Written by Matthew Widdis
Michael Cole introduces our WWE champion, Kofi Kingston, as the announce team reminds us that he’s on his own after Kevin Owens took out Xavier Woods last week. Michael Cole shows us the steep uphill climb that Kofi had to make to get his championship opportunity at Wrestlemania 35. He calls the moment “magic” when Kofi won the title and, quite possibly, the greatest Wrestlemania moment of all time. The crowd chants “You! De! Serve! It!” Kofi says that, outside of his family, winning the title was the high point of his life. Michael Cole reminds him about the betrayal by Kevin Owens last week. He says that The New Day is about positivity and believing the best in people but Kevin Owens is going to be Kevin Owens. If he wants a title shot, all he needs is to is ask. So Kofi offers it at Money in the Bank.
Kevin Owens’ music hits and he congratulates Kofi for winning the title and for having that moment with his family and the WWE Universe but moments are fleeting. Now that the moment is over and none of these people believe that he’s really championship material. He says that Kofi doesn’t believe it either when… a wild Xavier appears! Woods is out for revenge from getting power bombed into the ring apron but eats a superkick for it. Kofi chases KO off as the crowd chants “New! Day rocks!”
The announce team lets us know that Jeff Hardy has a special announcement and that it could affect the tag team titles. We see Jeff in street clothes and using a crutch while talking to his brother, Matt, backstage.
In the trainer’s room, Kofi tries to convince Xavier to take care of himself and leave Kevin Owens to him.
The announcers update us on the women’s Money in the Bank match with RAW represented by Natalya, Naomi, Dana Brooke, and Alexa Bliss (dibs on calling her “Lexy No Shoes”) with Bayley and three yet-to-be named superstars for Smackdown.
Bayley vs Becky Lynch (non-title match)
The inflatable Bayley Buddies are back! But can Bayley Buddies beat Becky’s belts? Becky gets an introduction as “the woman who made history at Wrestlemania” as we see a recap of her brawl with Lacey Evans on RAW from last night.
Becky kid-sisters Bayley for a bit with a hip throw and a toss outside but Bayley keeps getting back in her face, including a snap across the middle rope. Bayley tries to follow up with a charge off the ropes but Becky hits a Tito Santana-esque diving forearm. The two steel themselves and we on to a display of good ol’ collar-and-elbow mat rasslin’. Duck-unders, hammerlocks, Magistral cradles, Oklahoma rolls, legsweeps. These young ladies show us what “WWE style” means for the women’s division. (Thank you, Sara Del Rey!) Becky appears to be having some knee or hamstring issue and Bayley pounces with little success. Bayley gives The Man a slap across her face and gets a right cross and a wheel kick for it. She tumbles outside and tries to drag Becky out, too, but gets kicked off.
More mat wrestling sees Becky focusing on the surgically-repaired left shoulder of Bayley but a missed leg drop sees her favoring the left leg again. Bayley gets hot, tossing away Becky’s kick in the corner and leveling her with a clothesline with a knee-to-the-head follow up. After the two-count, Bayley ties Bex up in the ropes and unloads with forearm shots. Becky fights back with a head kick and a drop kick off the top. Bayley kicks out at two and gets in some trash talk while they trade blows. Bex-ploder puts Bayley in a corner but a double clothesline starts the referee’s ten count. Both women up and Bayley goes for a small package. Two count and the champ-champ goes for the legs but Bayley kicks her into a corner and hits a back suplex! Bayley is up top for the diving elbow drop but Becky gets the knees up and rolls over into the Dis-Arm-Her. Bayley taps immediately.
Your winner by submission… “The Man” Becky Lynch
Becky gets up and is nearly beheaded by Charlotte Flair who then rams Bayley shoulder first into the ringpost. The Queen self-high-fives and pops her collar as The Hugger and The Man are left on the floor.
In the dark, Aleister Black talks to us about mankind’s nature to fear what they don’t understand. He says that the abyss in his eyes reveals the truth about themselves.
Matt and a limping Jeff Hardy make their way down to the ring. Kayla Braxton asks Jeff to set the record straight on the extent of his damage. Jeff shows us a highlight reel of Lars Sullivan to explain. He says that he is unable to walk on his own and needs surgery. Matt says that it breaks his heart but The Hardy Boyz must relinquish their championships. Jeff vows to come back stronger than ever and that brings out Sullivan. Matt tries to protect his injured brother but gets planted with the Freak Accident. Jeff is ready to go Babe Ruth on Sullivan with a crutch but R-Truth slips in to hit Lars with a steel chair from behind. Like ze goggles it does nothing. Truth tries again but Sullivan punches the chair out of his grip! The Freak lifts him like a child and tenderizes him like a cheap steak.
We get notice that RAW’s side of the Money in the Bank match is closed out with Ricochet, Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre, and Baron Corbin. While the blue brand has been a blank, they name (formerly Mustafa) Ali, Intercontinental Champion Finn Balor, Andrade (formerly “Cien” Almas,) and “The Viper” Randy Orton. This is interesting as Andrade seems to be setting his sights on Finn Balor’s Intercontinental Championship and Randy Orton’s shellacking of Ali is what led to his having to bow out of Elimination Chamber (and, by extension, KofiMania!) Ali & Balor will face Orton & Andrade in a tag match later tonight!
Asuka & Kairi Sane (w/ Paige) vs what appears to be Poison Ivy and Vixen from the DC Universe
The IIconics join Corey Graves (and not Saxton or Philips so much) for commentary. The nearly six foot “Vixen” clowns Kairi a bit on her height but this quickly devolves into a squash match. After Asuka is tagged in to batter both local talents, the Japanese duo hits a Code Breaker/Blockbuster combo on “Vixen” and a reverse DDT on “Poison Ivy” for Kairi to flirt with the rafters on her way down with the Insane Elbow.
Your winners by pinfall… Kairi Sane & Asuka
As The IIconics jabberjaw with Asuka & Sane, Sonya Deville is watching on the monitors in back. Mandy Rose is excited but not about the match. Shane McMahon said that one of them would be in the MitB match but not both. Mandy tries to butter Sonya up. Sonya calls her on it but says that Mandy nearly won the title earlier in the year and should get the chance to finish the job.
Roman Reigns is back on Smackdown and so is his signature mixed reaction. We see Roman’s reveal as a Smackdown superstar two weeks ago, including his Superman Punch of both Elias and WWE chairman, Vince McMahon. The video continues to show us him getting double teamed by Shane McMahon and Elias last week and the match vs Elias at Money in the Bank.
Roman says that, with only one chance to make a first impression, he knocked out Vince on his first night as a Smackdown superstar. It didn’t have to be him, but somebody was going to get made an example of so that Roman could remind everyone that he’s still “The Big Dog” and it’s his yard now.
Here comes the money. Shane makes his way to the ramp to have Greg Hamilton give him a “short-and low key” introduction. Shane says that Roman thinks it’s his yard, but The McMahons own the land. Roman says that Shane’s daddy owns the land but, when they were in the same ring, Roman was on his feet and Vince was on his back. Shane reminds us all that it was Roman who was on the ground last week. Roman said that Shane did that with Elias but can he do it on his own? Shane says that he has to go see Coach Harbaugh in Michigan so Roman will have to settle for another match tonight: a handicap match against The B-Team with special guest referee/enforcer, Elias!
Roman Reigns vs The B-Team
The match starts out slow with the B-Team making use of quick tags and good mat fundamentals to try and wear down Roman. The first interference by our special guest referee/enforcer comes when he needlessly distracts referee, Mike Chioda, and allows a rallying Roman to be clotheslined, thus saving the legal man. As the match continues, Elias hits Roman from behind on the outside. He eventually makes his come back and manages to Superman punch both B-Teamers for 1… 2…
The referee is pulled out by Elias as he makes the count! Roman gives chase as Corey Graves reminds us that it may not be wise to strike an official. At first, he doesn’t; hitting Bo Dallas with the Drive-By dropkick. Elias takes advantage and goes after The Big Dog, driving him into the barricade and the ring post before sending him in for Curtis Axel to execute a PerfectPlex. Kickout at two and Elias looks worried. He instructs Axel to hold Roman up as he slinks out of the ring to grab his guitar. We’re about to get the El Kabong when Roman gets free and drops Elias with a Superman punch. He ducks a clothesline from Curtis Axel, hits the ropes and hits The Spear right in the sternum. The referee has recovered and it’s 1… 2… 3!
Your winner by pinfall… Roman Reigns
Finn Balor and Ali are in the backstage area, possibly discussing the pros/cons of vest vs jacket when going shirtless.
We get the rerun of last night’s “Firefly Fun House” in which Ramblin’ Rabbit learns that, “If you express your feelings, no one can hurt you.” We learn the word of the day, “sociopath,” after Bray tells Abby the Witch that he’s sorry for all the things he’s done and that the kids forgive him … don’t you kids?
Ali & Finn Balor vs Randy Orton & Andrade (w/ Zelina Vega)
After the first three competitors are in the ring, Zelina tells the crowd that the best part of their evening starts now because Andrade has arrived. Andrade tells Finn Balor and Ali that he doesn’t respect them. He then lets his tag team partner and “12-time” (13 actually) world champion, Randy Orton, know that he will teach him some things if he asks.
The match starts with Orton bullying Ali, knocking him around to the outside before getting a powerslam in for a two count. Ali manages a tag and Finn and Andrade are in the mix. These two have good chemistry and their back-and-forth is punctuated by a stomp from Finn, followed by a tope on Andrade. Ali gets in on that action, too, diving out of the ring and knocking randy across the announce table. Finn goes up top but a distraction by Zelina gives Andrade control. Double knees in the corner and he goes for the hammerlock DDT. Finn gets out of it and tags Ali. Slingblade by Balor and the 450 by Ali gets the win!
Your winners by pinfall… Ali & Finn Balor
Immediately after the three count, RKO out of nowhere on Finn Balor but Ali hits a superkick that sends The Viper up and over the top rope and out to the floor. The momentum can shift that fast at any moment when it’s every man for himself at Money in the Bank.
In the interview area, Kayla announces Ember Moon and Carmella as the final two Smackdown women for Money in the Bank, joining Bayley and Mandy Rose. Ember says she’s ready to start writing her story. Carmella reminds us that she won the first (and, technically, second) women’s MitB matches and that she made her cash-in count.
The KO Show featuring Kevin Owens and his special guest, Xavier Woods
Kevin starts by finishing his monologue from earlier about how Kofi is drowning in his current situation. He’d love to discuss it with Xavier but he’s not coming out. He may not even be able to. But you know what can make up for it? An Xavier Woods action figure! And a Big E action figure (complete with leg cast!) Kevin starts a conversation with them, calling them worthless pieces of trash.
This brings out Kofi (sans New Day music) who removes his shirt and rushes the ring. The two get in a hockey fight until Kevin powders to the outside. Kofi hits a diving overhead chop from the steel ring steps and begins heated ground and pound. This is a Kofi Kingston that we haven’t seen before. He tosses KO over the announce table and hits him with one of the announcers’ chairs. Kevin Owens has to rake the eyes to hop the barricade and escape through the crowd.
Final thoughts:
I’ve made no secret that I don’t have a lot of confidence in Kofi Kingston past this (largely accidental) title reign. The novelty is wearing off. But, the performance he put on to close the show, looking legitimately angry and driven, is a refreshing change from “sad Kofi meme face.” Kevin Owens will make for a good foil and Kofi has done a very good job of stepping up throughout this Cinder-fella story.
The Roman music boos were pretty pronounced this week but even more so were the pops throughout his match and even his promo exchange with Shane. It seems to be a recurring theme with him since his singles push turned main event: The crowds like what he does. They just also really seem to like not liking him.
Bayley gives us a damn good match again tonight and ends up with the short end of the stick again tonight, as well. Granted, it’s been Charlotte and Becky, the two top women in the company and probably the world. It would be nice to see her with that briefcase, though. Give her a chance to do something besides being used as a stepping stone. If her promos were this good against Charlotte on RAW, maybe she wouldn’t have been buried to boost Alexa Bliss.
Just like I’m being made to believe in Kofi Kingston, the Firefly Fun House is already looking more and more promising.
Sad to see Jeff Hardy out again. Even if the belts were only on them to keep them on brand, it would have been nice to see he and Matt defend and elevate some talent (besides Lars, that is.) After the likely squash of R-Truth at MitB, Roman could be a good next step as he’s already brought a green giant to main event status in Braun Strowman.
Money in the Bank for the men and women are both looking like a good mix with veterans and newer faces in both matches and a mix of brutes and acrobats on the men’s side. And I think that Mandy Rose was probably the right call. Sonya seems more proficient in-ring but Mandy paces her matches a bit better, more dramatically. Sonya may the better technician but Mandy might be the better worker.
