isn't deserving of a top spot? Well, let me know in the comments and also suggest what type of wrestling countdown you'd like to see me do next.


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Extreme Rules 2016 Review

While I enjoyed watching Payback live last month, the show left little in terms of actual storyline progression. It was very blatantly obvious that many of the matches on that card were going to get rematches at Extreme Rules. However, I had no idea that ALL the matches would. With maybe the exception of the United States Championship match, every match at Extreme Rules was a variation of a rematch from Payback. But, as we get closer to SummerSlam, these rivalries should be brought to a close around this time so we can start setting things up for the Biggest Party of the Summer. So with that, there's a lot of intrigue to see how WWE "goes extreme" this year, while also seeing how these feuds come to an end on PPV. I'll be brutally honest, I wasn't expecting much. I was actually thoroughly pleased with what I saw at Payback, so I thought there was no way WWE could top themselves by doing the matches again. The result was about what I expected. The matches were collectively good (with the exception of one or two main event matches) and did keep me entertained for 3 hours. This is a pattern that's been occurring on most of the shows this year, so I can't help but feel good about the time we're in right now. It's good to be a wrestling fan, even if we still complain about everything. So here are my first impressions with Extreme Rules.

Big Cass Confronts The Dudley Boyz

Since Enzo Amore's injury, Big Cass has been keeping the momentum afloat in singles competition. That's why I love that tag team. Either one could be injured and they're so popular that they won't lose a hint of momentum. Anyways, this was a pretty basic formula. The Dudley Boyz come out to cut a generic heel promo, prompting Cass to come out and beat them up. That's what happened and it worked fairly well. I was just hoping Enzo would've been cleared to compete, since it was in their home state of New Jersey. But overall, a fun enough segment to open the Kickoff Show.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin

This wasn't a bad match, technically. I still have a number of issues. First, they really should be doing more with Corbin. Give him other people to work with and have him dominate. Build him up as the future big man to watch out for. Secondly, the No Disqualification stipulation really was unnecessary until the very end of the match. And thirdly, the low blow from Corbin really hurt his character in my opinion. He doesn't need to do that. Just let the guy be a dominant heel. Using a chair would've helped a lot more than doing a more cowardly heel tactic. Now that Corbin has beaten Ziggler on PPV, they should move him away from this feud and have him do something else that's much more interesting.

Tornado Tag Team Match: The Club vs. The Usos

The opener really benefited from the stipulation. Things have gotten so personal between The Usos and The Club the last month or so that having a standard tag match wouldn't have felt right. The action was very back and forth but the right decision was made with this one. The Club had to win in order to be taken seriously. I'm curious how long The Club will go without challenging for the WWE Tag Team Championships and I'm wondering if fans will come back to cheering for The Usos if they kept their distance from their cousin.

United States Championship Match: Kalisto vs. Rusev

While Kalisto was able to get some of his innovative offense in this match, the story here was how dominant Rusev's offense was on Kalisto's back. Targeting it throughout the week, it really played well into a match with solid psychology. And when Rusev hit the Accolade on Kalisto, I cringed at the angle of it. In fact, he should make that his version of the Accolade from here on out. It takes a classic signature and puts on a twist on it that feels like a signature for Rusev. And now let's see if they make Rusev a transitional champion or if they'll try and give him a solid push with this belt.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The New Day vs. The Vaudevillains

With how impressive the tag team division was, I was really looking forward to this match. But I'll be honest and say I was the tiniest bit underwhelmed. The match wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything overly impressive either. The idea to have Xavier Woods wrestle the match was enjoyable, since he's so underutilized in terms of wrestling nowadays. But this was pretty much a "paint by numbers" type of tag match. It probably could have benefited from a gimmick match or having the titles change hands to give it that extra spark.

Fatal 4-Way Match for Intrcontinental Championship: The Miz vs. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens

And the award for Match of the Night goes to this match! From the start, the action was fast and furious, with tons of exchanges between the multiple rivalries. Admittedly, a match like this is very spot heavy, but it's still enjoyable if the components are right. This match had some tremendous components and I was on the edge of my seat throughout. I honestly didn't know who was going to walk away with the belt. I couldn't predict it and that's how it should be. I'm really liking where things are going for the IC belt right now. Give us a few more classics like this one, and this title we've declared dead in the water could have its value restored just like that. Keep it up guys!

Asylum Match: Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho

If it wasn't for the thumbtacks at the end of this match, this would have been one of the most disastrous main event matches I've ever seen. When they announced this match, I got nervous because it seemed like something straight out of early 2000s WCW. This would have worked as a normal cage match, the weapons weren't a necessity. It was just so routine to watch. They climb the cage, pull down a weapon, and use the weapon. Lather, rinse, repeat. The fact this went on for over 20 minutes before a really important spot happened, especially with these two men attached, is an absolute sin and everyone should be ashamed of themselves. The thumbtacks will probably make this match memorable to some people, but I'd honestly be very happy if we never see another Asylum match again.

Submission Match for WWE Women's Championship: Charlotte vs. Natalya

Having this match follow the Asylum match really hurt the momentum for this show. I've never been huge on the submission match already, and these two women (who can normally have really good matches together) had a very boring match. The ending really hurt everything about this. Having Ric Flair banned from ringside should have been Charlotte's big chance to prove why she's Women's Champion and can do stuff on her own. Instead, they have Dana Brooke come down to ringside, aligning herself with Charlotte. UGH!!!! THAT'S NOT EVEN REMOTELY HOW YOU SAVE CHARLOTTE'S CHARACTER!!!!! Done, just done. Charlotte is a lost cause thanks to the WWE booking team and until they can either change her character or have someone take that belt off her, the Women's division will continue to be in jeopardy.

Extreme Rules Match for WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles

This match was really good, but I definitely enjoyed their match at Payback a lot more. There were some very good spots here and there, but things really didn't click until the last few minutes when The Club and The Usos interfered. I'm intrigued to see where things go for AJ next, as he's put on some incredible WWE Championship matches in the last 2 months and has come up short. As for Reigns, he's continuing to impress, despite the fans hating his guts, and hopefully that'll morph into a full-on heel turn. And in conclusion, SETH FREAKING ROLLINS!!!!! That's right everyone, HE'S BACK! How is the landscape of this new era going to change now that The Man is back? We'll find out soon enough, but talk about ending the show on a high note and a cliffhanger. I'm so excited to see what happens next.


Final Thoughts: With the exception of the Asylum match and the Women's Championship match, Extreme Rules really delivered some great action. The midcard is really thriving in delivering short but sweet matches, while the higher up matches go for that "big fight" feel. The Intercontinental and WWE World Heavyweight Championship matches are worth the price of admission and the return of Seth Rollins really has my anticipation levels cranked to an 11 as we head into SummerSlam season. Recommended for those willing to sit through 2 boring matches so they can enjoy the first 4 matches and the main event.


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Top 5 Favorite Extreme Rules Matches

You know who I am and what I do, so this shouldn't have been a surprise. With one week to go until Extreme Rules, it's time to look at 5 of my favorite matches from past Extreme Rules events. The criteria for this one was simple: choose 5 matches from 5 different events that have held up over the years, not just because of the stars involved, but also because of the gimmick matches that were involved. Without further ado, here's my Top 5 Favorite Extreme Rules Matches.


Number 5: Sheamus vs. Triple H (Extreme Rules 2010)

While it might seem like a strange choice at first, the Street Fight actually told a great story for Triple H and Sheamus. The match was originally supposed to open the show, but was delayed after Sheamus attacked The Game backstage. With nerve damage in his arms and neck, the remainder of their official match was met with tons of psychology, focusing on the injury. It was a great way to play to Triple H's ability to not say die against the dominant offense from Sheamus. They flubbed Sheamus' push at WrestleMania in his match against Triple H, but this match made up for it by having Sheamus injuring Triple H and keeping him off TV for nearly a year.

Number 4: The Shield vs. Evolution (Extreme Rules 2014)

From someone who is a huge fan of the Ruthless Aggression Era, this was a faction war that was the stuff dreams were made of. This was certainly a passing of the torch feud that showed all 3 Shield members could hang in the main event against guys like Orton, Batista, and Triple H. All 6 men had moments where they could shine, but I'd say the biggest highlight was that dive Seth Rollins took. Looking back, that was really the moment a lot of us should've realized he was going to be the breakout star from The Shield. But WWE was probably focusing too much on making sure Roman Reigns looked strong while making the pinfall. Go figure.

Number 3: Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio (Extreme Rules 2011)

I've always been partial to ladder matches and the moments they can bring us, and this was one that I knew would be special. After Edge's shocking retirement, the World Heavyweight Championship was vacated until Extreme Rules. Del Rio and Christian would have a ladder match to see who would be worthy of replacing Edge as champion. Yes, Christian winning was obvious, but that wasn't the point. I had been a fan of Christian since first seeing him in TNA in 2007, so seeing him win the World Heavyweight title was amazing. To have his best friend Edge there, was even better. While it sucked he lost the championship a week later to Randy Orton, I like to focus on living in that amazing moment that Christian had at Extreme Rules.

Number 2: CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho (Extreme Rules 2012)

I loved the match Punk and Jericho had at WrestleMania, but the story was really demanding a brawl between the two, instead of a technical masterpiece. We got that necessary brawl at Extreme Rules in a Chicago Street Fight. The crowd was into every moment of it and it's one of the best Street Fights I've ever seen thanks to the attention to detail Punk and Jericho had at mapping the match out. From wearing jeans to the ring, to having Punk's family at ringside, to the amount of weapons they used, to the amount of reversals, signature moves, and nearfalls they had throughout the match, this match was pure awesomeness held by two of my absolute favorites in Punk's hometown.

Number 1: Edge vs. Jeff Hardy...then Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk (Extreme Rules 2009)

Clearly I have a bias for all things ladder matches and CM Punk, so combining them had to be my favorite moment from Extreme Rules. At the inaugural Extreme Rules event, two ladder match icons had a really great match for the World Heavyweight Championship. But the story here was what happened after the match. While Jeff Hardy celebrated, CM Punk ran down, cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, and won the World Heavyweight Championship. It was a great surprise to see the beginning of Punk's heel turn and the beginning of a fantastic rivalry that highlighted the summer of 2009. The match with Hardy and Edge was great, but the moment that followed the match cemented it in the annals of history as something worth remembering for all-time.

Are there any that I'm forgetting? Is there one on this list that you think isn't deserving of a top spot? Well, let me know in the comments and also suggest what type of wrestling countdown you'd like to see me do next.


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Top 8 Favorite Judgment Day Matches

Pretty much everything I said about past Payback and Backlash PPVs can be used for the Judgment Day and Extreme Rules PPVs as well. Naturally, if you put 2 and 2 together with WWE's calendar year, you know I'm going to review my favorite matches from both Judgment Day and Extreme Rules in the coming weeks. The original concept of Judgment Day was to carry over from the fallout of Backlash, which was the fallout of WrestleMania. The only difference during the Brand Extension days was that it was primarily for SmackDown talent, while Backlash was for RAW. But in many ways, yeah, this was the "final chapter" in a lot of feuds that had started months ago heading into Mania. That concept alone should have a lot of fans bored, but there are a surprising number of instant classics that took place at Judgment Day over the 11 years it existed. And I'm going to give you my 8 favorite matches from 8 different Judgment Day events today.


Number 8: Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho (Judgment Day 2009)

Jericho and Mysterio had a wonderful trilogy of matches in 2009 that temporarily restored credibility to the Intercontinental Championship. The match at Judgment Day I think is the weakest of the three, but it set a good standard for them to try and top. The psychology and storytelling in this match was how Jericho was determined to make sure Mysterio didn't hit the 619. If he could kill that momentum and crush the fans' spirits, he'd have succeeded in his own mind. Little subtleties like that are the reason Jericho has consistently been one of my all-time favorites, but especially when he gets to be the heel. This match was thought out and performed very well, leaving the fans in Chicago happy with the show-stealer they received.

Number 7: Chris Benoit vs. Finlay (Judgment Day 2006)

This one's purely out of nostalgia. My first experience with pro wrestling happened on a 2006 episode of SmackDown. The match I saw was a Chris Benoit/Finlay match. They tore the house down and kept me completely enthralled with their ring work. I was hooked from that moment on. So seeing these two go at it for a lengthy period of time during Judgment Day 2006 was a real treat. This is a match for fans of wrestling, filled with technical moves and psychology. A very rough and physical match, Benoit and Finlay went out and showcased the "sports" aspect of sports entertainment. I watch this match with a smile, because it reminds me of what got me into the world of professional wrestling in the first place. I hope that match from SmackDown finds its way to WWE Network sometime down the road, because I'd love to get reacquainted with it.

Number 6: Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (Judgment Day 2008)

As far as story was concerned, this match served as the stepping stone for one of the biggest rivalries of 2008, if not THE biggest. The equation for why I enjoyed this one is simple. Put my number 1 and 2 favorite performers in the ring together and have them go at it. The result will be a match that leaves me thrilled. Even matches that would be considered simply average get a boost in quality when you have guys like Shawn and Chris in the ring together. This match didn't even need Jericho's Intercontinental Championship on the line to make it pop. The story was just that interesting heading in, but it was only the beginning to a long list of memorable encounters these two had in 2008.

Number 5: Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (Judgment Day 2001)

As far as a 2 out of 3 falls match goes, I thought Angle and Benoit really brought it. It's hard for two performers like them to have a bad match and they'd really found a nice rhythm by this point. Both men had regular finishers and submission finishers, so having the first fall be pinfall only and the second being submission only was a good idea. The ladder match as the third fall feels a little out of place for their competitive rivalry, but makes sense with the Benoit stealing Angle's gold medals story they used for this match. Little nuances they threw throughout the match really helped as well. From Edge and Christian helping their buddy Angle (setting up a moment later in the night when Benoit joined a team with Chris Jericho so he could get his revenge on Edge and Christian), to sequences of Angle and Benoit trying to duplicate each other's signatures, this match really delivered in action and pacing, told a solid story, and showcased why Angle and Benoit are two of the all-time greats of the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras.

Number 4: Edge vs. Kurt Angle (Judgment Day 2002)

A real turning point int he careers of both men at the time. A star on the rise, Edge really needed a huge victory to cement his status, and Angle was just the type of performer to help give Edge the rub. Add a stipulation where the loser would have his head shaved bald, and you had a match that guaranteed people would be watching because the stakes of humiliation were at an all-time high. The action really delivered, with momentum swinging like a pendulum, tons of signature moves being hit, and kickouts happening constantly. Edge came out victorious and it really helped validate his status towards the upper mid-card, semi-main event level at the time. But the real defining moment here is that it brought us the bald Kurt Angle we know today. The baldness brought an end to his goofier days and unleashed a more aggressive side to him. And for me, I noticed that a lot of my favorite Kurt Angle matches occurred after he got his head shaved. Food for thought, but I might have this match to thank for that.

Number 3: The Rock vs. Triple H (Judgment Day 2000)

I'm not the biggest fan of the Iron Man match purely on concept. It really takes 2 performers I'm actually invested in to make the hour feel worth it, as well as how they book the falls in the match. The pacing for it really makes the timing go by. I'll give the most credit, however, to The Rock and Triple H. Those men really brought out the best in each other around this time and were perfect opponents at the time. If I had one little critique, I'm not a fan of the overbooking. The Shawn Michaels as ref factor is nearly non-existent throughout. Triple H doesn't want the McMahons to interfere so he can settle this man to man, only for them to interfere with only a few minutes left in the match (or maybe him saying that was a ruse, I couldn't tell). And the Undertaker returning and debuting the biker gimmick is a fun moment for any Taker fans, but really diminishes the end result of a match that was working so well for 59 minutes. Other than that, it's one of the stronger examples of the Iron Man match that combined both sports and entertainment into an hour of pure fun.

Number 2: John Cena vs. John Bradshaw Layfield (Judgment Day 2005)

There must have been something in JBL that made him want to bring a little extra something around the time of Judgment Day, because he put on bloody, gruesome main event matches for two years in a row. His I Quit match with John Cena was lacking in story, but made up in the action category. The subtext for the match was that in JBL's mind, saying "I Quit" means you give your soul to somebody. At the time, it was virtually impossible to imagine one of them would say it, so it added a lot of suspense to what was happening. The physicality in their spots were really inventive and I was absolutely blown away by the amount of buckets that Cena bled. It's freaking disgusting, but in that awesome kind of way. For anyone that was disappointed with the level in quality their WrestleMania 21 match was lacking, this match more than made up for it.

Number 1: Eddie Guerrero vs. John Bradshaw Layfield (Judgment Day 2004)

This match had all the brutality that the JBL/Cena match has (I mean, look at Guerrero after that chair shot. Absolutely brutal!), but has a deeper, more personal story attached. JBL targeted Eddie's Latino heritage in some very racially insensitive promos and vignettes, attacked Eddie's family, culminating with his mother suffering a heart attack. Things couldn't get more bitter between these two if they tried. This match beautifully and brutally showed why Eddie deserved to be WWE Champion, displaying a "never say die" heart that the fans had to appreciate. It also showed how far JBL was willing to go to get the WWE Championship, stooping to all kinds of low, dirty tactics. The blood more than makes up for the DQ finish, which I'm not normally a fan of. The DQ in this instance helped show just how much these two men hated each other and promised that the feud would continue. JBL might've won the fight on a technicality, but Guerrero won something much more important. He regained a level of honor and pride as he stood over JBL a bloody mess and still WWE Champion. An absolute classic to remind us why Eddie was one of the absolute best.

Are there any that I'm forgetting? Is there one on this list that you think isn't deserving of a top spot? Well, let me know in the comments and also suggest what type of wrestling countdown you'd like to see me do next.


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Payback 2016 Review

I hadn't been to a WWE show live in more than 7 years, so to be part of one that was not only a PPV, but with a Chicago crowd, I knew I was in for something special. After a historic WrestleMania that fell a little flat on a wrestling standpoint, Payback was here to give us a lot of that quality ring work that we were wishing for at Mania. On top of that, this PPV was marketed with the theme of being the first PPV in a new era of WWE. The younger stars were finally coming up the ranks and at the forefront of the match card. This event could be a huge deal if they played their cards right. And the result was good wrestling, but not much to offer in the realm of storylines. It was obvious most of these matches would get a rematch at Extreme Rules in the end of May, so we weren't going to get a whole bunch of conflict resolution in these matches. But I didn't really mind that when I was sitting in the crowd, enjoying my time. When I got home and re-watched it on PPV with an open mind, that's when the nitpicking started. But again, for the most part, it's just nitpicking. This is still a real good event from beginning to end if you're a fan of quality matches. If you're about the spectacle and the escalation of storylines, this probably isn't the event for you. If you like both, like I do, you'll still have a great time with Payback. So let's see what they got right and wrong at the event.


Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler

I'm a little concerned at how they're treating Baron Corbin already. Not only was his debut PPV match bumped to the Kickoff show, but it was also a losing effort. That's not the way he should be built up. He dominated the entire buildup, so having Ziggler sneak the victory seemed a bit odd. I mean, I'm not surprised WWE would book it that way, I just wish they wouldn't have. There's way too many NXT guys who have had tainted careers since coming over to the main roster and I don't want Corbin being one of them. He won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, make something out of him other than a big guy who jobs to the stars. Otherwise, not a bad match and the crowd was really into rooting for Ziggler and booing Corbin.

United States Championship Match: Kalisto vs. Ryback

I was absolutely shocked at how good this match was. You wouldn't think the two styles would mesh, but there's something that just works when they fight each other. Ryback definitely does a few more risks when he's facing off against Kalisto and he had some great heel tactics to piss off the Chicago crowd, including an entrance that completely mocked CM Punk. Kalisto always impresses with his offense and this match was a nice surprise in quality. Although, I do wonder what the plan is for Ryback if they keep having him lose to Kalisto.

Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. The Vaudevillains

I was really looking forward to seeing two of my all-time favorite NXT tag teams go at it in the WWE, but it just wasn't meant to be. The big story with this match is what happened to Enzo Amore. It was beyond scary seeing him suffer that concussion live. When you understood just how legitimately hurt he was, there's part of you that fears the worse. Thankfully, he was able to move and breathe, and was eventually discharged from the hospital. I wish Enzo a speedy recovery and hope to see him back doing what he loves real soon. There's not a whole lot else to critique on the match. The crowd was really behind Enzo and Big Cass, and really lit up when The New Day came out, so it's a shame something with so much buzz had to come to a sudden end like that.

Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

Since Kevin and Sami are, in my opinion, the two best workers right now in WWE, this had show-stealer written all over it before they even locked up in the ring. The problem early on was that fans were still shaken up about what happened to Enzo, that it took a few minutes to get into their match. But once we were into it, we were hooked. These guys showed why they are two of the brightest stars in this new era and put on a spectacular match. I actually could've seen them fight for another 10 minutes, I was THAT entertained. It's perfect storytelling, with Zayn the underdog we love to root for and Owens being the best heel in the business right now. This match was so good, that we had the contents of its story spill over to the next match when KO decided to stick around and do commentary.

Intercontinental Championship Match: The Miz vs. Cesaro

I was expecting Cesaro to be good here, but I seriously underestimated The Miz here. With Maryse in his corner, Miz has been able to breathe new life into a very stale heel gimmick. They put on a really good match for the IC belt that combined quality wrestling with overbooked shenanigans. When Kevin Owens was on commentary, Sami Zayn came out and attacked him. Their action spilled into the action in the ring, cause The Miz to take advantage and roll up Cesaro to retain his title. This obviously sets things up for a Fatal 4-Way at Extreme Rules and I think the combination works really well with these 4 guys.

Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho

This was a dream match for yours truly. Jericho is one of my all-time favorite performers, definitely in my top 3. And Ambrose has been a favorite all the way back to his Shield days. To see them go at it live was a win-win for me. Whoever won, I was sure the match would be good. And the match was pretty good, but it did drag on a little longer than the crowd would have liked. I'm sure this was the match they had go longer to make up for the incident with Enzo, but something wasn't clicking with the crowd. We weren't enthralled from beginning to end, but were gassed in some sequences in the match. A good effort from both men, but could have used a little fine tuning. Glad to see they let Ambrose get the win here, as he REALLY needs to get some traction going for his character in terms of the win column.

Women's Championship Match: Charlotte vs. Natalya

We've seen this match up quite often in the last few years, even with having Ric Flair and Bret Hart in their respective corners. The crowd went crazy when Bret came out and I'm really glad he got that reception, considering this was his first major WWE appearance since fighting cancer. The ring-work was fine throughout, but this match will be best remembered for the ending. We had a callback to the Montreal Screwjob, and it was clever for them to get Charles "Lil' Naitch" Robinson involved, but that isn't even remotely what people wanted to see happen. I know there's some that say "Charlotte's a heel, so this is what a heel should do, right?" But the big problem is that we're in a state where the Women's division should be putting on the most amazing quality of wrestling matches in the world and an ending like this sucks the life out of the entire effort. Charlotte and Natalya are both better than this and I'm looking forward to a rematch at Extreme Rules, cause there is bound to be some stipulation added to make sure a crap ending like this doesn't happen again.

Mr. McMahon Announces Who is in Control of Monday Night RAW

This segment was in a really bad spot on the show. It had to follow a crappy match ending and was right before a main event match where their golden boy was about to be booed out of the building. On top of that, this was just boring. They talked way too long and the outcome was the worst possible. We were promised a decision was going to be made between Shane and Stephanie, and we were given the compromise of both of them equally running Monday Night RAW. How deflating, right? Do they even know where they're going with this? Shane got a nice pop though, and the crowd loved to hate Stephanie. So at least they got that part right.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles

I've been a fan of AJ's since 2007 when I first got into wrestling, so it was a dream come true to see him wrestle live. That being said, I didn't have high hopes for this match. With that in mind, this match was amazing. I was really surprised at their chemistry, playing up the big guy vs. little guy theme that had been scattered throughout the show. That spot at the announcer's table was incredible to see. There are only two gripes I have with the match. The first is that they really didn't give us the answers we were looking for with The Bullet Club. The other problem was that Reigns kicked out of nearly everything AJ threw at him, but AJ couldn't kick out of one spear from Reigns. Minor gripes for an otherwise awesome way to end a fun show. The fans have totally embraced that they are going to boo Roman Reigns and the WWE has decided to just go with it and have him beat every one of our favorites until we "have" to like him. The story here is that Reigns retained his belt, but the fans cared more about AJ's performance. I'm excited to see what comes out of this next as they build towards a rematch at Extreme Rules.


Final Thoughts: Payback was a really enjoyable PPV throughout, and that isn't a bias talking. Yes, I saw the event live and in person, but even if I hadn't, I'd give this a Highly Recommended. With the exception of the incident with Enzo Amore, the show was nonstop action. True, there was little long term development that happened, but the wrestling quality made this possibly the best transitional PPV we've had in years. The Chicago crowd always brings out the best in WWE, and this event was no exception. Definitely worth checking out.


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