Worlds Collide was a really good way to kick off this busy wrestling day for WWE. After a 90-minute break, it’s now time for Money In The Bank. The event has grown to become one of the most anticipated on the WWE calendar every year, but what does the 2025 edition have in store for us?
Let’s find out together, shall we?
Alexa Bliss vs Giulia vs Naomi vs Roxanne Perez vs Rhea Ripley vs Stephanie Vaquer – Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match
First things first… I LOVE the field in this match. These six women and their combined forces could make for an insanely entertaining car crash here.
The show is sold out, but the Los Angeles crowd is notoriously late to things. There are a lot of empty seats visible by the hard cam. Maybe some of it is the 90-minute gap between this show and Worlds Collide, but the two venues are just over a mile away from each other. We’ll see what the crowd looks like as the show goes on.
It’s almost jarring going from the action we got at Worlds Collide to the early parts of this match. It hasn’t been bad or anything. We’re just in the “two people fight in the ring while the other four kind of chill at ringside for a bit” phase of matches like this, while the earlier show featured matches where everyone involved was flying around from start-to-finish.
Devil’s Kiss! This time, Stephanie delivers the move to Rhea atop a bridged ladder in the corner of the ring. Get ready to go viral again, Steph.
Naomi knocks Rhea and Alexa off of a giant ladder, and then climbs the ladder herself to get the win. It was a decent enough match. Way too many of those aforementioned “two people fight while everyone else sells outside” stretches for my liking, though. The action we did get was fun. I just wish there was more of it. 3.25 Stars
Dominik Mysterio vs Octagon Jr – WWE Intercontinental Title Match
In case you missed it, this match was put together at Worlds Collide. After the six-man tag that Octagon Jr participated in, Dom took shots at him for his fandom of Rey Mysterio. A brawl broke out, and Dom issued the challenge, putting his title on the line. Very interesting booking decision.
Good reaction for Octagon Jr, from a crowd that isn’t 100% familiar with him. Then again, I could get a good pop from a crowd if I’m the opponent of Dominik Mysterio.
Another decent enough match, but nothing spectacular. It was always going to be the “filler” match as soon as it was announced, and that’s pretty much what it was. Nothing we couldn’t have seen on television at some point. Dom retains his title, to the surprise of nobody. 3.25 Stars
Lyra Valkyria vs Becky Lynch – Last Chance Match for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Title
If Lyra retains her title, the agreed on stipulation is that Becky can no longer challenge for the title as long as Lyra is champion. If Lyra loses her title, the agreed on stipulation is that she must raise Becky’s hand and acknowledge that Becky is the better woman.
Not even one minute in, and Lyra nearly has a wardrobe malfunction, as her top came undone. She spent a few seconds getting it buttoned up again, and we’re back to work.
These two have so much in-ring chemistry together. They really seem to bring the best out of each other, making their matches a blast to watch.
LOUD “We Want Truth” chants break out, just after someone smack dab in the middle of the hard cam shot holds up a “We Want Truth” sign. The match has been really good so far, but WWE fans really, really want to see Truth return.
Lyra has welts and bruises on her upper back. Both women appear to have skinned elbows. It’s yet another super physical match between them, but after a hard-hitting affair, we have a brand new Women’s Intercontinental Champion. A roll-up, and a pull of the tights, get the win for Becky. Fun stuff here. 4 Stars
After the match, Lyra does, indeed, raise Becky’s hand. Becky continues asking for more, first making Lyra raise her hand for all four sides of the arena, and then having Lyra put the title around her waist. Finally, Lyra has had enough, and she attacks Becky to get some of her heat back.
LA Knight vs Solo Sikoa vs Penta vs Seth Rollins vs Andrade vs El Grande Americano – Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match
I don’t like this field anywhere near as much as I did for the women’s match. Everyone involved makes sense, though, so I don’t hate it.
On commentary, Woi Bar-ruh says that the city of Los Angeles was named after LA Knight. Michael Cole then says that he thought “LA” stood for “Louisiana,” which then causes Bar-ruh to say that the person who once said that is some “dorky guy” who spoke a lot of nonsense. Interesting.
LMAO @ Bar-ruh telling Cole to look at EGA’s nipples for proof that he and Chad Gable are two different people. You know, it’s hard to argue with that. I mean, I already know that EGA is Lita, but it’s fun to pretend that Gable is under the mask.
Cole, a JOURNALIST, just mentioned WIKIPEDIA as “proof” that Chad Gable is El Grande Americano. Man, you can’t even use Wikipedia as a source for an elementary school paper, but Cole thinks you can solve a conspiracy theory with it? Disappointing, Cole.
We’re definitely back to the “two people fight in the ring while everyone else hangs out at ringside” formula. That’s unfortunate. Thus far, what separates this match from the women’s version is that there have been more big spots in this one.
As part of WWE’s sponsorship deal with Fireball Whiskey, a giant ladder is branded with the Fireball logo up and down both sides of it. We’ve really reached that point. Branded ladders, branded tables, and branded everything else.
WWE regularly makes at least one participant in their Ladder Matches look stupid. This time, it was Penta. He climbs the Fireball ladder, and has one hand on the briefcase. Instead of pulling the briefcase down, he stands there with a shocked look on his face as El Grande Americano climbs a ladder at ringside… to get to a ladder propped in the corner… to get to the Fireball ladder… to climb to the top… to headbutt Penta with a loaded mask.
Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed make their way out to assist Seth Rollins. They clear the ring, but before it gets any further, Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo make their way to the ring. The four outsiders are brawling, and somewhere, Big E is foaming at the mouth.
Fatu clears the ring and has Solo climb the ladder… only to stop, grab Solo’s ankle, yell out “I HATE YOU” and attack Solo. The turn is complete, and the crowd loves every second of it. They’re chanting for Fatu and popping for everything he does. Fatu heads to the back after slamming Solo through a bridged ladder. After what seemed like an hour, Seth gets back to the ring and tries to climb the Fireball ladder, only to be stopped by LA Knight. It’s merely a temporary hurdle, though. Seth disposes of Knight, then climbs the ladder again and grabs the briefcase, winning Money In The Bank for the second time in his career.
Still too many of the slow spots for my liking, but still better than the women’s match. More big spots, more moving parts, and more drama with the ladder climbs, especially in the second half. 3.75 Stars
Jey Uso & Cody Rhodes vs John Cena & Logan Paul
Well… here we go. Main event time. A strangely put together main event, but the main event nonetheless.
Before the match, we get a video package that officially announces what has been rumored for a bit now… WrestleMania 42 will be taking place in the same city and venue that WrestleMania 41 came to us from… Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (actually Paradise), Nevada. Hooray?
During the pre-match introduction, there were very noticeable boos for both Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso, and then a very noticeable pop for John Cena. Nobody liked Logan Paul, as to be expected, but the other three reactions are VERY interesting.
In the early stages of the match, the Los Angeles crowd seems more interested in having dueling chants about Cena than anything else.
LOL @ Cena calling the match when he’s not even in the ring. Logan has Jey in a sleeper in the middle of the ring, and he looks over to Cena. A wide camera shot shows Cena crouching with his mouth behind the middle rope, clearly speaking to Logan and calling spots. Amazing. Kudos to Cena for even trying to hide behind anything. He never seems to care who can see or hear him calling spots in the ring.
To say this match has been slow would be an understatement.
Okay, that was fucking cool. Logan Paul climbs to the top rope, then calls for his personal drone. He catches the drone and we see the bird’s eye view as Cody Rhodes jumps to the top rope and suplexes Logan to the mat, and we continue watching as Jey hits Logan with a splash from the top. Whenever you can get a never-before-seen camera angle, I’m all for it.
R-TRUTH IS HERE! Cena attacks Cody with the title belt behind the referee’s back, but then a masked man in a hoody runs in and attacks Cena. The man reveals himself to be Truth to a huge pop from the crowd. The distraction is enough for Cody to get back to his feet, and one Cross Rhodes later, the face team picks up the win.
Let the discussion begin. Was this…
A – A work from the beginning?
Or
B – WWE realizing they made a mistake and bringing Truth back?
What I know for sure is that this match had a very slow first half, and a much better second half. Not quite enough to take it to a great level, but enough to save it. 3.25 Stars
Not a Show Of The Year contender or anything, but a fun watch from the beginning. Now, I need to get out of my computer chair. Another long day of watching wrestling is in the bag. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, folks.
