Following the phenomenal Forbidden Door pay-per-view AEW put on, WWE had a lot riding on its Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Thankfully, WWE held its own with incredible matches, high stake performances and even a surprise appearance from John Cena.
The premise of Money in the Bank is two ladder matches, in which superstars compete for a contract for a world title shot at any time within the next year. The caveat is — to earn that contract — superstars must climb a ladder and remove the briefcase hanging from the air, all while trying to outmaneuver the other superstars in the match. It can lead to some wild moments and high-risk spots that pro wrestling fans don’t want to miss.
It is by far one of my favorite pay-per-view concepts the WWE has, and each year is different from the last. Aside from WWE’s standout performance, AEW Collision had some great Owen Hart Foundation tournament matches, and Impact had a great triple-threat bout.
Here are the top pro wrestling matches from the past week:
Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match (WWE Money in the Bank, July 1)
Six female superstars, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Iyo Sky, Trish Stratus, Zelina Vega and Zoey Stark fought hard for the money in the bank contract and a chance to challenge one of the current women’s champions, Asuka or Rhea Ripley — anytime, anywhere. The action started right from the beginning before some superstars even made it to the ring. These ladies used the ladders in crafty ways. From Lynch’s manhandle slam to Stratus, to Sky’s moonsault from the top of the ladder laying waste to all five competitors below her, to Vega’s code red against Stark, if you blinked for a second, you would miss some action. In the final moments, it appeared Lynch or Bayley were keying in on the victory until Sky handcuffed them together to climb the ladder and earn the victory.
Finn Bálor vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE Monday Night Raw, June 26)
Hailing from NXT, Carmelo Hayes, the current NXT Champion, made his way to Monday Night Raw to take on Finn Bálor. Bálor is an established talent, and everyone knows it, but Hayes still had something to prove to some wrestling fans that may not know him from NXT. All throughout the match, Hayes used the ropes in a crafty way, in an almost luchador style. My favorite was his move called the Fade Away, which looked like a reverse leg drop. Bálor was able to match Hayes’ speed, while also using his strength with moves like the gutbuster. Even though Hayes took the loss against Bálor, he showed just how much star power he has and that he can keep up with main roster greats like Bálor.
Robbie Eagles vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Chris Sabin (Impact Wrestling, June 30)
As part of Impact Wrestling’s Down Under tour in Australia, the X-Division title was on the line in a triple threat match. This match started out with three competitors that were so evenly matched, they all went for a dropkick at the same time. Sabin hit some impressive sentons on both Eagles and Kazarian off the ring apron and outside onto the floor. When Eagles attempted a submission hold against Sabin but was instead hit with a reversal, he used that momentum to launch himself outside the ring and crash into Kazarian. Wrestling is all about adapting, and that’s something that these three have mastered. Sabin earned the victory with a Cradle Shock against Eagles.
Ricky Starks vs. Juice Robinson (AEW Collision, July 1)
Ricky Starks is one of the most talented wrestlers in AEW. He has all the makings of a future world champion, and even though he was dealing with a knee injury, this match against Juice Robinson further showed his in-ring ability and tenacity. Robinson gave Starks hell with brutal chops targeted to damaged areas of his body, but Starks never gave up. Even after Robinson hit Starks with a spear, which is usually a finisher for most matches, Starks kicked out. Starks came back with a spear of his own to show Robinson how it’s done and rolled up Robinson for the win.
“Sports Entertainment Solidified” is a pro wrestling column by Maddy Myer that runs every Monday.