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Sin Cara please win MITB
Wrestling Thread July 11-17 | 7/17 WWE Money in the Bank - Punk Beats Cena, Leaves With WWE Title
- Thread in 'General' Thread starter Started by 4wrestling,
- Start date
club 27
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if anyone but my man WAE BARRAH wins MITB, ill be pissed
club 27
Banned
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- May 31, 2011
if anyone but my man WAE BARRAH wins MITB, ill be pissed
- 1,727
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^ i lost hope for him after seeing him hit sheamus witht he wasteland, just looks like a new feud
- 1,727
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^ i lost hope for him after seeing him hit sheamus witht he wasteland, just looks like a new feud
- 6,528
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Im rocking with the dashing one
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Im rocking with the dashing one
Bend_The_Knee
formerly gotholesinmysocks
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cody or barrett
Bend_The_Knee
formerly gotholesinmysocks
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cody or barrett
big jugg shawty
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Punk ain't going nowhere he made the wwe to muchmoney these past 3 weeks, and Del Rio wins MITB but "You Already Know That"
big jugg shawty
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Punk ain't going nowhere he made the wwe to muchmoney these past 3 weeks, and Del Rio wins MITB but "You Already Know That"
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Really?...Dude got a mini push last year but seems like he got put to the back of the line after that...If it is him then Punk wins tonight...Keep saying the winnier of the Raw MIB match will tell us who is going to win the Cena / Punk match...
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Really?...Dude got a mini push last year but seems like he got put to the back of the line after that...If it is him then Punk wins tonight...Keep saying the winnier of the Raw MIB match will tell us who is going to win the Cena / Punk match...
Bend_The_Knee
formerly gotholesinmysocks
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^i dont think thats the case....remember, the mitb winner has a year to cash in
Bend_The_Knee
formerly gotholesinmysocks
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^i dont think thats the case....remember, the mitb winner has a year to cash in
club 27
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i would actually be ok with Rhodes winning too.
club 27
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i would actually be ok with Rhodes winning too.
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Hoping for Daniel Bryan to win MITB tonight
And obviously for CM Punk to walk out with the title
And for Chicago to roast Cena
And for Christian to NOT be cashed in on immediately if he wins the title
And obviously for CM Punk to walk out with the title
And for Chicago to roast Cena
And for Christian to NOT be cashed in on immediately if he wins the title
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Hoping for Daniel Bryan to win MITB tonight
And obviously for CM Punk to walk out with the title
And for Chicago to roast Cena
And for Christian to NOT be cashed in on immediately if he wins the title
And obviously for CM Punk to walk out with the title
And for Chicago to roast Cena
And for Christian to NOT be cashed in on immediately if he wins the title
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and for those that still really do not have a clue who got holes is talking about, just look on WWE's site. you notice a lot of some wrestlers on the site even in the subcategories for examples they are using.
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and for those that still really do not have a clue who got holes is talking about, just look on WWE's site. you notice a lot of some wrestlers on the site even in the subcategories for examples they are using.
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Tonight is unquestionably the most anticipated WWE "B-Show" PPV in over a year, and personally, I'm looking forward to this show even more than WrestleMania. Going into WrestleMania, I felt WWE never made The Miz seem like a serious heel champion, and they gave away the physical confrontation between Cena and Rock on Raw before the PPV. While the buzz around tonight's show is really only based on one match, I cannot think of a match that has captured the interest of the wrestling world like we have for tonight's main event in probably the last five years. Three weeks ago, it felt like we were going into just another PPV, but then CM Punk cut a promo that changed the wrestling landscape. For so long, we have listened to week after week of WWE scripted promos with buzz words like "WWE Universe" and "Sports Entertainment". CM Punk broke the mold by cutting a promo where he said everything that true pro wrestling fans have been thinking for so long. Punk called himself the best 'wrestler' in the world, a term that until then had been blacklisted by WWE. Punk spoke about his contract being up on July 17 (after tonight's MITB PPV), and that once he won the title, he would leave with it and take it to a real wrestling promotion like New Japan Pro Wrestling or Ring of Honor. Again, talking about other wrestling promotions, regardless of if they really aren't competition to WWE, was unheard of. Punk called out to his friend, Colt Cabana. He talked about how WWE was filled with #%* kissing yes men like Johnny Ace. He said WWE would be better off once Vince was dead, except for the fact that it would be taken over by his "idiotic daughter" (Stephanie) and his "doofus son-in-law" (HHH). He was about to tell a personal story about Vince McMahon and the anti-bullying campaign when his mic was finally cut off. No, this wasn't a shoot interview. Punk was given freedom to speak about whatever he wanted, but Vince knew ahead of time what was going on. However, it was so refreshing to have a storyline actually feel real for once instead of the typical WWE scripted silliness that no one can actually relate to. It's so simple yet so incredibly difficult for WWE to do. That's the problem when the script writers are full of writers from Hollywood instead of actual wrestling people.
The following week, CM Punk was suspended from WWE by Vince McMahon. John Cena came out to confront Vince about this. Cena said Vince was always a man that supported the 1st Amendment and Freedom of Speech (yeah, I don't know about that one...), but now Vince was being a hypocrite for suspending Punk for speaking his mind. Vince retorted by saying that the real reason he suspended Punk was because he couldn't take the chance on Punk beating Cena and walking out with the WWE Title. Cena said that if the true #1 contender wasn't going to get the title shot he earned, then the title meant nothing, and Cena handed over the title to Vince and walked away. Vince screamed at him to come back and that Cena couldn't walk out on him like everyone else has done in the past. Finally, Vince gave Cena his match against Punk, but if Punk left Money in the Bank with the title, John Cena would be fired.
CM Punk returned to Raw this past Monday night. He started the show with a megaphone, saying that if WWE tried to cut his mic again, he would not be silenced. He said he was suspended because he had the balls to say what no one else in WWE would say. He said for everyone else, a microphone is just a microphone, but for him, it's a pipe bomb. Punk said that Vince is now trying to sign him to a long term lucrative contract and that he is the hottest property right now in WWE. He said now that he's got a foot out the door, Vince is willing to give him everything he wants, and if Vince would have just treated him this way all along, they would have never got to this point. Punk said tonight they would have the first ever live contract negotiation, and that Vince may be the one joining the Kiss My #%* Club. This brought out John Cena. Punk thanked Cena for getting him reinstated to a job he didn't want. Punk said that when he wins the title, he's going to change the spinner belt because it's been ugly for so long. He also said how the stipulation of Cena being fired was stupid because Vince would never fire him, and the last time he was fired, he wasn't even gone for a week. Cena responded that Punk is getting ahead of himself with walking out as champion because he's no pushover. He said many in the past thought they were better than Cena, (HHH, Batista, Angle, Eddie Guerrero, and so on), and they all left disappointed. Cena said Punk can say whatever he wants, because this Sunday in Chicago, Cena is going to kick Punk's #%*. This was a great confrontation between the two.
To close the show, Vince and Punk had their in ring contract negotiation. Vince said he had a contract written up that included everything Punk wanted, including having Punk's face on the collector cups. Vince referred to Punk by his real name, Phil. Punk said that he didn't agree with the contract, and his own lawyers drew up a new contract. Punk started shoving Vince and that he could shove Vince whenever he wanted. He wanted his own private jet. He wanted his face on everything, including the turnbuckle pads. He said he wanted to be on WWE ice cream bars. He said he wanted his own movies, like The Chaperon 2, which would be funny and actually make money. Punk said Vince could still have his dream match of Cena vs Dwayne, but Punk wanted to be in the main event at WrestleMania. Lastly, Punk wanted Vince to apologize for being a bully. He said WWE promotes the anti-bullying campaigns, but Vince is the biggest bully he's ever met. Punk said Vince unjustly fired his friends Colt Cabana and Luke Gallows. Punk said he is the voice of the voiceless. The crowd started chanting "We Want Wrestling" and Vince screamed at them that he doesn't give a damn what they want. Punk said that is the problem. Punk said he isn't a great guy, but he does know what the people want. He demanded an apology from Vince. Vince was reluctant, but finally yelled "I apologize you son of a !@@$!". Vince went to sign the new contract, but John Cena came out. Cena said to not give into the terroristic threats of CM Punk. For some reason, Cena started talking about how he hates Vince as well (don't know where this came from), but he still shows up for work everyday. Cena said Punk lost sight of what's important, but Punk interrupted. He talked about how he was part of the entourage of actors that were part of Cena's entrance at WrestleMania 22 in Chicago. He said he dreamed about not being there with Cena but actually beating him. Punk said that Cena is just like the city of Boston. They all like to play the role of the underdog, but in reality, they're all champions, the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, the Patriots, and John Cena. He said Cena is a 10 time WWE Champion. He said that Cena is no longer the underdog. He's now a dynasty. He's become the thing that he hates the most, the New York Yankees. Cena punched Punk in the face at this point. Punk left the ring with contract in hand. He went to the top of the ramp. He said he's tired of this, tired of Cena, and just tired. He said say goodbye because on Sunday night he's leaving WWE, and he's leaving with the title. He proceeded to rip up the contract as the show went off the air. This was a tremendous segment that was the climax of an amazing three weeks of build towards tonight's PPV.
While ratings have been down the past two weeks, two weeks ago was the Fourth of July holiday, and last week saw the closing segment see one of the largest viewership gains WWE has seen in quite some time. So that brings us to tonight's Money in the Bank PPV which comes from Punk's hometown of Chicago. It is going to be an electric atmosphere. Cena will be booed out of the building in a way we probably haven't seen since Rob Van Dam beat Cena for the title at One Night Stand years back. Let's get to the card.
Kelly Kelly (c) vs Brie Bella - WWE Divas Championship Match
It was an interesting twist this past Monday when the Bellas insulted Kelly Kelly for being too skinny, something we never hear in WWE. It certainly came across as bizarre. This match could go either way, and really doesn't matter. This is Kelly Kelly's first title reign in his long run in WWE, so I think they let her keep the title a bit longer.
Prediction: Kelly Kelly - Retains WWE Divas Title
The Big Show vs Mark Henry
WWE has actually done a very good job of building Henry up as a monster over the past month. The problem is, he now has to face The Big Show, and like Jim Ross would say, this one is going to be bowling shoe ugly. Hopefully it is kept short. Smackdown is in desperate need of top heels, so Henry should get the clean win here so he can be the #2 heel on Smackdown after Christian. The Big Show will always be in the same place regardless of a win or loss.
Prediction: Mark Henry
Smackdown Money in the Bank Match
It's almost impossible to have a bad Money in the Bank match, and there are plenty of athletic guys here that could make this one great. Guys like Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, and Kofi Kingston have really broken out in MITB matches without actually winning, and it could be the same situation for guys like Bryan, Gabriel, and Slater. Here's my breakdown for each guy.
Justin Gabriel - No chance of winning but I think he has the biggest upside in this match. He's really been lost since the Nexus angle, but if he hits a few big moves here, it could be the start of a nice babyface push.
Heath Slater - He's gone back to the One Man Rock Band gimmick. I wouldn't mind if he gets injured.
Kane - He won last year which was a shocker, but he's not going to win again. He's there to catch some of the guys in their big flying spots.
Sin Cara - He's really getting over with the fans, but it's too early to have him win the MITB and guarantee a title shot. We know we'll see a few huge spots from him, but I'm sure HHH is holding his breath that he doesn't have too many botches.
Daniel Bryan - An outside shot, but I could see him as a dark horse pick. Bryan is the best worker in the match, and should do great in this type of match. Even if he doesn't win, I expect him to come very close because we know Vince loves teasing the internet fans.
Wade Barrett - Last year, he looked to be a sure thing main eventer for years to come. Now he's lost in the shuffle, jobbing to Ezekiel Jackson. WWE has dropped the ball with him, but this is a chance for him to re-establish his push as a main eventer. I don't think he'll win, but he's definitely an option.
Sheamus - He seems to be the favorite for a lot of people, but I don't see it. WWE has been too start/stop with pushing Sheamus. I don't think they'll give him MITB because they can't make up their mind if he's a main eventer or a midcarder. With that said, he's my #2 pick to win.
Cody Rhodes - I think it's his time to get a shot in the main event. It's not like the Smackdown roster is all that strong anyway, so give Cody the MITB. Let him build up the suspense for a few months like Miz did, and when he finally does cash in, it will be a big deal.
Prediction: Cody Rhodes
Raw Money in the Bank Match
I'm goiong outside the box with this one. The popular pick/booking is that Alberto Del Rio wins the briefcase. Punk defeats Cena for the title in the main event, and then Del Rio cashes in immediately to win the title. I think so many people have talked about this, that WWE will deem it "too obvious" and go a different direction. So with that said, Del Rio isn't my pick. Plus, they can still set up a potential Cena/Del Rio match at Summerslam because Del Rio won the #1 contender match two weeks ago on Raw only to have his shot taken away from him.
R-Truth - Amazing that he was the hottest heel act in WWE just a month ago to now being a total joke comedy character. I have no idea why WWE would turn him like this. Supposedly Vince loved the heel Truth character, but we all know how quickly Vince changes his mind. Anyway, Truth isn't getting back in the main event spot anytime soon, so he's not winning.
Evan Bourne - He's in this match to hit some high flying spots, but he's not winning.
Rey Mysterio - Again, he's in this match to hit some big spots, but unlike Bourne who isn't winning because WWE isn't putting him in the main event, Mysterio isn't winning because he's above needing the MITB briefcase.
Kofi Kingston - A guy who always has good showings in these matches, but WWE never gets fully behind him to make him a main eventer. Kofi had his shot two years ago with Orton, and WWE pulled the rug out from him.
Alex Riley - There's a natural storyline that he goes from being The Miz's apprentice while he was carrying the MITB briefcase to actually winning MITB, but I think it's still too soon to give Riley a push on that level. Riley gets tons of heat when he's beating up Miz, but not much at all when he's in the ring with anyone else.
Jack Swagger - A past MITB winner, winning it at last year's WrestleMania, and had his run as champion. However, WWE wasn't behind him as champion, and he's never gotten back to that level. I don't know why WWE doesn't fully support Swagger, he's a young guy with a lot of potential, but it still doesn't seem to be his time.
Alberto Del Rio - Like I said, he's probably the odds on favorite, but I'm going a different way.
The Miz - The Miz has been buried for so long, I think winning the MITB is the only way you can rehab him at this point. His best run in WWE was as the MITB briefcase holder, not as actual champion, so why not let him have that run again? I think this would be a big shocker, and make The Miz relevant again.
Prediction: - The Miz
Randy Orton (c) vs Christian - World Heavyweight Championship Match
I've really lost interest in this feud. I feel like it's been going on forever, and Orton just keeps beat Christian. The heel turn of Christian just hasn't worked. It was a crappy reason to turn heel (he wanted his title back), and fans haven't bought it. The stipulations of this match also almost guarantee some type of garbage finish. If Randy Orton is disqualified OR if a mistake is made by the referee, Christian will win the title. The stipulation automatically takes away any excitement I may have for this match because I'm already getting ready to roll my eyes at the finish. The only positive is that these two do work well together, so it should be a good match up until that point. I think Christian gets the win in some type of screwy finish (no chance he's beating Orton cleanly). Then this will lead to a final match in this program at Summerslam, some type of stipulation match like Last Man Standing with Orton taking the title back.
Prediction: Christian - New World Heavyweight Champion
John Cena (c) vs CM Punk - WWE Championship Match
So like I said, I'm going to make a prediction that is a little out there for this one. First, here is a very logical situation, and if WWE chooses to go this route, I have no problem with it. Also, it would change my MITB match predictions.
1) CM Punk beats John Cena to win the WWE Title.
2) Vince McMahon comes out in a rage and says Punk may have won the title, but he's not leaving as champion. He orders the Smackdown MITB winner (let's say Wade Barrett) out to cash in and face Punk. Punk is able to beat the Barrett, and the crowd goes crazy again.
3) Vince, now even more irate, orders the Raw MITB winner (in this case, I would predict Alberto Del Rio) out to face CM Punk. Punk, now in this third match, loses to Alberto Del Rio. Alberto wins the title.
You have a perfect storyline in many ways set up. Alberto Del Rio is the champ, so that sets up the must rumored match between he and Cena at Summerslam. As for Punk, you have the storyline that it took Vince screwing him with three matches for him to lose the title. When Punk does return, he's the uncrowned champion, a huge babyface (even if he continues the tweener role ... as I said, I think he is this generation's Stone Cold Steve Austin), and he can go after Vince and whoever is champion at that time.
I think that is the logical booking for tonight and very well may happen, but with so many people already predicting it, I think WWE will go another direction. Here's how I would have things play out.
Punk is on the verge of beating Cena multiple times, but never can finish him off. Cena is able to make a small comeback and locks on the STF. Vince calls for the bell without Punk ever actually tapping out. Now, before you grown saying not another Montreal Screw Job rehash, let me finish. Both Punk and Cena look on in disbelief at what just happened. Vince gets in the ring. Punk is out of his mind. Punk goes to attack Vince, but Cena attacks him from behind. It turns out that Cena was in on it all along, and Cena turns into the new Corporate Champion. Now here's where I'm a little conflicted. For this to get over, the show needs to end like this. Punk cannot get his comeback tonight if Cena is going to finally turn heel. So Punk goes away for a while. I have no idea for how long. Maybe a month. Maybe three. But it can't just be a week. They need to keep him away, but still keep the storyline in everyone's mind by referencing it from time to time. Then at a show down the line, Cena and Vince are in the ring when they are attacked by 3-4 men. Who are they? The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli), Colt Cabana, and maybe Luke Gallows. WWE plays up they don't know who these men are, but then CM Punk returns as the leader of the group. Punk leads this group of outsiders against Vince McMahon and John Cena to represent what pro wrestling should be compared to what Vince gives us with WWE. The only problem with all this is you have this major storyline that should probably culminate at WrestleMania, especially if Punk is gone for a few months, but we already have Cena vs Rock set for Mania. Regardless, I think this is the perfect way to finally turn Cena heel. It's the perfect way to build Punk as a huge star that is anti-establishment just like Austin was, and it lets the Kings of Wrestling and other debut in a huge way.
Prediction: John Cena - Retains WWE Title
There are literally a thousand different ways WWE can go tonight. As long as John Cena doesn't pin CM Punk clean in the middle of the ring with no follow up, I think I'll be happy. I haven't been this excited for a WWE PPV in a long, long time. For once, seeing what happens in the match actually matters rather than just the continuation of a storyline that will go on tomorrow night on Raw.
The following week, CM Punk was suspended from WWE by Vince McMahon. John Cena came out to confront Vince about this. Cena said Vince was always a man that supported the 1st Amendment and Freedom of Speech (yeah, I don't know about that one...), but now Vince was being a hypocrite for suspending Punk for speaking his mind. Vince retorted by saying that the real reason he suspended Punk was because he couldn't take the chance on Punk beating Cena and walking out with the WWE Title. Cena said that if the true #1 contender wasn't going to get the title shot he earned, then the title meant nothing, and Cena handed over the title to Vince and walked away. Vince screamed at him to come back and that Cena couldn't walk out on him like everyone else has done in the past. Finally, Vince gave Cena his match against Punk, but if Punk left Money in the Bank with the title, John Cena would be fired.
CM Punk returned to Raw this past Monday night. He started the show with a megaphone, saying that if WWE tried to cut his mic again, he would not be silenced. He said he was suspended because he had the balls to say what no one else in WWE would say. He said for everyone else, a microphone is just a microphone, but for him, it's a pipe bomb. Punk said that Vince is now trying to sign him to a long term lucrative contract and that he is the hottest property right now in WWE. He said now that he's got a foot out the door, Vince is willing to give him everything he wants, and if Vince would have just treated him this way all along, they would have never got to this point. Punk said tonight they would have the first ever live contract negotiation, and that Vince may be the one joining the Kiss My #%* Club. This brought out John Cena. Punk thanked Cena for getting him reinstated to a job he didn't want. Punk said that when he wins the title, he's going to change the spinner belt because it's been ugly for so long. He also said how the stipulation of Cena being fired was stupid because Vince would never fire him, and the last time he was fired, he wasn't even gone for a week. Cena responded that Punk is getting ahead of himself with walking out as champion because he's no pushover. He said many in the past thought they were better than Cena, (HHH, Batista, Angle, Eddie Guerrero, and so on), and they all left disappointed. Cena said Punk can say whatever he wants, because this Sunday in Chicago, Cena is going to kick Punk's #%*. This was a great confrontation between the two.
To close the show, Vince and Punk had their in ring contract negotiation. Vince said he had a contract written up that included everything Punk wanted, including having Punk's face on the collector cups. Vince referred to Punk by his real name, Phil. Punk said that he didn't agree with the contract, and his own lawyers drew up a new contract. Punk started shoving Vince and that he could shove Vince whenever he wanted. He wanted his own private jet. He wanted his face on everything, including the turnbuckle pads. He said he wanted to be on WWE ice cream bars. He said he wanted his own movies, like The Chaperon 2, which would be funny and actually make money. Punk said Vince could still have his dream match of Cena vs Dwayne, but Punk wanted to be in the main event at WrestleMania. Lastly, Punk wanted Vince to apologize for being a bully. He said WWE promotes the anti-bullying campaigns, but Vince is the biggest bully he's ever met. Punk said Vince unjustly fired his friends Colt Cabana and Luke Gallows. Punk said he is the voice of the voiceless. The crowd started chanting "We Want Wrestling" and Vince screamed at them that he doesn't give a damn what they want. Punk said that is the problem. Punk said he isn't a great guy, but he does know what the people want. He demanded an apology from Vince. Vince was reluctant, but finally yelled "I apologize you son of a !@@$!". Vince went to sign the new contract, but John Cena came out. Cena said to not give into the terroristic threats of CM Punk. For some reason, Cena started talking about how he hates Vince as well (don't know where this came from), but he still shows up for work everyday. Cena said Punk lost sight of what's important, but Punk interrupted. He talked about how he was part of the entourage of actors that were part of Cena's entrance at WrestleMania 22 in Chicago. He said he dreamed about not being there with Cena but actually beating him. Punk said that Cena is just like the city of Boston. They all like to play the role of the underdog, but in reality, they're all champions, the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, the Patriots, and John Cena. He said Cena is a 10 time WWE Champion. He said that Cena is no longer the underdog. He's now a dynasty. He's become the thing that he hates the most, the New York Yankees. Cena punched Punk in the face at this point. Punk left the ring with contract in hand. He went to the top of the ramp. He said he's tired of this, tired of Cena, and just tired. He said say goodbye because on Sunday night he's leaving WWE, and he's leaving with the title. He proceeded to rip up the contract as the show went off the air. This was a tremendous segment that was the climax of an amazing three weeks of build towards tonight's PPV.
While ratings have been down the past two weeks, two weeks ago was the Fourth of July holiday, and last week saw the closing segment see one of the largest viewership gains WWE has seen in quite some time. So that brings us to tonight's Money in the Bank PPV which comes from Punk's hometown of Chicago. It is going to be an electric atmosphere. Cena will be booed out of the building in a way we probably haven't seen since Rob Van Dam beat Cena for the title at One Night Stand years back. Let's get to the card.
Kelly Kelly (c) vs Brie Bella - WWE Divas Championship Match
It was an interesting twist this past Monday when the Bellas insulted Kelly Kelly for being too skinny, something we never hear in WWE. It certainly came across as bizarre. This match could go either way, and really doesn't matter. This is Kelly Kelly's first title reign in his long run in WWE, so I think they let her keep the title a bit longer.
Prediction: Kelly Kelly - Retains WWE Divas Title
The Big Show vs Mark Henry
WWE has actually done a very good job of building Henry up as a monster over the past month. The problem is, he now has to face The Big Show, and like Jim Ross would say, this one is going to be bowling shoe ugly. Hopefully it is kept short. Smackdown is in desperate need of top heels, so Henry should get the clean win here so he can be the #2 heel on Smackdown after Christian. The Big Show will always be in the same place regardless of a win or loss.
Prediction: Mark Henry
Smackdown Money in the Bank Match
It's almost impossible to have a bad Money in the Bank match, and there are plenty of athletic guys here that could make this one great. Guys like Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, and Kofi Kingston have really broken out in MITB matches without actually winning, and it could be the same situation for guys like Bryan, Gabriel, and Slater. Here's my breakdown for each guy.
Justin Gabriel - No chance of winning but I think he has the biggest upside in this match. He's really been lost since the Nexus angle, but if he hits a few big moves here, it could be the start of a nice babyface push.
Heath Slater - He's gone back to the One Man Rock Band gimmick. I wouldn't mind if he gets injured.
Kane - He won last year which was a shocker, but he's not going to win again. He's there to catch some of the guys in their big flying spots.
Sin Cara - He's really getting over with the fans, but it's too early to have him win the MITB and guarantee a title shot. We know we'll see a few huge spots from him, but I'm sure HHH is holding his breath that he doesn't have too many botches.
Daniel Bryan - An outside shot, but I could see him as a dark horse pick. Bryan is the best worker in the match, and should do great in this type of match. Even if he doesn't win, I expect him to come very close because we know Vince loves teasing the internet fans.
Wade Barrett - Last year, he looked to be a sure thing main eventer for years to come. Now he's lost in the shuffle, jobbing to Ezekiel Jackson. WWE has dropped the ball with him, but this is a chance for him to re-establish his push as a main eventer. I don't think he'll win, but he's definitely an option.
Sheamus - He seems to be the favorite for a lot of people, but I don't see it. WWE has been too start/stop with pushing Sheamus. I don't think they'll give him MITB because they can't make up their mind if he's a main eventer or a midcarder. With that said, he's my #2 pick to win.
Cody Rhodes - I think it's his time to get a shot in the main event. It's not like the Smackdown roster is all that strong anyway, so give Cody the MITB. Let him build up the suspense for a few months like Miz did, and when he finally does cash in, it will be a big deal.
Prediction: Cody Rhodes
Raw Money in the Bank Match
I'm goiong outside the box with this one. The popular pick/booking is that Alberto Del Rio wins the briefcase. Punk defeats Cena for the title in the main event, and then Del Rio cashes in immediately to win the title. I think so many people have talked about this, that WWE will deem it "too obvious" and go a different direction. So with that said, Del Rio isn't my pick. Plus, they can still set up a potential Cena/Del Rio match at Summerslam because Del Rio won the #1 contender match two weeks ago on Raw only to have his shot taken away from him.
R-Truth - Amazing that he was the hottest heel act in WWE just a month ago to now being a total joke comedy character. I have no idea why WWE would turn him like this. Supposedly Vince loved the heel Truth character, but we all know how quickly Vince changes his mind. Anyway, Truth isn't getting back in the main event spot anytime soon, so he's not winning.
Evan Bourne - He's in this match to hit some high flying spots, but he's not winning.
Rey Mysterio - Again, he's in this match to hit some big spots, but unlike Bourne who isn't winning because WWE isn't putting him in the main event, Mysterio isn't winning because he's above needing the MITB briefcase.
Kofi Kingston - A guy who always has good showings in these matches, but WWE never gets fully behind him to make him a main eventer. Kofi had his shot two years ago with Orton, and WWE pulled the rug out from him.
Alex Riley - There's a natural storyline that he goes from being The Miz's apprentice while he was carrying the MITB briefcase to actually winning MITB, but I think it's still too soon to give Riley a push on that level. Riley gets tons of heat when he's beating up Miz, but not much at all when he's in the ring with anyone else.
Jack Swagger - A past MITB winner, winning it at last year's WrestleMania, and had his run as champion. However, WWE wasn't behind him as champion, and he's never gotten back to that level. I don't know why WWE doesn't fully support Swagger, he's a young guy with a lot of potential, but it still doesn't seem to be his time.
Alberto Del Rio - Like I said, he's probably the odds on favorite, but I'm going a different way.
The Miz - The Miz has been buried for so long, I think winning the MITB is the only way you can rehab him at this point. His best run in WWE was as the MITB briefcase holder, not as actual champion, so why not let him have that run again? I think this would be a big shocker, and make The Miz relevant again.
Prediction: - The Miz
Randy Orton (c) vs Christian - World Heavyweight Championship Match
I've really lost interest in this feud. I feel like it's been going on forever, and Orton just keeps beat Christian. The heel turn of Christian just hasn't worked. It was a crappy reason to turn heel (he wanted his title back), and fans haven't bought it. The stipulations of this match also almost guarantee some type of garbage finish. If Randy Orton is disqualified OR if a mistake is made by the referee, Christian will win the title. The stipulation automatically takes away any excitement I may have for this match because I'm already getting ready to roll my eyes at the finish. The only positive is that these two do work well together, so it should be a good match up until that point. I think Christian gets the win in some type of screwy finish (no chance he's beating Orton cleanly). Then this will lead to a final match in this program at Summerslam, some type of stipulation match like Last Man Standing with Orton taking the title back.
Prediction: Christian - New World Heavyweight Champion
John Cena (c) vs CM Punk - WWE Championship Match
So like I said, I'm going to make a prediction that is a little out there for this one. First, here is a very logical situation, and if WWE chooses to go this route, I have no problem with it. Also, it would change my MITB match predictions.
1) CM Punk beats John Cena to win the WWE Title.
2) Vince McMahon comes out in a rage and says Punk may have won the title, but he's not leaving as champion. He orders the Smackdown MITB winner (let's say Wade Barrett) out to cash in and face Punk. Punk is able to beat the Barrett, and the crowd goes crazy again.
3) Vince, now even more irate, orders the Raw MITB winner (in this case, I would predict Alberto Del Rio) out to face CM Punk. Punk, now in this third match, loses to Alberto Del Rio. Alberto wins the title.
You have a perfect storyline in many ways set up. Alberto Del Rio is the champ, so that sets up the must rumored match between he and Cena at Summerslam. As for Punk, you have the storyline that it took Vince screwing him with three matches for him to lose the title. When Punk does return, he's the uncrowned champion, a huge babyface (even if he continues the tweener role ... as I said, I think he is this generation's Stone Cold Steve Austin), and he can go after Vince and whoever is champion at that time.
I think that is the logical booking for tonight and very well may happen, but with so many people already predicting it, I think WWE will go another direction. Here's how I would have things play out.
Punk is on the verge of beating Cena multiple times, but never can finish him off. Cena is able to make a small comeback and locks on the STF. Vince calls for the bell without Punk ever actually tapping out. Now, before you grown saying not another Montreal Screw Job rehash, let me finish. Both Punk and Cena look on in disbelief at what just happened. Vince gets in the ring. Punk is out of his mind. Punk goes to attack Vince, but Cena attacks him from behind. It turns out that Cena was in on it all along, and Cena turns into the new Corporate Champion. Now here's where I'm a little conflicted. For this to get over, the show needs to end like this. Punk cannot get his comeback tonight if Cena is going to finally turn heel. So Punk goes away for a while. I have no idea for how long. Maybe a month. Maybe three. But it can't just be a week. They need to keep him away, but still keep the storyline in everyone's mind by referencing it from time to time. Then at a show down the line, Cena and Vince are in the ring when they are attacked by 3-4 men. Who are they? The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli), Colt Cabana, and maybe Luke Gallows. WWE plays up they don't know who these men are, but then CM Punk returns as the leader of the group. Punk leads this group of outsiders against Vince McMahon and John Cena to represent what pro wrestling should be compared to what Vince gives us with WWE. The only problem with all this is you have this major storyline that should probably culminate at WrestleMania, especially if Punk is gone for a few months, but we already have Cena vs Rock set for Mania. Regardless, I think this is the perfect way to finally turn Cena heel. It's the perfect way to build Punk as a huge star that is anti-establishment just like Austin was, and it lets the Kings of Wrestling and other debut in a huge way.
Prediction: John Cena - Retains WWE Title
There are literally a thousand different ways WWE can go tonight. As long as John Cena doesn't pin CM Punk clean in the middle of the ring with no follow up, I think I'll be happy. I haven't been this excited for a WWE PPV in a long, long time. For once, seeing what happens in the match actually matters rather than just the continuation of a storyline that will go on tomorrow night on Raw.
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- Oct 15, 2000
Tonight is unquestionably the most anticipated WWE "B-Show" PPV in over a year, and personally, I'm looking forward to this show even more than WrestleMania. Going into WrestleMania, I felt WWE never made The Miz seem like a serious heel champion, and they gave away the physical confrontation between Cena and Rock on Raw before the PPV. While the buzz around tonight's show is really only based on one match, I cannot think of a match that has captured the interest of the wrestling world like we have for tonight's main event in probably the last five years. Three weeks ago, it felt like we were going into just another PPV, but then CM Punk cut a promo that changed the wrestling landscape. For so long, we have listened to week after week of WWE scripted promos with buzz words like "WWE Universe" and "Sports Entertainment". CM Punk broke the mold by cutting a promo where he said everything that true pro wrestling fans have been thinking for so long. Punk called himself the best 'wrestler' in the world, a term that until then had been blacklisted by WWE. Punk spoke about his contract being up on July 17 (after tonight's MITB PPV), and that once he won the title, he would leave with it and take it to a real wrestling promotion like New Japan Pro Wrestling or Ring of Honor. Again, talking about other wrestling promotions, regardless of if they really aren't competition to WWE, was unheard of. Punk called out to his friend, Colt Cabana. He talked about how WWE was filled with #%* kissing yes men like Johnny Ace. He said WWE would be better off once Vince was dead, except for the fact that it would be taken over by his "idiotic daughter" (Stephanie) and his "doofus son-in-law" (HHH). He was about to tell a personal story about Vince McMahon and the anti-bullying campaign when his mic was finally cut off. No, this wasn't a shoot interview. Punk was given freedom to speak about whatever he wanted, but Vince knew ahead of time what was going on. However, it was so refreshing to have a storyline actually feel real for once instead of the typical WWE scripted silliness that no one can actually relate to. It's so simple yet so incredibly difficult for WWE to do. That's the problem when the script writers are full of writers from Hollywood instead of actual wrestling people.
The following week, CM Punk was suspended from WWE by Vince McMahon. John Cena came out to confront Vince about this. Cena said Vince was always a man that supported the 1st Amendment and Freedom of Speech (yeah, I don't know about that one...), but now Vince was being a hypocrite for suspending Punk for speaking his mind. Vince retorted by saying that the real reason he suspended Punk was because he couldn't take the chance on Punk beating Cena and walking out with the WWE Title. Cena said that if the true #1 contender wasn't going to get the title shot he earned, then the title meant nothing, and Cena handed over the title to Vince and walked away. Vince screamed at him to come back and that Cena couldn't walk out on him like everyone else has done in the past. Finally, Vince gave Cena his match against Punk, but if Punk left Money in the Bank with the title, John Cena would be fired.
CM Punk returned to Raw this past Monday night. He started the show with a megaphone, saying that if WWE tried to cut his mic again, he would not be silenced. He said he was suspended because he had the balls to say what no one else in WWE would say. He said for everyone else, a microphone is just a microphone, but for him, it's a pipe bomb. Punk said that Vince is now trying to sign him to a long term lucrative contract and that he is the hottest property right now in WWE. He said now that he's got a foot out the door, Vince is willing to give him everything he wants, and if Vince would have just treated him this way all along, they would have never got to this point. Punk said tonight they would have the first ever live contract negotiation, and that Vince may be the one joining the Kiss My #%* Club. This brought out John Cena. Punk thanked Cena for getting him reinstated to a job he didn't want. Punk said that when he wins the title, he's going to change the spinner belt because it's been ugly for so long. He also said how the stipulation of Cena being fired was stupid because Vince would never fire him, and the last time he was fired, he wasn't even gone for a week. Cena responded that Punk is getting ahead of himself with walking out as champion because he's no pushover. He said many in the past thought they were better than Cena, (HHH, Batista, Angle, Eddie Guerrero, and so on), and they all left disappointed. Cena said Punk can say whatever he wants, because this Sunday in Chicago, Cena is going to kick Punk's #%*. This was a great confrontation between the two.
To close the show, Vince and Punk had their in ring contract negotiation. Vince said he had a contract written up that included everything Punk wanted, including having Punk's face on the collector cups. Vince referred to Punk by his real name, Phil. Punk said that he didn't agree with the contract, and his own lawyers drew up a new contract. Punk started shoving Vince and that he could shove Vince whenever he wanted. He wanted his own private jet. He wanted his face on everything, including the turnbuckle pads. He said he wanted to be on WWE ice cream bars. He said he wanted his own movies, like The Chaperon 2, which would be funny and actually make money. Punk said Vince could still have his dream match of Cena vs Dwayne, but Punk wanted to be in the main event at WrestleMania. Lastly, Punk wanted Vince to apologize for being a bully. He said WWE promotes the anti-bullying campaigns, but Vince is the biggest bully he's ever met. Punk said Vince unjustly fired his friends Colt Cabana and Luke Gallows. Punk said he is the voice of the voiceless. The crowd started chanting "We Want Wrestling" and Vince screamed at them that he doesn't give a damn what they want. Punk said that is the problem. Punk said he isn't a great guy, but he does know what the people want. He demanded an apology from Vince. Vince was reluctant, but finally yelled "I apologize you son of a !@@$!". Vince went to sign the new contract, but John Cena came out. Cena said to not give into the terroristic threats of CM Punk. For some reason, Cena started talking about how he hates Vince as well (don't know where this came from), but he still shows up for work everyday. Cena said Punk lost sight of what's important, but Punk interrupted. He talked about how he was part of the entourage of actors that were part of Cena's entrance at WrestleMania 22 in Chicago. He said he dreamed about not being there with Cena but actually beating him. Punk said that Cena is just like the city of Boston. They all like to play the role of the underdog, but in reality, they're all champions, the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, the Patriots, and John Cena. He said Cena is a 10 time WWE Champion. He said that Cena is no longer the underdog. He's now a dynasty. He's become the thing that he hates the most, the New York Yankees. Cena punched Punk in the face at this point. Punk left the ring with contract in hand. He went to the top of the ramp. He said he's tired of this, tired of Cena, and just tired. He said say goodbye because on Sunday night he's leaving WWE, and he's leaving with the title. He proceeded to rip up the contract as the show went off the air. This was a tremendous segment that was the climax of an amazing three weeks of build towards tonight's PPV.
While ratings have been down the past two weeks, two weeks ago was the Fourth of July holiday, and last week saw the closing segment see one of the largest viewership gains WWE has seen in quite some time. So that brings us to tonight's Money in the Bank PPV which comes from Punk's hometown of Chicago. It is going to be an electric atmosphere. Cena will be booed out of the building in a way we probably haven't seen since Rob Van Dam beat Cena for the title at One Night Stand years back. Let's get to the card.
Kelly Kelly (c) vs Brie Bella - WWE Divas Championship Match
It was an interesting twist this past Monday when the Bellas insulted Kelly Kelly for being too skinny, something we never hear in WWE. It certainly came across as bizarre. This match could go either way, and really doesn't matter. This is Kelly Kelly's first title reign in his long run in WWE, so I think they let her keep the title a bit longer.
Prediction: Kelly Kelly - Retains WWE Divas Title
The Big Show vs Mark Henry
WWE has actually done a very good job of building Henry up as a monster over the past month. The problem is, he now has to face The Big Show, and like Jim Ross would say, this one is going to be bowling shoe ugly. Hopefully it is kept short. Smackdown is in desperate need of top heels, so Henry should get the clean win here so he can be the #2 heel on Smackdown after Christian. The Big Show will always be in the same place regardless of a win or loss.
Prediction: Mark Henry
Smackdown Money in the Bank Match
It's almost impossible to have a bad Money in the Bank match, and there are plenty of athletic guys here that could make this one great. Guys like Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, and Kofi Kingston have really broken out in MITB matches without actually winning, and it could be the same situation for guys like Bryan, Gabriel, and Slater. Here's my breakdown for each guy.
Justin Gabriel - No chance of winning but I think he has the biggest upside in this match. He's really been lost since the Nexus angle, but if he hits a few big moves here, it could be the start of a nice babyface push.
Heath Slater - He's gone back to the One Man Rock Band gimmick. I wouldn't mind if he gets injured.
Kane - He won last year which was a shocker, but he's not going to win again. He's there to catch some of the guys in their big flying spots.
Sin Cara - He's really getting over with the fans, but it's too early to have him win the MITB and guarantee a title shot. We know we'll see a few huge spots from him, but I'm sure HHH is holding his breath that he doesn't have too many botches.
Daniel Bryan - An outside shot, but I could see him as a dark horse pick. Bryan is the best worker in the match, and should do great in this type of match. Even if he doesn't win, I expect him to come very close because we know Vince loves teasing the internet fans.
Wade Barrett - Last year, he looked to be a sure thing main eventer for years to come. Now he's lost in the shuffle, jobbing to Ezekiel Jackson. WWE has dropped the ball with him, but this is a chance for him to re-establish his push as a main eventer. I don't think he'll win, but he's definitely an option.
Sheamus - He seems to be the favorite for a lot of people, but I don't see it. WWE has been too start/stop with pushing Sheamus. I don't think they'll give him MITB because they can't make up their mind if he's a main eventer or a midcarder. With that said, he's my #2 pick to win.
Cody Rhodes - I think it's his time to get a shot in the main event. It's not like the Smackdown roster is all that strong anyway, so give Cody the MITB. Let him build up the suspense for a few months like Miz did, and when he finally does cash in, it will be a big deal.
Prediction: Cody Rhodes
Raw Money in the Bank Match
I'm goiong outside the box with this one. The popular pick/booking is that Alberto Del Rio wins the briefcase. Punk defeats Cena for the title in the main event, and then Del Rio cashes in immediately to win the title. I think so many people have talked about this, that WWE will deem it "too obvious" and go a different direction. So with that said, Del Rio isn't my pick. Plus, they can still set up a potential Cena/Del Rio match at Summerslam because Del Rio won the #1 contender match two weeks ago on Raw only to have his shot taken away from him.
R-Truth - Amazing that he was the hottest heel act in WWE just a month ago to now being a total joke comedy character. I have no idea why WWE would turn him like this. Supposedly Vince loved the heel Truth character, but we all know how quickly Vince changes his mind. Anyway, Truth isn't getting back in the main event spot anytime soon, so he's not winning.
Evan Bourne - He's in this match to hit some high flying spots, but he's not winning.
Rey Mysterio - Again, he's in this match to hit some big spots, but unlike Bourne who isn't winning because WWE isn't putting him in the main event, Mysterio isn't winning because he's above needing the MITB briefcase.
Kofi Kingston - A guy who always has good showings in these matches, but WWE never gets fully behind him to make him a main eventer. Kofi had his shot two years ago with Orton, and WWE pulled the rug out from him.
Alex Riley - There's a natural storyline that he goes from being The Miz's apprentice while he was carrying the MITB briefcase to actually winning MITB, but I think it's still too soon to give Riley a push on that level. Riley gets tons of heat when he's beating up Miz, but not much at all when he's in the ring with anyone else.
Jack Swagger - A past MITB winner, winning it at last year's WrestleMania, and had his run as champion. However, WWE wasn't behind him as champion, and he's never gotten back to that level. I don't know why WWE doesn't fully support Swagger, he's a young guy with a lot of potential, but it still doesn't seem to be his time.
Alberto Del Rio - Like I said, he's probably the odds on favorite, but I'm going a different way.
The Miz - The Miz has been buried for so long, I think winning the MITB is the only way you can rehab him at this point. His best run in WWE was as the MITB briefcase holder, not as actual champion, so why not let him have that run again? I think this would be a big shocker, and make The Miz relevant again.
Prediction: - The Miz
Randy Orton (c) vs Christian - World Heavyweight Championship Match
I've really lost interest in this feud. I feel like it's been going on forever, and Orton just keeps beat Christian. The heel turn of Christian just hasn't worked. It was a crappy reason to turn heel (he wanted his title back), and fans haven't bought it. The stipulations of this match also almost guarantee some type of garbage finish. If Randy Orton is disqualified OR if a mistake is made by the referee, Christian will win the title. The stipulation automatically takes away any excitement I may have for this match because I'm already getting ready to roll my eyes at the finish. The only positive is that these two do work well together, so it should be a good match up until that point. I think Christian gets the win in some type of screwy finish (no chance he's beating Orton cleanly). Then this will lead to a final match in this program at Summerslam, some type of stipulation match like Last Man Standing with Orton taking the title back.
Prediction: Christian - New World Heavyweight Champion
John Cena (c) vs CM Punk - WWE Championship Match
So like I said, I'm going to make a prediction that is a little out there for this one. First, here is a very logical situation, and if WWE chooses to go this route, I have no problem with it. Also, it would change my MITB match predictions.
1) CM Punk beats John Cena to win the WWE Title.
2) Vince McMahon comes out in a rage and says Punk may have won the title, but he's not leaving as champion. He orders the Smackdown MITB winner (let's say Wade Barrett) out to cash in and face Punk. Punk is able to beat the Barrett, and the crowd goes crazy again.
3) Vince, now even more irate, orders the Raw MITB winner (in this case, I would predict Alberto Del Rio) out to face CM Punk. Punk, now in this third match, loses to Alberto Del Rio. Alberto wins the title.
You have a perfect storyline in many ways set up. Alberto Del Rio is the champ, so that sets up the must rumored match between he and Cena at Summerslam. As for Punk, you have the storyline that it took Vince screwing him with three matches for him to lose the title. When Punk does return, he's the uncrowned champion, a huge babyface (even if he continues the tweener role ... as I said, I think he is this generation's Stone Cold Steve Austin), and he can go after Vince and whoever is champion at that time.
I think that is the logical booking for tonight and very well may happen, but with so many people already predicting it, I think WWE will go another direction. Here's how I would have things play out.
Punk is on the verge of beating Cena multiple times, but never can finish him off. Cena is able to make a small comeback and locks on the STF. Vince calls for the bell without Punk ever actually tapping out. Now, before you grown saying not another Montreal Screw Job rehash, let me finish. Both Punk and Cena look on in disbelief at what just happened. Vince gets in the ring. Punk is out of his mind. Punk goes to attack Vince, but Cena attacks him from behind. It turns out that Cena was in on it all along, and Cena turns into the new Corporate Champion. Now here's where I'm a little conflicted. For this to get over, the show needs to end like this. Punk cannot get his comeback tonight if Cena is going to finally turn heel. So Punk goes away for a while. I have no idea for how long. Maybe a month. Maybe three. But it can't just be a week. They need to keep him away, but still keep the storyline in everyone's mind by referencing it from time to time. Then at a show down the line, Cena and Vince are in the ring when they are attacked by 3-4 men. Who are they? The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli), Colt Cabana, and maybe Luke Gallows. WWE plays up they don't know who these men are, but then CM Punk returns as the leader of the group. Punk leads this group of outsiders against Vince McMahon and John Cena to represent what pro wrestling should be compared to what Vince gives us with WWE. The only problem with all this is you have this major storyline that should probably culminate at WrestleMania, especially if Punk is gone for a few months, but we already have Cena vs Rock set for Mania. Regardless, I think this is the perfect way to finally turn Cena heel. It's the perfect way to build Punk as a huge star that is anti-establishment just like Austin was, and it lets the Kings of Wrestling and other debut in a huge way.
Prediction: John Cena - Retains WWE Title
There are literally a thousand different ways WWE can go tonight. As long as John Cena doesn't pin CM Punk clean in the middle of the ring with no follow up, I think I'll be happy. I haven't been this excited for a WWE PPV in a long, long time. For once, seeing what happens in the match actually matters rather than just the continuation of a storyline that will go on tomorrow night on Raw.
The following week, CM Punk was suspended from WWE by Vince McMahon. John Cena came out to confront Vince about this. Cena said Vince was always a man that supported the 1st Amendment and Freedom of Speech (yeah, I don't know about that one...), but now Vince was being a hypocrite for suspending Punk for speaking his mind. Vince retorted by saying that the real reason he suspended Punk was because he couldn't take the chance on Punk beating Cena and walking out with the WWE Title. Cena said that if the true #1 contender wasn't going to get the title shot he earned, then the title meant nothing, and Cena handed over the title to Vince and walked away. Vince screamed at him to come back and that Cena couldn't walk out on him like everyone else has done in the past. Finally, Vince gave Cena his match against Punk, but if Punk left Money in the Bank with the title, John Cena would be fired.
CM Punk returned to Raw this past Monday night. He started the show with a megaphone, saying that if WWE tried to cut his mic again, he would not be silenced. He said he was suspended because he had the balls to say what no one else in WWE would say. He said for everyone else, a microphone is just a microphone, but for him, it's a pipe bomb. Punk said that Vince is now trying to sign him to a long term lucrative contract and that he is the hottest property right now in WWE. He said now that he's got a foot out the door, Vince is willing to give him everything he wants, and if Vince would have just treated him this way all along, they would have never got to this point. Punk said tonight they would have the first ever live contract negotiation, and that Vince may be the one joining the Kiss My #%* Club. This brought out John Cena. Punk thanked Cena for getting him reinstated to a job he didn't want. Punk said that when he wins the title, he's going to change the spinner belt because it's been ugly for so long. He also said how the stipulation of Cena being fired was stupid because Vince would never fire him, and the last time he was fired, he wasn't even gone for a week. Cena responded that Punk is getting ahead of himself with walking out as champion because he's no pushover. He said many in the past thought they were better than Cena, (HHH, Batista, Angle, Eddie Guerrero, and so on), and they all left disappointed. Cena said Punk can say whatever he wants, because this Sunday in Chicago, Cena is going to kick Punk's #%*. This was a great confrontation between the two.
To close the show, Vince and Punk had their in ring contract negotiation. Vince said he had a contract written up that included everything Punk wanted, including having Punk's face on the collector cups. Vince referred to Punk by his real name, Phil. Punk said that he didn't agree with the contract, and his own lawyers drew up a new contract. Punk started shoving Vince and that he could shove Vince whenever he wanted. He wanted his own private jet. He wanted his face on everything, including the turnbuckle pads. He said he wanted to be on WWE ice cream bars. He said he wanted his own movies, like The Chaperon 2, which would be funny and actually make money. Punk said Vince could still have his dream match of Cena vs Dwayne, but Punk wanted to be in the main event at WrestleMania. Lastly, Punk wanted Vince to apologize for being a bully. He said WWE promotes the anti-bullying campaigns, but Vince is the biggest bully he's ever met. Punk said Vince unjustly fired his friends Colt Cabana and Luke Gallows. Punk said he is the voice of the voiceless. The crowd started chanting "We Want Wrestling" and Vince screamed at them that he doesn't give a damn what they want. Punk said that is the problem. Punk said he isn't a great guy, but he does know what the people want. He demanded an apology from Vince. Vince was reluctant, but finally yelled "I apologize you son of a !@@$!". Vince went to sign the new contract, but John Cena came out. Cena said to not give into the terroristic threats of CM Punk. For some reason, Cena started talking about how he hates Vince as well (don't know where this came from), but he still shows up for work everyday. Cena said Punk lost sight of what's important, but Punk interrupted. He talked about how he was part of the entourage of actors that were part of Cena's entrance at WrestleMania 22 in Chicago. He said he dreamed about not being there with Cena but actually beating him. Punk said that Cena is just like the city of Boston. They all like to play the role of the underdog, but in reality, they're all champions, the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, the Patriots, and John Cena. He said Cena is a 10 time WWE Champion. He said that Cena is no longer the underdog. He's now a dynasty. He's become the thing that he hates the most, the New York Yankees. Cena punched Punk in the face at this point. Punk left the ring with contract in hand. He went to the top of the ramp. He said he's tired of this, tired of Cena, and just tired. He said say goodbye because on Sunday night he's leaving WWE, and he's leaving with the title. He proceeded to rip up the contract as the show went off the air. This was a tremendous segment that was the climax of an amazing three weeks of build towards tonight's PPV.
While ratings have been down the past two weeks, two weeks ago was the Fourth of July holiday, and last week saw the closing segment see one of the largest viewership gains WWE has seen in quite some time. So that brings us to tonight's Money in the Bank PPV which comes from Punk's hometown of Chicago. It is going to be an electric atmosphere. Cena will be booed out of the building in a way we probably haven't seen since Rob Van Dam beat Cena for the title at One Night Stand years back. Let's get to the card.
Kelly Kelly (c) vs Brie Bella - WWE Divas Championship Match
It was an interesting twist this past Monday when the Bellas insulted Kelly Kelly for being too skinny, something we never hear in WWE. It certainly came across as bizarre. This match could go either way, and really doesn't matter. This is Kelly Kelly's first title reign in his long run in WWE, so I think they let her keep the title a bit longer.
Prediction: Kelly Kelly - Retains WWE Divas Title
The Big Show vs Mark Henry
WWE has actually done a very good job of building Henry up as a monster over the past month. The problem is, he now has to face The Big Show, and like Jim Ross would say, this one is going to be bowling shoe ugly. Hopefully it is kept short. Smackdown is in desperate need of top heels, so Henry should get the clean win here so he can be the #2 heel on Smackdown after Christian. The Big Show will always be in the same place regardless of a win or loss.
Prediction: Mark Henry
Smackdown Money in the Bank Match
It's almost impossible to have a bad Money in the Bank match, and there are plenty of athletic guys here that could make this one great. Guys like Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, and Kofi Kingston have really broken out in MITB matches without actually winning, and it could be the same situation for guys like Bryan, Gabriel, and Slater. Here's my breakdown for each guy.
Justin Gabriel - No chance of winning but I think he has the biggest upside in this match. He's really been lost since the Nexus angle, but if he hits a few big moves here, it could be the start of a nice babyface push.
Heath Slater - He's gone back to the One Man Rock Band gimmick. I wouldn't mind if he gets injured.
Kane - He won last year which was a shocker, but he's not going to win again. He's there to catch some of the guys in their big flying spots.
Sin Cara - He's really getting over with the fans, but it's too early to have him win the MITB and guarantee a title shot. We know we'll see a few huge spots from him, but I'm sure HHH is holding his breath that he doesn't have too many botches.
Daniel Bryan - An outside shot, but I could see him as a dark horse pick. Bryan is the best worker in the match, and should do great in this type of match. Even if he doesn't win, I expect him to come very close because we know Vince loves teasing the internet fans.
Wade Barrett - Last year, he looked to be a sure thing main eventer for years to come. Now he's lost in the shuffle, jobbing to Ezekiel Jackson. WWE has dropped the ball with him, but this is a chance for him to re-establish his push as a main eventer. I don't think he'll win, but he's definitely an option.
Sheamus - He seems to be the favorite for a lot of people, but I don't see it. WWE has been too start/stop with pushing Sheamus. I don't think they'll give him MITB because they can't make up their mind if he's a main eventer or a midcarder. With that said, he's my #2 pick to win.
Cody Rhodes - I think it's his time to get a shot in the main event. It's not like the Smackdown roster is all that strong anyway, so give Cody the MITB. Let him build up the suspense for a few months like Miz did, and when he finally does cash in, it will be a big deal.
Prediction: Cody Rhodes
Raw Money in the Bank Match
I'm goiong outside the box with this one. The popular pick/booking is that Alberto Del Rio wins the briefcase. Punk defeats Cena for the title in the main event, and then Del Rio cashes in immediately to win the title. I think so many people have talked about this, that WWE will deem it "too obvious" and go a different direction. So with that said, Del Rio isn't my pick. Plus, they can still set up a potential Cena/Del Rio match at Summerslam because Del Rio won the #1 contender match two weeks ago on Raw only to have his shot taken away from him.
R-Truth - Amazing that he was the hottest heel act in WWE just a month ago to now being a total joke comedy character. I have no idea why WWE would turn him like this. Supposedly Vince loved the heel Truth character, but we all know how quickly Vince changes his mind. Anyway, Truth isn't getting back in the main event spot anytime soon, so he's not winning.
Evan Bourne - He's in this match to hit some high flying spots, but he's not winning.
Rey Mysterio - Again, he's in this match to hit some big spots, but unlike Bourne who isn't winning because WWE isn't putting him in the main event, Mysterio isn't winning because he's above needing the MITB briefcase.
Kofi Kingston - A guy who always has good showings in these matches, but WWE never gets fully behind him to make him a main eventer. Kofi had his shot two years ago with Orton, and WWE pulled the rug out from him.
Alex Riley - There's a natural storyline that he goes from being The Miz's apprentice while he was carrying the MITB briefcase to actually winning MITB, but I think it's still too soon to give Riley a push on that level. Riley gets tons of heat when he's beating up Miz, but not much at all when he's in the ring with anyone else.
Jack Swagger - A past MITB winner, winning it at last year's WrestleMania, and had his run as champion. However, WWE wasn't behind him as champion, and he's never gotten back to that level. I don't know why WWE doesn't fully support Swagger, he's a young guy with a lot of potential, but it still doesn't seem to be his time.
Alberto Del Rio - Like I said, he's probably the odds on favorite, but I'm going a different way.
The Miz - The Miz has been buried for so long, I think winning the MITB is the only way you can rehab him at this point. His best run in WWE was as the MITB briefcase holder, not as actual champion, so why not let him have that run again? I think this would be a big shocker, and make The Miz relevant again.
Prediction: - The Miz
Randy Orton (c) vs Christian - World Heavyweight Championship Match
I've really lost interest in this feud. I feel like it's been going on forever, and Orton just keeps beat Christian. The heel turn of Christian just hasn't worked. It was a crappy reason to turn heel (he wanted his title back), and fans haven't bought it. The stipulations of this match also almost guarantee some type of garbage finish. If Randy Orton is disqualified OR if a mistake is made by the referee, Christian will win the title. The stipulation automatically takes away any excitement I may have for this match because I'm already getting ready to roll my eyes at the finish. The only positive is that these two do work well together, so it should be a good match up until that point. I think Christian gets the win in some type of screwy finish (no chance he's beating Orton cleanly). Then this will lead to a final match in this program at Summerslam, some type of stipulation match like Last Man Standing with Orton taking the title back.
Prediction: Christian - New World Heavyweight Champion
John Cena (c) vs CM Punk - WWE Championship Match
So like I said, I'm going to make a prediction that is a little out there for this one. First, here is a very logical situation, and if WWE chooses to go this route, I have no problem with it. Also, it would change my MITB match predictions.
1) CM Punk beats John Cena to win the WWE Title.
2) Vince McMahon comes out in a rage and says Punk may have won the title, but he's not leaving as champion. He orders the Smackdown MITB winner (let's say Wade Barrett) out to cash in and face Punk. Punk is able to beat the Barrett, and the crowd goes crazy again.
3) Vince, now even more irate, orders the Raw MITB winner (in this case, I would predict Alberto Del Rio) out to face CM Punk. Punk, now in this third match, loses to Alberto Del Rio. Alberto wins the title.
You have a perfect storyline in many ways set up. Alberto Del Rio is the champ, so that sets up the must rumored match between he and Cena at Summerslam. As for Punk, you have the storyline that it took Vince screwing him with three matches for him to lose the title. When Punk does return, he's the uncrowned champion, a huge babyface (even if he continues the tweener role ... as I said, I think he is this generation's Stone Cold Steve Austin), and he can go after Vince and whoever is champion at that time.
I think that is the logical booking for tonight and very well may happen, but with so many people already predicting it, I think WWE will go another direction. Here's how I would have things play out.
Punk is on the verge of beating Cena multiple times, but never can finish him off. Cena is able to make a small comeback and locks on the STF. Vince calls for the bell without Punk ever actually tapping out. Now, before you grown saying not another Montreal Screw Job rehash, let me finish. Both Punk and Cena look on in disbelief at what just happened. Vince gets in the ring. Punk is out of his mind. Punk goes to attack Vince, but Cena attacks him from behind. It turns out that Cena was in on it all along, and Cena turns into the new Corporate Champion. Now here's where I'm a little conflicted. For this to get over, the show needs to end like this. Punk cannot get his comeback tonight if Cena is going to finally turn heel. So Punk goes away for a while. I have no idea for how long. Maybe a month. Maybe three. But it can't just be a week. They need to keep him away, but still keep the storyline in everyone's mind by referencing it from time to time. Then at a show down the line, Cena and Vince are in the ring when they are attacked by 3-4 men. Who are they? The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli), Colt Cabana, and maybe Luke Gallows. WWE plays up they don't know who these men are, but then CM Punk returns as the leader of the group. Punk leads this group of outsiders against Vince McMahon and John Cena to represent what pro wrestling should be compared to what Vince gives us with WWE. The only problem with all this is you have this major storyline that should probably culminate at WrestleMania, especially if Punk is gone for a few months, but we already have Cena vs Rock set for Mania. Regardless, I think this is the perfect way to finally turn Cena heel. It's the perfect way to build Punk as a huge star that is anti-establishment just like Austin was, and it lets the Kings of Wrestling and other debut in a huge way.
Prediction: John Cena - Retains WWE Title
There are literally a thousand different ways WWE can go tonight. As long as John Cena doesn't pin CM Punk clean in the middle of the ring with no follow up, I think I'll be happy. I haven't been this excited for a WWE PPV in a long, long time. For once, seeing what happens in the match actually matters rather than just the continuation of a storyline that will go on tomorrow night on Raw.
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I wouldn't be surprised at all if he won. Del Rio does not need to win the match to challenge for the title immediately (if that's the way they're going) and like mentioned, it's uncreative/wasteful and almost expected that the Raw MITB winner cashes in quickly.
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- Nov 6, 2006
I wouldn't be surprised at all if he won. Del Rio does not need to win the match to challenge for the title immediately (if that's the way they're going) and like mentioned, it's uncreative/wasteful and almost expected that the Raw MITB winner cashes in quickly.
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