About 4 years ago, I started a small series on this blog known as “Links of the Week” where I take a handful of links that I found interesting and list it all on one page.
For the next week or so, I am going to attempt to do this daily. The aim of this project is for me to read more which I have been doing a lot more of in the last few months:
NB: NONE of these are sponsored, endorsed etc. What you see on those pages is not my problem.
About 4 years ago, I started a small series on this blog known as "Links of the Week" where I take a handful of links that I found interesting and list it all on one page.
For the next week or so, I am going to attempt to do this daily. The aim of this project is for me to read more which I have been doing a lot more of in the last few months:
NB: NONE of these are sponsored, endorsed etc. What you see on those pages is not my problem.
About 4 years ago, I started a small series on this blog known as "Links of the Week" where I take a handful of links that I found interesting and list it all on one page.
For the next week or so, I am going to attempt to do this daily. The aim of this project is for me to read more which I have been doing a lot more of in the last few months:
NB: NONE of these are sponsored, endorsed etc. What you see on those pages is not my problem.
The last one is interesting, Carmella had a ‘manager’ with her, James Ellsworth.
Quick explanation of James Ellsworth
James came in as a ‘jobber’ (A person who intentionally loses to a bigger guy) and gained fame online for being a small puny guy taking on a monster.
Since this, he has been hired by WWE and is now on SmackDown LIVE being a manager to Carmella while looking completely out of place and is just ‘trying to fit in with the cool kids’.
Anyway, last night in this match, all but Becky Lynch was down and unable to move, so that gave Becky a window to get up the ladder and get the briefcase and become the first Women’s Money in the Bank. However, as the match was technically a No Disqualification match, James Ellsworth got into the ring and tipped the ladder sending Becky flying and hitting her face off the top rope.
James went then to check on Carmella who couldn’t move after being powerbombed by Becky minutes prior.
With Carmella not moving, James took it upon him self to climb the ladder, unhook the briefcase and then pass the briefcase down to Carmella making her Ms. Money in the Bank.
There was some questions raised by 2 of the 3 officials as James wasn’t in the match and that he took the case first off the clamp.
The decision has stuck for now. Commissioner for SmackDown LIVE Shane McMahon and SmackDown LIVE General Manager Daniel Bryan tweeted their disgust and said that it would be addressed on SmackDown LIVE on Tuesday.
Personally, I am disgusted that this has happened.
This is a historic match. People are going to be talking about this in 20 years and look back and see that the first Ms. Money in the Bank was obtained by a man.
This REALLY devalued the case and shows that WWE is still out of touch with reality. They couldn’t bear to face the fact that a man had to get a women’s MITB and really took away the shine of Carmella’s victory.
In my honest opinion, the match should be expunged and the match should re-occur at SummerSlam and James Ellsworth banned from ringside. This is the only logical solution that I can see.
Credit where credit is due, since Carmella got the Money in the Bank briefcase, she is already showing that she does have the heat on Naomi and cash in at any time. She could have cashed in during Naomi vs Lana last night, but is teasing everyone with the cash in.
Obviously Vince McMahon (Owner of WWE) is making this booking decision and is still very out of touch as to what is going on. Vince needs to leave WWE soon or he is going to kill his own creation. It would be nice to see how WWE spin this on Tuesday.
But what is done, has been done and there is no way of “un-seeing” this.
Welcome everyone to my WWE Money in the Bank PPV Predictions! This Sunday, the Money in the Bank PPV will be hailing from Saint Louis, Missouri where by the end of the night, we will see a Mr and (for the first time) Mrs Money in the Bank!
For Newcomers to Wrestling: The “Money In the Bank” (MITB) match is multi-man ladder match. The first person to climb the latter and detach the Money In the Bank briefcase from the carabiner will become Mr (or Mrs) Money in the Bank. Inside the briefcase is a contract that can be cashed in at any time within the year (from when they win MITB) for a championship match.
The superstar with the briefcase must go to the ring (where the 2 superstars (one being the current champion) has probably just been in a match and is exhausted) and hand the briefcase to the referee and thus tell the announcer that they have invoked the MITB contract. As soon as the bell rings, it is cashed in and cannot be reclaimed even in a loss.
Most notable Money In the Bank matches:
Seth Rollins (Won MITB on June 29th 2014 and cashed in March 29th 2015) cashing in MITB at the Main Event of Wrestlemania 31.
On As the match was on-going when Seth cashed in, it became a Triple Threat match between him, Roman Reigns and the champion Brock Lesnar. Seth pinned Roman to win title. Seth did not need to pin the champion due to Triple Threat Rules. Seth would hold the title until he had to vacate it after suffering a knee injury that he got at a WWE Live event in Dublin in November of 2015.
Seth commented at the WWE Live event of May 2017 that his career nearly ended in the same building (3 Arena) nearly 2 years ago. Seth along with his partner for the match Finn Bálor avoided the corner which Seth’s injury occurred in a comedic way.
Dean Ambrose (Won MITB on 19th June 2016 and cashed in 50 mins later) at the main event of Money in the Bank PPV last year!
The first match on the card for the PPV last year was Dean Ambrose winning the MITB ladder match and becoming Mr Money in the Bank. Later that night, there was a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between the champ Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Seth had just won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Roman and then minutes later, Dean Ambrose’s music plays with him clocking Seth with the briefcase before cashing in MITB. Dean used his signature move on Seth (Dirty Deeds) and got the 1-2-3 for the victory and became the new WWE World Heavyweight Championship. He would hold his title until Backlash PPV (September 11th 2016) where he would lose it to AJ Styles.
Apologies for the quality, this is the best version that I could find on YouTube
Anyway, with that lesson out of the way, here is the predictions for MITB 2017!
(C) = Champion
Highlight = Predicted winner
BOLD = WINNER
Non-Titles Matches (0/2)
Kevin Owens vs AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin vs Sami Zayn vs Dolph Ziggler vs Shinsuke Nakamura in a ladder match for the Men’s Money in the Bank. – PREDICTION: Sami Zayn
The underdog from the underground has made a big name for himself since the Superstar shakeup and he is really the only person that I believe that deserves the MITB briefcase. There is a lot of great talent that could be elevated, such as AJ Styles or even Dolph Ziggler who could have a chance at the case. There should be some good spots in this involving the ladders and I am really excited for this.
Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair vs Natalya vs Tamina vs Carmella in a ladder match for the Women’s Money in the Bank. – PREDICTION: Becky Lynch
Ever since her loss of the SmackDown Women’s championship, Becky hasn’t been in the spotlight like Naomi or Charlotte has been. And now Lana, out of nowhere is getting a title-shot which I feel is slightly burying Becky. Underdogs for this match would also be Natalya (As she has not held a title since January of 2011 (Source: Cagematch)) or Tamina.
Title Matches (3/3)
Naomi (c) vs Lana for the SmackDown Women’s Championship – PREDICTION: Naomi
This match popped out of no-where. Instant title shot…Didn’t have to beat her to become Number one contender. I feel that this is going to be a squash match and doesn’t deserve much attention other than Naomi is going to retain. I cannot see Lana winning a title with little to no experience inside the squared circle. A massive swerve on this match would be the return of Rusev to interrupt the match and cost Lana the win, but that is a stretch.
The Usos (c) vs The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship – PREDICTION: The Usos
The New Day returns to a title shot against The Usos to claim their Tag Team Championships. At this point, I feel that The New Day has done enough to not win the titles. They do not need to win the titles can elevate The Usos even further than what they are now. I would say very very soon that The New Day will split up and become talent enhancement for the rest of the roster and maybe even a proper title run for Big E which he needs.
Jinder Mahal (c) vs Randy Orton for the WWE Championship – PREDICTION: Jinder Mahal
The rubber match for the championship sees the Viper taking on Jinder. For all the heat that Jinder is getting, he is a really good championship and I would like to see him keeping the title until around SummerSlam or even Survivor Series but who knows.
And that is the predictions for Money in the Bank 2017! As far as I can see, there is no pre-show matches scheduled but anything could change before Sunday. I am really excited for MITB especially the Women’s MITB Ladder match as this is one of my favourite PPV’s on the Calendar.
Welcome back to your now bi-monthly-ish prediction series for WWE Pay-Per-View’s.
This time, it is Monday Night RAW’s turn with their exclusive PPV, Extreme Rules.
Once again, we do not see the Universal Champion Brock Lesnar which is still a massive shame and (in my opinion) is de-valuing the title putting the Intercontinental Championship in the forefront.
So let’s go!
Legend:
(C) = Champions
Bold = WINNER
My Prediction
Non-Title Matches:
Rich Swann & Sasha Banks vs Noam Dar & Alicia Fox – PREDICTION: Rich Swann & Sasha Banks – Swann and Banks is a unlikely duo and if Sasha was to lose, this would be burying her. Fox and Dar do not need this win whatsoever.
Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins vs Finn Bálor vs Samoa Joe vs Bray Wyatt for the Number 1 Contendership for the WWE Universal Championship – PREDICTION: Finn Bálor – Finn needs to get back into the title picture as he never lost the title and I am not ready for any of the others to have a chance at the Universal Championship. Should be a fun match and a potential Match of the Night…so this is one to watch!
Title Matches:
Alexa Bliss (C) vs Bayley for the RAW Women’s Championship – PREDICTION: Alexa Bliss to retain. Bliss has been a great heel in this ‘fued’ with Bayley and it really shows when it comes to the promos. The promo on the 29-5-17 RAW of “This was your life”, while cringy, was brilliant heat for Alexa. Bayley could pull this out of the bag and win, but I highly doubt it. I expect interference from a NXT call up (Bit of a stretch though)
The Hardy Boyz (C) vs Sheamus & Cesaro for the RAW Tag Team Championship – PREDICTION: The Hardy Boyz to retain. Shesaro cannot win. They are terrible heels and they can’t cut a good promo what-so-ever as heels. While I want Cesaro to have a push, the Tag Team scene is not for him. He needs the push with either the IC belt or the Universal Title.
Neville (C) vs Austin Aries for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship – PREDICTION: Austin Aries to win. Neville tapped out on the 30-5-17 205Live to A-Double and this is just a insight that he is going to tap out again at Extreme Rules. Neville is a great champion, but a new champion is needed.
Dean Ambrose (C) vs The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship – PREDICTION: Dean Ambrose to retain. This is a very simple prediction. It has been a great fued between the two and which we have had before, but I would like to see a new competitor for the belt after this match.
And that is that. Should be a fun and interesting PPV and hopefully this will be the start of Finn Balor getting back to his championship ways!
I’ll be watching on Taima this Sunday night at 1am BST at http://taima.tv/r/sc !
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