React: Money in the Bank 2013!

Tom is on vacation with his family this week, so I wanted to take a quick moment and get a few quick thoughts up on Money in the Bank, and of course update you all on the Head 2 Head battle as we are now through 7 months of our 2013 battle!  

Tom went 5-3 on this event, while I went 6-2, so that brings our new total to me leading Tom by a margin of 32-10 for myself, to Tom’s 26-16, so a six match lead right now for myself.  Is it an insurmountable lead for me to hold off Tom and win back to back years?  We shall see!  Be sure to tune in in August for our podcast Head 2 Head for Summerslam where we will also announce what is on the line this year.  Remember, Tom still has to pay his dues from losing last year as well, as he will don a Chicago Bears shirt at the first wrestling event we attend together this year.  Right now our hope is that that will occur at ROH’s Glory By Honor XII on October 26th in Chicago.  Schedules just haven’t lined up to get to a show together sooner, but, we hope to connect for that show!  

Now, on to my reactions to Money in the Bank!  

The Shield won, and the Usos looked pretty good in defeat.  I don’t know that we’ve seen the last of the Usos challenging for the tag titles, and I’m ok with that!  Good pre-show match.  (And when Big Show showed up at the “expert’s desk” I knew my thought of him going into the WWE Title Money in the Bank match was probably out the window.)

I have to say, I was shocked that Damien Sandow won the World Heavyweight Title briefcase at Money in the Bank!  Both Tom and I felt that it was Wade Barrett’s time to shine, but I’m totally fine with Sandow winning it.  I think he can be a great top level heel in time, and this could be the thing to get him there if they book him right.  It also kick started a feud with his now former tag team partner, Cody Rhodes who has been turned babyface.  I’ve been one who’s felt for a long time that Cody Rhodes should be more featured and if this can be the start of that with a new start as a babyface, than I am all for that.  So, I love that new rivalry that’s started.  All the other guys played their roles well, and this was a great start to the PPV portion of the show!  

Curtis Axel vs. The Miz was fine for what it was, nothing too special, but I still like how they are building Axel.  I do wish however that the PerfectPlex wasn’t just a transitional type signature move.  But, probably best for him to have his own finisher too...just hate seeing it kicked out of so frequently!  

AJ Lee vs. Kaitlyn was ok, but not the match we know they can have.  Honestly, it was just a time filler, as AJ’s true role on this night was yet to come.  

Ryback vs. Jericho was good, though I was shocked to see Ryback get a clean roll up for the win.  I like that!  Jericho has to be commended for all the time he spends putting over the next generation of talent.  He “gets it” when it comes to building new talent, and I wish there were more people in wrestling like him.  He never has to worry about doing a job because he’s going to be just as over as he was before.  So, he doesn’t feel the need to “protect his spot”.  Good job by both men, and Ryback gets his first PPV win in a year!

Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler seem incapable of having a bad match!  I love their feud and am more than happy to see it continue (not to mention, this was the one match Tom and I differed in our picks on, and I got it right, extending that lead!).  Obviously the story here was AJ costing Dolph the match and we saw that situation explode on Raw the following night.  Unfortunately it seems that Dolph’s chase of the World Title is going to be derailed for a bit by Big E. Langston and his defense of AJ Lee.  Which leads me to wonder...who will Alberto defend against at Summerslam?  Looking around at the possible folks, I would think maybe Sheamus?  Not sure at this point.  

I was glad to see Cena/Henry go on as the co-main event meaning the WWE Title Money in the Bank match would close the show.  At first I was ticked off that Henry lost by tapping out, but really, it was a hard fought match, so I guess I can deal with it.  As it seems they are turning him babyface as well, perhaps that won’t hurt him as much as I thought it would when it first happened.  The Cena machine keeps chugging along and he takes on Daniel Bryan next at Summerslam in what should be a very good bout!  

Bryan not winning Money in the Bank was a total shock to me, and Orton winning it was even more of a shock.  They’ve kept Orton basically out of the title picture for quite some time now, but it seems he’s headed back into it in a big way.  He’s a perfect guy to have the briefcase as he absolutely has the persona of someone who will take advantage of whatever opportunity comes his way to cash it in and win the title.  This matchup was absolutely brutal and just a spectacle to watch.  At first when Axel came in and attacked Bryan, I was worried they were going to move Bryan into an Intercontinental feud to help get Axel over...but instead, it was obviously just a way to get Heyman out there and have him available to turn on Punk (which was also incredibly well done).  Lots of good stories coming out of this match and it was a great way to end a really good show!  

So, what did you all think of Money in the Bank?  Leave us a comment here, or on our Facebook page (facebook.com/twospotmonkeys) or send us a tweet at our new Twitter account, @twospotmonkeys!