If the premise alone doesn't whet your appetite sufficiently, then
we also have an under-card featuring a Fatal 4-Way for the Tag Titles, more tag
action involving the Woman's Champion Charlotte and some recent contenders for
her title, a Cena-Styles 'dream' match, a US Championship match and a
main-event of the former SHIELD brethren, Reigns and Rollins, for the WWE
Championship.
As 'Extra Features' are Blu-Ray exclusive, I shall dive right
into the event!
Tag Championship Fatal 4-Way
The New Day (c) vs. Enzo & Big Cass vs.
The Vaudevillans vs. The Club
The New Day and Enzo Amore warm up the crowd well for this, with
their usually good promo patter being on form.
The Club being involved also reduces their chances of interfering with
the Styles-Cena match later, which is probably a good thing, if not for Styles,
then for Cena.
This is a great match to kick the DVD off, as it is action packed
from beginning to end. With plenty of in-ring work, ringside cheating,
double-teaming, interrupted counts and the best of both four-way and tag-team
styles applied. With only 20-odd days left until they (potentially) beat the
record-length WWE Tag Title reign, it's no surprise that The New Day go all out
to retain their belts.
Following a back-stage interview that just ends in insults
between Owens, Del Rio and Jericho, we have:
Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin
Despite winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at
Wrestlemania, the WWE crowd have not taken too well to Baron Corbin, and they
let him know here. The raucous jeers
don't put him off as he deflects Ziggler's plucky attack, time and time again.
Dolph's resilience is well known though, and he keeps at the tall NXT graduate
with his agile offence, until a slip on the ring steps leads to a Deep Six to
the floor from Corbin. Neither competitor held back, but after repeated
attempts, Corbin hit the End-of-Days for the 1-2-3.
Natalya & Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte
& Dana Brooke
After Dana Brooke took over Ric Flair's duties in interfering in
his daughter's matches, both Natalya and Becky have a major grievance with her
and Charlotte. This tag match was
classic bad-guys versus good-guys and all the tactics that this entails. Lynch and Natalya for their part keep it
clean, fast and dexterous, whilst Brooke and Charlotte remain true to type in
order to cheat, distract and eventually steal the win after the ref's back was
turned.
Apollo Crews vs. Sheamus
The Irishman has an issue with these 'New Era' NXT guys coming
through and taking his spot, so he's taking it out on Crews. The strapping underdog with the mile-wide
smile is having none of it though; belying his un-favoured billing he takes the
match to his more experienced, multi-time Champion opponent for a deceptively
even bout.
As Sheamus' experience starts to tell, he puts a brutal White
Noise on Apollo for a two-count. Sheamus
shouldn't have tried to argue with the referee for as long as he did though,
Crews cheekily grabbing him from the mat for a roll-up pin.
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
Prior to this 'Dream Match,' AJ Styles was given the opportunity
to sign one of two contracts: one for Cena vs. The Club or Cena vs.
Styles. Styles chose to go it alone and
prove what a bonafide Superstar he is, foregoing the assistance of Gallows and
Anderson.
This match was one of terrific work-rate, and good quality, with
trademark moves in abundance. Both proved to the house crowd how good they are,
even if it was not quite the 'Wrestlemania quality' many had hoped for. Finally, and with AJ out of it, the Club did
make a run-in to cost Cena victory.
Styles capitalised on it to steal the win, but was it valid enough to be
the proof he needs from himself in the long run?
Money in the Bank Ladder Match:
Cesaro vs. Zayn vs. Ambrose vs. Del Rio vs.
Owens vs. Jericho
Ladder Matches with this many competitors are often fast-paced
frenetic things and this captures that to a tee, with plenty of early ringside
action. Whilst the ring is still
relatively clear of ladders, and the corners filled with staggered athletes,
we're treated to Uppercut, Cannonball, Helluva Kick and Cesaro Spin Parties.
When the ladders do come into play, no body escapes a painful blow, either on
to, or from one; Del Rio locks in a cross-arm-breaker through one, and The
Lunatic Fringe elbow drops from the top of one!
Kevin Owens and Sammy Zayn continue their perennial feud in this
match too. Zayn delivered a particularly nasty Michinoku Driver, which left
Owens draped over the side-edge of the ladders in agony, only moments after
he'd Frog-splashed Ambrose.
The zenith of this match comes when all six men are battling atop
two ladders, dropping one by one until only Ambrose and Owens are left, the
former SHIELD man grabbing the Canadian through the top rungs and smashing him
unconscious. Taking the briefcase and
the opportunity, Dean Ambrose also adds a new potential threat to the main
event.
US Championship Match:
Titus O'Neil vs. Rusev.
The opening blows of this bout sets the tone, as both competitors
lay prone from a double lariat on to the ringside matting. Strong, hard strikes and kicks are the
signature of this brutal encounter, Rusev using them to take it to the mat for
a submission, while Titus makes several creditable attempts to finish the
Bulgarian Brute with some slam variations.
On his second attempt at applying the Accolade, Rusev squeezes the submission
from the challenger to extend his impressive US Title run.
WWE Championship:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins, back from injury and determined to regain the belt
he was stripped of, has Reigns firmly in his sights. However, Roman has other
ideas; even if he has given up trying to win over the still largely hostile WWE
Universe, he still needs to prove that he actually is 'the Guy' by putting away
this particular personal demon.
Roman Reigns starts the match with methodical control, making
every strike, kick and manoeuvre as hard as possible, Rollins only retaliating
occasionally on the counter. The
brutalised Architect finally establishes himself on to the match with some
high-flying action from the turnbuckle to remind his former SHIELD team-mate
why he was champ too, even so far as to successfully test his injury by using
the buckle-bomb that put him out.
These two impressive athletes took each other to the point of
exhaustion, Roman following Seth to ringside as he tried to escape for some
respite, only to put himself through the barricade as the wily Rollins
dodged. Incensed, Reigns takes it to
Rollins back in the ring, fails to get the pin as the referee is knocked down,
so goes for the Spear. Mid-air, the staggered Seth reacts instinctively to turn
it into a Pedigree. One repetition on Roman is enough to get the pin,
vindication and the Title.
This story isn't over yet though.
The 'forgotten man' of the SHIELD trio, fresh with the opportunity of
Money in the Bank, adds one last twist to the proceedings. Dean Ambrose's music hits, as does the
briefcase with Rollins' head, and all it takes for us to have our third WWE
Champion of the evening is one sweetly struck Dirty Deeds!
Conclusions
This show has some great twists, a brilliant climax and the build
for Ambrose's opportunistic success, all of which will be remembered well for
their execution and passion.
While some reviewers have pointed out that the Network has
removed some of the shine from DVD releases, I would argue that they still play
as important a role as ever. If you are
a big fan of the SHIELD, and in particular Dean Ambrose, then this is an
absolute treat, or just as a self-contained one-off watch for a beautiful
underdog story. This is much better than
average fare from a PPV that isn't a 'Big Four' and well worth adding to your
collection.
Available for pre-order in the UK now from www.WWEDVD.co.uk
(https://www.wwedvd.co.uk/money-bank-2016-p-12147.html)
from £12.99. Out 22/8/2016.
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