The landscape of WWE has changed following a wild Money in the Bank Premium Live Event, that featured Liv Morgan achieving her lifelong dream... Theory turning his night around, after losing the United States Title... a show-stealing clash, for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles!
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Money in the Bank started off with its namesake, as the women brought the fire & energy to open the show.
Becky Lynch & Liv Morgan arguably had the most momentum, with each Superstar winning on Monday Night Raw before the Premium Live Event. However, as Asuka & Alexa Bliss, both previous winners of the contract, seemingly had an advantage over the field.
The women wasted no time retrieving the ladders, leaving the Empress of Tomorrow & Big Time Becks in the ring, to duke it out. The ladders quickly entered the fray too, as the Longest-reigning NXT Women's champion planted Lynch on the hard steel, with Raquel Rodriguez showcased her strength early, by delivering a Double Suplex on Becky & Morgan onto the ladder.
Shotzi was the 1st to touch the briefcase, but Lacey Evans tossed her off... then nearly had the briefcase too, but her attempts to pull it down were denied by Liv, who somehow flipped herself over the ladder & Rodriguez, dropping Lacey with an incredible sunset flip.
Big Time Becks took the opportunity to enact some payback on the Empress of Tomorrow, performing a leg drop from the ladder, onto another ladder that Asuka was placed on. The ladder didn't break, however, with many wondering who suffered the most damage. The WWE Universe in Las Vegas delighted in the mayhem, chanting “This is Awesome.”
In the frenetic final stages of the match, Becky knocked over 2 ladders, to take out 4 of her opponents & began to climb, but Liv began to ascend a smaller ladder, next to her.
Lynch tipped that ladder as well, but Morgan placed her foot on the top rope & miraculously pushed herself & the ladder back, to an upright position. Seconds later, she kicked Big Time Becks to the canvas, climbed the rungs & retrieved the coveted prize, fighting back tears as she held the briefcase above her head on top of the ladder.
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Pose-downs, selfies & baby oil... oh my!
These 3 nouns encapsulated the tumultuous rivalry that has been brewing between United States Champion Theory & "All Mighty" bobby Lashley. After each had thrown baby oil into the other’s eyes, during 2 Pose-downs, the stage was set for a title clash.
It being July 4th weekend, no less, both competitors took each other to the limit, with each strike & blow
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The champion couldn’t even get out the gates, with the challenger lifting Theory for a huge Spinebuster, right from the get-go. Lashley continued to have the opening stages under control, using the ring post to his advantage & brutalizing the champion against the unforgiving post.
The former NXT Standout eventually weathered the onslaught, locking in a headlock, to quell the power of the All Mighty. The challenger fired back, by delivering a superhuman powerslam. Theory took a page out of Bobby’s playbook, by executing a stupendous Spear, but Lashley turned it around, by slapping on the Hurt Lock & forcing the youngest U.S. Champion in WWE history, to tap.
Basking in the raucous applause of the WWE Universe & wearing the wounds of battle, The All Mighty captured the star-spangled title, for the 3rd time.
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After Rhea Ripley was deemed unable to compete against Bianca Belair @ WWE Money in the Bank, The Princess of Staten Island took advantage by winning a Fatal 5-Way, to set up this championship bout.
The EST of WWE took it to the former SmackDown Women’s Champion early, using her power to her advantage.
Carmella turned it around, with a painful submission hold, nearly making the Raw Women’s Champion tap. The challenger used her tactical acumen well, using the champion’s braids against her. The story of the match became Belair's power & strength, against Carmella’s cunning & smarts.
Bianca’s strength won out, as she hit a bone-crunching K.O.D. onto the challenger & retained the Raw Women’s Championship.
After the match, Carmella took umbrage with her loss, attacking Belair & leaving her laying in the ring, to get the last laugh.
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The Street Profits brought the smoke in the starting moments of the WWE Unified Tag Team title match, as Angelo Dawkins hit a spinebuster on Jimmy Uso. The Profits taunted The Usos early, with Montez Ford giving an ode to D-Generation X.
In dire straits, Ford nailed a suplex on Jey, onto the hard ring apron & tagged in a fired-up Dawkins, who then flew over the top rope onto The Usos & hit a Spinning Corkscrew Neckbreaker onto Jey.
A massive Double Blockbuster from The Profits onto Jimmy Uso resulted in a frenzied WWE Universe, who couldn’t believe Jimmy had kicked out of such a ferocious move. Not to be outdone, Montez somehow kicked out of a Double Superkick.
Montez Ford gave the WWE Universe a show & then some, hitting a glorious dive to the outside & a gob-smacking frog splash, that only got a 2 count.
The Usos hit the 1-D on Ford, retaining their Tag Team Titles.
After the match, Montez directed everybody’s attention to the replay, which showed that his shoulders were off the mat.
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Then the Baddest Woman on the Planet & The B.O.A.T. started out the Smackdown Womens' Title match, with each having a point to prove.
The submission prowess of the rivals was on full display, both Superstars using joint manipulation & trying to wear down the other.
Ronda Rousey picked apart Natalya with an Ankle Lock early, which sent the challenger on a tirade against Pat McAfee & the cameraperson, telling each of them to “shut up.” The B.O.A.T. fiercely worked back into the match, however, taking the time to trash talk her former friend.
Champion & challenger then traded abdominal stretches, taking the wind out of each other. The Baddest Woman on the Planet even cinched in a Sharpshooter, flexing her muscles while doing so & almost forcing the graduate from the Hart Dungeon to tap out to her own move.
Unfortunately for Ronda, she injured her knee late in the contest, which severely limited her ability to hit the Piper’s Pit.
A gutsy champion fought through the pain, slapping on a unique Armbar that forced the challenger to tap out.
Liv Morgan, who won the Money in the Bank Ladder Match mere hours prior, surprised Rousey following the match, emerging to cash in her #1 Contenderhsip contract, as the WWE Universe came unglued.
Morgan nearly had her dreams dashed, as the champion immediately locked in a desperation Ankle Lock, but the challenger flipped it around, by delivering a kick to the leg & rolling up The Baddest Woman on the Planet, to capture her 1st championship!
After a tense few moments following the match, Ronda Rousey relinquished the championship to Liv Morgan, held her arm in the air & allowed the new titleholder to celebrate her incredible night with the roaring WWE Universe.
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& before the main event match, Adam Pearce notified the Money in the Bank Ladder Match competitors already in the ring, that Theory would be the 8th participant in the high-stakes collision.
The Colossus Omos used his height advantage in the opening stages, clobbering Superstars left, right & center. His run ended with a sickening Claymore from Drew McIntyre, but The Nigerian Giant still didn't go down.
The other 7 individuals used the weight of the ladders to bury the huge Superstar, hoping to dispel the gargantuan threat.
McIntyre was the 1st to grasp the briefcase, but his arch nemesis Sheamus stopped him in his tracks, landing a White Noise on The Scottish Warrior. Riddle used some innovative offense of his own, hitting a draping DDT from the rungs of the ladder on Ol' Laoch & a Floating Bro from the top of the ladder, onto the hungry participants below.
After Omos the Colossus somehow escaped from his coffin of ladders, the rest of the field worked together to pick up The Nigerian Giant, hurl him through the air & send him crashing through the announce table, to once again take him out of the match.
The Broken Dreamer had the match won, but Sheamus’ protege Butch played spoiler, leaping onto Drew’s back & luring him into a Brogue Kick from Ol' Laoch.
Not to be outdone, the King of Bros emphasized his love for Randy Orton, by executing a gigantic Super RKO on Seth "Freakin'" Rollins from the top of a very tall ladder.
The human demolition derby finally ended, when Theory turned his night around, knocking Riddle off the ladder, nabbing the briefcase & becoming the youngest Money in the Bank winner in WWE history.
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