As the WWE gears towards the 2016 Money in the Bank, this author will be going back to review every Money in the Bank PPV in history, this time, it is the 2015 event, featuring a ladder match between two former Shield brothers.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank- Randy Orton - Neville - Kane - Dolph Ziggler - Kofi Kingston - Sheamus - Roman Reigns
The match began with everyone brawling (as usual) whilst Kofi Kingston tried to sneak a quick victory but everyone noticed what he was doing and it quickly turned into everyone running and being pulled down from the ladder. Sheamus was the first to assert his dominance going to the outside of the ring and using ladders to take out superstars individually.
Kingston was the man to stop the Celtic Warrior, hitting Trouble in Paradise before getting into a back and forth with Neville until Roman Reigns interrupted, smashing the ladder into Neville's face after the Englishmen tried to avoid him with a baseball slide through him and the ladder. Reigns continued his dominance power bombing Kingston onto a ladder before doing the same onto Neville and Kingston.
Kane then hit a Chokeslam from the ladder onto Reigns, giving him the chance to climb but it would be Randy Orton who stopped him with an RKO but somehow Kingston was there again to stop him until he tasted an RKO. There was yet another RKO this time for Neville after Orton pulled him from the ladder and caught him in mid-air (that looked amazing).
Sheamus then tried to halt Orton which he did successfully with a Brogue Kick. Dolph Ziggler finally got involved in the match by meeting Sheamus at the top of the ladder locking in the sleeper hold before hitting an impressive Zig Zag from the ladder with Neville going for Red Arrow to Sheamus straight after. Both Ziggler and Neville tried to use the ladder to wipe out Kane but he reversed with a big boot but turned around to a Superman Punch from Reigns who then dived over the top rope taking everybody out.
Big E and Xavier Woods then made their way to the ring to help Kingston win the match but it would be Reigns who dealt with all three of them by throwing Kingston over the ropes into everybody before Spearing Orton back in the ring. Just as Reigns had the match won Bray Wyatt appeared and pushed the ladder before hitting Sister Abigail to cost him the match. Sheamus then made the most of the opportunity and climbed the ladder to win the match.
Analysis: This was one of the weaker Money in the Bank matches in history as it had a very slow pace and wrestlers were clearly just waiting around for spots after taking minimal punishment. The Bray Wyatt moment was a highlight as Reigns winning seemed the obvious result but Sheamus was not a popular choice with the fans, Kingston was the star of this match, however, what a performance from the New Day member.
Divas Championship Match- Nikki Bella (c) - Paige
Paige started the match very aggressively, throwing Nikki Bella outside the ring before diving onto her from the apron. The champion returned the favor by dropping Paige face first onto the barricade and driving her into the ring apron. Back in the ring and the match continued its back and forth pace until Nikki used the ropes as a springboard to bounce Paige into the ring.
A huge kick proved to be a difference maker as she locked in an impressive submission move but Nikki forced the break and performed an Alabama Slammer to once again regain the upper hand. Nikki used the second rope to gain some momentum before hitting a huge kick to the face but Paige quickly hit the Rampage to win the match but it wasn't enough as Nikki kicked out.
Both women then went to the top rope and both fell to the floor as Nikki switched with Brie Bella performing Twin Magic and Paige won with a roll up. Brie revealed it was her and received a superkick to the face as Nikki returned to hit the Rack Attack and win the match.
Analysis: This was an excellent match that was incredibly aggressive right from the word go which is not something you see with women's matches often. Both women put great effort in and the back and forth action was great with a fun ending that suits Nikki's character.
Intercontinental Championship Match- Ryback (c) - Big Show
The Big Guy started the match planting Big Show with a Spinebuster before a Meathook Clothesline and Ryback sent Big Show to the outside starting the match in a quick way. He immediately went for The Miz who was on commentary but received a Spear from Show when he got back into the ring. The two big guys battled it out back and forth in the ring with Ryback hitting a hugely impressive suplex followed by a splash but it wasn't enough.
The champion went for the Meathook but ran into a Chokeslam from Show but it wasn't enough to get the job done as Ryback kicked out just before the three count. Ryback then ran into a KO Punch but he then fell out of the ring with Show trying to put him back in The Miz ran in and beat up both men with a microphone ending the match in a disqualification.
Analysis: Despite this match being between two of WWE's bigger guys they put on a good match as it was action packed from the start with both men hitting their huge power moves straight away, the ending allowed the feud to continue on after this.
John Cena - Kevin Owens
Both men hit a running shoulder each as they tried to feel each other out and one-up each other as the vocal crowd provided a fantastic atmosphere to start the match off. Kevin Owens would then mock John Cena's '5 moves of doom' hitting the 5 Knuckle Shuffle but Cena rolled through the AA and locked KO in the STF.
Owens went for the Pop-up Powerbomb and this time, he went for the 5 Knuckle Shuffle and connected and Owens reversed the AA into a German Suplex before following it up with a Cannonball into the corner. Owens then went high risk but it didn't pay off as Cena raised his knees which would hit Owens spine before the United States Champion landed KO face first from his shoulders.
The WWE veteran then hit the AA with Owens fighting out which left Cena stunned as he uncharacteristically argued with the official over the decision. Both men went to the top rope with Owens reversing what Cena had planned and hitting a Spinning Sit-Down Powerbomb, but Cena kicked out just in time as both men soaked in a 'this is awesome' chant.
KO went for his finished again but Cena reversed only to face a Superkick. Cena showed his resilience hitting a Tornado DDT from the second ropes as both men were visibly spent. Cena then missed from the top rope with Owens planting him impressively but yet again he kicked out.
Owens missed with the moonsault from the top rope and suffered an AA but somehow KO kicked out again a split second before the three count. Owens then countered a Superplex from the top rope and somehow he kicked out keeping the match alive. Cena then locked in the STF before hitting an absolutely incredible move that received a standing ovation but he then ran into a Pop-Up Powerbomb and kicked out once again.
KO went for the finisher again but Cena hit the Springboard Stunner and then an AA to finally win the match.
Analysis: That was an amazing match between two of the very best. It was back and forth with some incredible and believable near falls which the fans bought into, the crowd were brilliant and we saw some innovative offense from both men that fans hadn't seen before, one of Cena's greatest matches.
Tag Team Championship Match- New Day (c) - Prime Time Players
Big E instantly used his strength to his advantage as him and Xavier Woods worked frequent tags and double teams to work on Darren Young and grind him down. He eventually avoided the spear from Big E and made the hot tag as Titus O'Neil came in and cleaned house. Big E speared Young through the ropes but a Sit Down Powerbomb won the match for the Prime Time Players.
Analysis: This was a fairly quick match that New Day dominated with the new champions getting barely any offense in before picking up the victory which seemed rushed.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match- Seth Rollins (c) - Dean Ambrose
This match had a back and forth start until it went to the outside with Seth Rollins sending Dean Ambrose into the stairs to gain the first real advantage but not for long as Ambrose dived through the ropes to send Rollins scrambling. Rollins then attempted the same thing but Ambrose was quick to smash the ladders into his face as he went on to set the ladder up in the ring.
Ambrose continued the punishment inside the ring, planting Rollins into a ladder that was set up at the turnbuckles before climbing it and hitting a Bionic Elbow from the ladder onto the champion who was then sent flying out of the ring. Rollins then managed to get a chair and began attacking the leg of Ambrose to stop him from climbing the ladder. The champion continued to target the leg of Ambrose trapping it in between a ladder and stomping on it in between the steel.
Rollins then wrapped Ambrose's leg around the ring post and locked in the Figure Four as he attempted to stop his challengers ability to walk. Rollins then had Ambrose stuck on the ropes and once again wielded the chair and attacked the legs before double stomping him to the floor. The champ made the climb but somehow Ambrose managed to knock the ladder and send him crashing down as the Lunatic Fringe managed to show some fightback.
It didn't last long, however, as Rollins again trapped his leg between ladder legs and used the chair to attack it. Rollins took his time going to the top rope and paid the price as Ambrose threw a chair at his face before clotheslining him from the ropes. Both men then fought and brawled all the way through the fans with Rollins getting the better of it and making his way back to ringside first.
Ambrose scrambled back though and dove over the announce tables to take Rollins down once again. Ambrose then put Rollins through a ladder that was positioned between the ring and the announce table in a great spot. Rollins managed to stop his former Shield partner from winning and they continued to brawl again this time on the announcers table with Ambrose hitting Dirty Deeds on the announcers table.
Ambrose had a hand on the title but the champion scrambled and hit the injured leg with a TV monitor as Ambrose continued to sell the injury. Seth Rollins then hit a Pedigree but both men continue to brawl with Rollins sending him headfirst into the ladder before launching him into the barricade. Rollins then hit a powerbomb onto a pile of chairs which was stacked on top of a ladder to seemingly finish Ambrose.
Somehow Ambrose managed to make it back and both men had a hand on the title as they both pull it at the same time falling to the ground but the belt bounces out of Ambrose's hand and Rollins wins the match.
Analysis: Another fantastic match on this great card this was a brilliant main event between two men whose rivalry was at its peak and know each other so well. This was an incredibly long match (over 40 minutes) and it benefited from it with the amount of punishment both men endured. Instead of the usual ladder match of people just rushing to the ladder they barely spent any time trying to reach the titles until they knew both men were worn down. Working on Ambrose's leg was a fantastic idea and he sold it brilliantly, great work by both with a slightly different ending to a normal ladder match too which meant both men continued to look strong.
Overall this was a fantastic show full of great matches with two matches of the year contenders. Whilst the actual Money in the Bank match itself was disappointing the rest of the card did not let fans down.
Match of the night: This was a tough decision with two phenomenal matches on the card but it goes to the John Cena and Kevin Owens match as they simply stole the show. They needed no gimmicks or weapons they just went out and put on a wrestling classic.
Star of the night: Kevin Owens was the star of this show. Coming in as an NXT star he shone brightly even in defeat due to his post-match attack on Cena, a brilliant performance.
A special mention to the fantastic tributes throughout the show for Dusty Rhodes who passed away just before this show, he will never be forgotten, RIP.
Rating: 9/10
2011: 9.5/10