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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live,ongoing coverage of WWE's Money in the Bank 2018 PPV from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL!
To listen to the preview show, Elite subscribers can click here.
To check out our official Tip Sheet and see how we did with predicting the outcomes tonight, click here.
To read last year's Money in the Bank coverage, click here.
KICKOFF SHOW: WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Gallows & Anderson.
This was way too short to be anything of consequence, especially with the commercial in the middle OF THE MATCH. At one point, Gallows and Anderson went for the Magic killer on Harper, but Rowan broke it up. Gallows was pinned with the double team powerbomb, so the Brothers retained.
WWE MONEY IN THE BANK PPV
They aired a good video package to open the show.
Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass
They locked up and Cass backed him into the corner, but Bryan slipped out from beneath him and nailed a series of kicks and strikes. Cass knocked him down and rebounded for the Empire Elbow but Bryan grabbed him and went for a heel hook. Bryan was sent into the corner and flipped over to the apron, then blasted off into the barricade. This is already way better than their first PPV bout.
Bryan was lifted and dropped across the ring apron. Cass drilled him with right hands. Cass rebounded off the ropes with an elbow, then another. He covered Bryan for a two count. Bryan fired back with a series of rights but was caught in a bearhug. Bryan fought his way out but was nailed with a knee to the mid-section.
Bryan was caught with a twisting black hole slam for a two count. Cass mocked Bryan's "Yes" chants and set up for a charge into the corner, but Bryan caught him with a drop toehold into the buckles. Daniel began focusing on the bad knee of Cass, drilling him with dragon screw legwhips. Cass rolled to the outside of the apron but Bryan grabbed him leg and drilled his knee down on the corner of the ring.
Bryan continued working over the leg, smashing it into the ringpost over and over. Cass kicked him off but Bryan ascended to the top rope. Bryan sailed off with a missle dropkick between the should blades. Cass was sent into the corner, where Bryan nailed a series of dropkicks.
Cass caught him and went for the Black Hole Slam again but Bryan turned it into a takedown and locked in the Yes Lock. Cass was able to grab the ropes and went to the outside to retreat. Bryan nailed a dropkick through the ropes to the floor, sending Cass into the barricade. Bryan nailed a bodypress to the floor. The crowd loved that, chanting, "Yes!"
Cass caught Bryan on the top and nailed a fall away slam off the ropes, then locked in a Torture Rack. He slammed Bryan down for a two count. Bryan came back with a chop block to the back of the legs. He caught Cass, now on his knees, with the Yes Kicks to the chest. Cass caught him with a hand to the throat, but Bryan evaded a move and nailed a knee. Bryan charged but was nailed with a big boot for a two count.
Cass was frustrated by Bryan kicking out, asking “How?” He grabbed Bryan in the Torture Rack yet again and went to slam him down, but Bryan landed on his feet and nailed the running knee. Bryan locked in a heel hook in the center of the ring. Cass tapped.
Your winner, Daniel Bryan!
A good opener for the official PPV as both looked good. This was the best Cass has looked since he returned from injury as he didn’t appear to be working as if he was still testing his knee and had some confidence in everything he did.
They promoted the WWE UK Championship Tournament next week.
Backstage, The New Day were about to go over their strategy and decide who is going to compete in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match when Kevin Owens showed up bearing gifts: pancakes and maple syrup. He wanted to ask the one that is competing to take out Braun Strowman. They said they are a lot of things but not cheaters. Owens said he’s not asking them to cheat, but to be ones with common sense about this. They offered to let him sit down with them and talk over pancakes. Owens said he didn’t like pancakes and they were upset. He explained he doesn’t like breakfast food and when he tried their cereal, it sucks. Big E told him to get out. Owens said that when Braun Strowman destroys them later, it will be their own fault. He had a great rant about hating all breakfast food and that IHOP was smart to change their name to IHOB (a marketing scheme that led to IHOP getting snarked badly on Twitter) because burgers are better. As silly as the entire scene was, everyone did a great job in their performances.
Sami Zayn vs. Bobby Lashley.
Most of the exposition for the match was based on Zayn's accusations that Lashley didn't really serve his country in the military, so they were working hard to make everyone forget about the sisters segments.
It was all Lashley early until he was driven into a ring post. Zayn waited for Lashley to be counted out, but the former WWE ECW Champion returned to the ring before the count could be completed. Zayn began stomping him and nailed crossfaces. Lashley grabbed his hand and squeezed, then clotheslined him. Zayn tried to come off the ropes but was easily caught and nailed with a Fall Away Slam.
Lashley nailed several shots in the corner, then hit a big spinebuster. Lashley pulled him up for an over the shoulder backbreaker, then slammed him down. Lashley nailed a delayed vertical suplex. He stood over a beaten Zayn, looking down with disgust. He pulled him back up into another over the shoulder backbreaker before slamming him down again. Lashley went back to the delayed vertical suplex, holding him for a long time before nailing it and scoring the pin.
Your winner, Bobby Lashley!
More of a squash than a competitive match. Mercifully, it appears this storyline is over. The live crowd didn't seem what to make of this.
Someone in the crowd has a Jimmy King sign. As sad as I am to admit I know this, it's a reference to a lead character in the WCW Ready to Rumble movie.
They aired a preview for the Mile 22 film featuring Ronda Rousey.
They went backstage, showing WWE Raw Women's Champion Nia Jax telling the referee all the things she can do to Ronda Rousey. They then showed Rousey shadow boxing in her locker room as Natalya watched on.
They aired a commercial for Miz & Mrs., which debuts 7/24 on the USA Network.
Elias was in the ring playing his guitar. He did his standard promo. He said he knew he was in Chicago because he was surrounded by a bunch of scumbags who wanted attention. The fans chanted, "We are scumbags." Well, they are honest. They wouldn't quiet for him at his command so he teased leaving. Seth Rollins' music began.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins vs. Elias.
Big “Burn it Down” chant at the bell.
Rollins took Elias to the mat early and used a hammerlock to hold him down on the mat. Elias cut off Rollins and stomped him on the mat. Elias was caught with a big dropkick and rolled to the outside. Rollins nailed a slingshot pescado over the top to the floor. Elias came back and drilled him into the apron of the ring several times before scoring a two count.
Elias continued working over Rollins and locked on a Cobra Clutch. Rollins almost went down but fought his way out and nailed a big knee. He went for a suplex, but Elias drilled him down. Rollins evaded a move off the ropes and nailed a series of offensive maneuvers, including a Slingblade. Rollins nailed a dive to the outside.
Rollins nailed a Blockbuster off the ropes for another two count. Elias cut him off and scored several two counts. They drilled each other back and forth with punches. Rollins, now having problems putting weight on his ankle, went to the top anyway. He went for a frog splash but Elias pulled his knees up and covered him for a two count.
Elias went to the top but Rollins desperately nailed him to prevent Elias from coming off the top. Rollins went to the top but nailed a series of shots to the mid-section. Rollins nailed a superplex and then followed up with a Falcon Arrow for a close two count. Rollins went for a dive but Elias moved and Rollins hit the barricade. He smashed Rollins into a ring post, then the ring stairs and tossed him into the ring. He nailed a top rope elbow for a close two count.
The crowd chanted "Let's go Rollins" to try and cheerlead the champion. Elias tried to set up the Drift Away neckbreaker but Rollins held onto the ropes. Elias placed the Intercontinental Champion on the ropes. He climbed up for a move but Rollins slid under to try and go for a bucklebomb. His knee went and Elias went for Drift Away but was caught with a small package for a two count.
Rollins finally scored a rollup and hooked the tights to score the pin.
Your winner and still WWE Intercontinental Champion, Seth Rollins!
A really entertaining bout that was among the best Elias showings to date. Rollins continues to stampede through 2018 with a series of incredible performances. Really well worth watching.
Coverage continues on Page 2!
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