5/19 WWE Money in the Bank PPV Report: Keller’s full match results with analysis and star ratings for Rollins-Styles, Kofi-Owens, Lynch-Charlotte, Lynch-Evans, Mcmahon-Miz, Reigns-Elias

-Charly Caruso interviewed Bayley. She said Sasha Banks remained on Raw, whereas she’s on Smackdown now. Bayley said, “I came to Smackdown to prove a point.” (So wresters *are* in charge of where they land, huh?) Bayley said she’s not just Bayley anymore, she’s Miss Money in the Bank. She held up the briefcase as her music re-started. Renee said this is a Bayley with an attitude that we’ve all been waiting for. Phillips said they’d see Becky Lynch later defend both of her titles in two separate matches, and maybe Bayley will cash in later tonight.

-They went to the announcers at ringside to discuss Bayley’s victory.

-A video package aired on Sami Zayn replacing Braun Strowman in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.

-Backstage Sami Zayn interrupted Triple H on the phone selling the MITB excitement to someone. Sami tapped his on the shoulder and whispered, “Shane? Where is Shane?” Triple H said he’s warming up for his cage match.  Sami said something very important concerns all of them. Hunter stood and was upset. Sami said they all have a problem, and it’s Braun Strowman. He said Braun is predictably vengeful and petty. Sami said he can’t get in the right frame of mind to take advantage of his opportunity. Triple H said he can alleviate their concern because Braun’s been banned from the building. Sami asked for some added protection. Triple H suggested he tape up his fists and get out of his office.

-They showed Rey Mysterio chatting with his son Dominic backstage.

-A pizza commercial aired.

Announcers: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young

(2) SAMOA JOE vs. REY MYSTERIO – U.S. Title match

The announcers talked about Rey righting a wrong that happened at WrestleMania. Graves said Rey was humiliated at WM by losing in 60 seconds then. Joe went after Rey early and shoved him off easily when he attempted a comeback. Rey landed an enzuigiri and a seated senton off the ropes. Joe fought back with elbows, but Rey slipped out of it. Joe chopped Rey down hard. Joe was bleeding from his nose. Graves said he thinks Joe’s nose was broken. Joe lifted Joe for a powerbomb, but Rey rolled through and leveraged Joe’s shoulders down for the three count. Joe looked on in shock as his nose continued to bleed. They showed Dominic cheering and applauding backstage. Graves accurately pointed out Joe’s shoulders weren’t pinned down to the mat. He said the ref’s view was blocked, though. Cole agreed the referee missed the call.

WINNER: Rey in 1:15 to capture the U.S. Title.

-Dominic ran out and accompanied his dad up the ramp. Joe ran back out and attacked Rey, charging right past Dominic. Joe gave Rey a urinage. Dominic watched from ringside. Joe taunted him. Joe gave him a one-armed slam. Dominic asked Joe to stop. Joe landed a senton splash, then left. Dominic entered the ring to check on his dad’s condition.

(Keller’s Analysis: That’s a surprise, but also a somewhat logical follow-up to continue this feud. Dominic was good here as the happy and then scared son watching his dad.)

-Braun was tossing things and people around backstage, yelling for Sami.

-The cage began to lower.

-A video package recapped the Miz-Shane McMahon feud.

(3) THE MIZ vs. SHANE MCMAHON – Cage match

Cole said Shane has brought out a side of Miz they had never seen before. Shane tried to climb the cage and escape to victory as soon as the bell rang. Miz yanked Shane down and punched away at him. Shane broke free and tried leave again. Graves said Shane lives to fight and is a daredevil and a risk-taker. When Cole said that was the cowardly way to win, Graves said that’s the right strategy for this match. After kicks by Miz, Shane caught him and powerbombed him into the side of the cage. Cole said Shane won the World Cup, although acknowledged it was under controversial circumstances. (He didn’t say it was in Saudi Arabia, for those keeping track of the next time WWE avoids saying the name of the controversial country they went into business with.) Shane threw Miz into the cage and then threw a hook kick that came up way short, but Miz sold it anyway. It showed a lot of light.

Shane went for a Coast to Coast, but Miz grabbed his legs mid-air and then applied a figure-four. The ref asked if he was going to give up. Cole said: “Can you imagine the humiliation of Shane taps out here in the cage!” Shane tried to drag himself out of the door. Miz let go and dragged Shane back into the ring. Shane kicked Miz and almost escaped. Miz dragged Shane back in, but Shane brought a chair with him. Shane swung the chair, but Miz kicked it out of his hands. Miz grabbed the chair first, so Shane begged off. Miz bashed Shane on his back with a chair several times. Fans chanted “One more time!” Miz then gave Shane a Skull Crushing Finale onto a chair. Shane put his leg on the bottom rope before the three count. Cole pointed out that shouldn’t matter and it shouldn’t stop the count “because there’s no disqualification inside a cage.” (What does a DQ have to do with this?) Miz grabbed Shane’s head and shoved him into the corner as fans chanted “bullsh–!” Miz then set up a Skull Crushing Finale from the top rope, but Shane fought back and shoved Miz down. Both were down and slow to get up. Shane climbed the side of the cage and sat on top. Miz bashed his legs from below and then met him up there. They sat and exchanged punches. Miz got the better of Shane and then rammed his head into the cage a few times before yanking him to the mat. Miz then landed a sloppy looking splash mid-ring, but Shane kicked out. (Seriously?) Graves said that fall would cripple most men, but Shane absorbed it and kicked out. Shane then surprised Miz with a triangle choke. Miz bridged back and scored a two count, plus forced Shane to let go. Shane then tried to escape out the door, but Miz ran over and pulled him back in. Miz then catapulted Shane into the side of the cage. Shane grabbed the side of the fence and went to the top again. Miz set up a suplex from the top. Graves implored him not to do it. Miz tried, but Shane resisted. Shane slipped out of his t-shirt and dropped to the floor to win.

WINNER: Shane in 13:00. (**1/4)

(Keller’s Analysis: If you are wondering if Shane, who stops selling during most of his matches to be sure his shirt is tucked in, protected his belly from showing after falling to the floor, yes he did. He was selling the match and the impact of the fall, but still had the wherewithal to pull his t-shirt onto his abdomen and cover up his navel area. Is there a tattoo he’s ashamed of down there or something? Seriously. As for the match, it was on the higher end of what you’d expect from these two, even if the Super Shane-o-Mac moments are nauseating.)

-Cole announced that tomorrow on Raw, Mick Foley will announce the latest WWE Championship.

-Backstage, Sami Zayn had been hung upside down. Triple H ran over and with several officials helped him down.

-A commercial aired.

Announcers: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Aiden English

(4) TONY NESE vs. ARIYA DAIVARI – Cruiserweight Title match

Aiden English sounds eerily like Disco Inferno. Daivari drove to the ring in a sports car. They fought back and forth in the early minutes, then fought to ringside. Nese eventually landed a dive at ringside and then landed a 450 slash for a near fall in the ring. Daivari caught a charging Nese with a superkick, then landed a frog splash. Daivari then landed a frog splash and his lariat finisher for a believable near fall. Nese came back with his running knee for the win.

-Backstage Triple H said he knows what Braun is trying to do, but he doesn’t get to replace Sami in the MITB match if he take him out of the picture. Braun denied doing it. Hunter asked him as a professional and as his boss to leave the premises. Braun said, “Whatever, man.” He turned and walked away.

-A commercial aired for Super Showdown. “What’s as good or better than WrestleMania? WWE Super Showdown.” (What?!?! Did they just say that?) Then they showed Undertaker and Goldberg footage, hyping this match of big epic names. It airs Friday, June 7 at 2 p.m. ET. They didn’t say the country or even the name of the stadium.

-Back live to the announcers, Cole said it’ll be “in Jeddah.” (No mention of “Saudi Arabia.”) Cole also said Sami was taken to a local medical facility, and that neither Sami nor Braun would be in the MITB match. He wondered who would take the open slot, or if anyone would.

-A video package aired on Lacey Evans.

(5) BECKY LYNCH vs. LACEY EVANS – WWE Raw Women’s Title match

Lacey pulled out guns that shot paper money out of them with her face on them. Renee said Lacey isn’t focused enough on Becky and wondered what she is doing. Cole disagreed. Graves said she’s trying to get in her head. There was a buzz in the building after Lacey’s music stopped and before Becky’s began. Then they popped for her entrance and sang along to her song. She was easily the biggest star o the show so far. After formal ring introductions, fans loudly chanted “Becky Two Belts!” as the bell rang to start the match. Renee said Becky is white hot right now. Cole hyped the Becky Lynch special on WWE Network after MITB tonight.

Becky took it to Lacey early, including aggressively at ringside. Back in the ring, Lacey caught Becky’s foot on a kick, then twisted her arm and sent Becky face-first to the mat. Fans kept singing Becky’s theme song. Lacey concentrated on Becky’s left arm to weaken her Disarmer finisher. Lacey gator-rolled Becky to the corner and yanked her arm around the ringpost. Lacey sling-shot her herself into the ring and landed a turning elbow drop to Becky’s chest for a two count. Lacey then settled into an armbar while bending Becky over her knee. Lacey landed a neckbreaker a minute later and then floated over to score another two count. Lacey pulled  white cloth out of the front of her trunks and patted her armpits and then her face. Renee said that’s nasty. Lacey then shoved it over Becky’s mouth. Becky angrily fought back. Becky kicked Lacey in the chest and then leaped off the second rope with a flying shoulder. Both were slow to get up.

Becky came back with a flurry of offense including a top rope dropkick. The camera angle made it look like Becky came up short. Graves said Lacey might have take a step back. Becky leaped off the ring apron and hit Lacey at ringside. Back in the ring Becky covered Lacey for a two count. After catching her breath, Becky climbed to the top rope. Lacey moved and then gave Becky a push-off stunner and then a kick to the chest for a near fall. Nice sequence. Lacey wrapped Becky’s hair round her wrist, but Becky fought back and applied a Disarmer. Lacey grabbed the bottom rope to force a break. Lacey clipped Becky’s knee from behind, then rolled her up. The ref for some reason didn’t count Becky’s shoulders down. He moved to the other side to check the other shoulder. Becky then countered and applied the disarm her and leveraged back for the tapout win.

WINNER: Lynch in 9:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Nice match. Lacey put in a good showing there. I was going to praise WWE for giving Becky a solid clean win, but then they showed on replay that it appeared Lacey pinned Becky but the ref inexplicably didn’t count. So Becky won the belts even though it wasn’t a full three count, and now in this defense, it appears her shoulders down? Strange.)

-Charlotte came out immediately. Graves said Charlotte wants to embarrass Becky and she’s doing a good job of it. The announcers switched to the Smackdown team, but noted Becky had a right to wait to wrestle until later. She agreed, though, to defend it right away.

(6) BECKY LYNCH vs. CHARLOTTE – WWE Smackdown Title match

Charlotte laughed like her plan worked and Becky made a big mistake. Charlotte took control early, but Becky fired back with a forearm and spin kick. Charlotte avoided a diving Becky and then punt kicked her in the chest. Charlotte took over again, but Becky ran up to her when she climbed to the top and slammed her to the mat. Becky rolled up Charlotte for a two count. Charlotte stood up and chopped Becky hard in the chest a half dozen times. Becky fired back with an enzuigiri. Charlotte came back with a Boston Crab mid-ring. Becky crawled over to the bottom rope to force a break.

They stood mid-ring and exchanged strikes. Charlotte kicked Becky’s left leg to drop her to her knees. Charlotte slapped Becky, but Becky knocked Charlotte down. Both were slow to get up. Charlotte punched away at Becky. Becky fired back and set up a Disarmer. Charlotte blocked it and hit Becky on the chin. Charlotte stepped on Becky’s head and pushed down with leverage from the ropes. Charlotte then wrapped Becky’s head into the bottom rope and broke just before five. Charlotte went for Natural Selection off the ring apron, but Becky held onto the second rope. Charlotte grabbed her back in pain after landing at ringside. The ref began counting Charlotte out. Lacey ran out and gave Becky a Woman’s Right. Charlotte then re-entered the ring and covered Becky for the three count.

WINNER: Charlotte in 6:00 to capture the Smackdown Women’s Title.

(Keller’s Analysis: Good action, but not a full-fledged match as it was more of a continuation of the previous match with a new opponent for Becky. It was a good cheap way to have heel Charlotte become champ without Becky looking weak. It also continues the Lacey-Becky feud, despite Becky pinning her.)

-Afterward, Charlotte taunted Becky. Becky dove out of the ring and attacked Lacey. Charlotte jumped Becky from behind. The two heels double-teamed Becky in the ring. Fans chanted “We Want Bayley!” Bayley ran out and made the save, but Charlotte and Lacey knocked her down. Fans chanted, “Bayley!” Charlotte lifted the Smackdown Women’s Title belt, but then dropped it and charged at Bayley. Bayley side-stepped Charlotte, who went head first into the ringpost. Bayley then soaked up the moment as the fans cheered. Bayley looked over at the MITB briefcase. Fans got louder and chanted “Yes! Yes”! She then cashed in.

(7) CHARLOTTE vs. BAYLEY – Smackdown Women’s Title match

The crowd roared as the announcement was made. The bell rang. Bayley dragged Charlotte to mid-ring. She climbed to the top rope and leaped off with her elbow. 1-2-3. Bayley celebrated amongst fans who chanted her name.

WINNER: Bayley in under 1:00 to capture the Smackdown Women’s Title.

(Keller’s Analysis: WWE needed to give a boost to another women wrestler, and this gives Bayley real momentum. The crowd absolutely ate up the way things played out and it created real moment for Bayley’s character after a couple years of bad booking softened her support.)

-A pizza commercial aired.

-An ad aired for the next “Miz & Mrs” episode built around Miz getting named a Top Five Dad Bod. He was offended and began pushing trucks to get his non-dad bod back, or something.

-They showed Roman Reigns backstage. Cheers and boos. Elias showed up behind him and hit him with a guitar. Reigns went down hard. Some fans cheered. Elias said, “Showtime.” He headed to the ring.

-In the ring, Elias strummed an  electric guitar. He said it felt so good to hit Reigns. He said normally he’d be playing an acoustic set, but “as you saw, my guitar broke.” Fans laughed. Elias said he’s the biggest acquisition not just in Smackdown history, but all of WWE. He said Vince McMahon told him he can sleep well at night knowing WWE is good hands. He said that all “begs the question” of why he’d come to a substandard toilet bowl like Hartford. He sang that the people are so boring, their lives would suck without him, he brings energy to the world, no one wants to hear Roman talk, and Elias just took him for a walk. He said he visited North Carolina, what a beautiful place, now he understands why the Whalers left this city, “because Hartford is a disgrace.” (Not quite the fresh wound that the Seattle Supersonics are, apparently. Considering the adopted Boston Bruins are on their way to the Stanley Cup finals, maybe it stings even less.) Elias thanked the fans for their applause. “Thank you, good night, I love none of you!” Graves said it was transcendent. He said it took him a while to come around, but that was like Bob Dylan at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Elias said he was now going to get the hell out of Hartford. He struck a final pose. Reigns’s music then played and came out and hit Elias with a Superman Punch. That didn’t get the pop it was designed to get, but they did find a fan sign that said “Roman Reigns Supreme.”

(8) ROMAN REIGNS vs. ELIAS

Reigns yelled, then speared Elias, for a sudden pin. Graves said there is no longer any doubt who the big dog is on Smackdown Live.

WINNER: Reigns in under ten seconds.

(Keller’s Analysis: A fine angle, especially since few were probably highly anticipated a full-fledged match between those two.)

-A video package aired on the Seth Rollins-A.J. Styles build.

(9) SETH ROLLINS vs. A.J. STYLES – WWE Universal Title match

The announcers talked about Styles wanting to cement this legacy, and how winning here would be a great way to do that. Fans were fired up for the match and engaged in dueling chants of “A.J. Styles” / “Let’s Go Rollins!” Slow methodical back and forth opening minutes. Styles landed a nice high dropkick. Graves put it over as one of the finest dropkicks you’ll see anywhere. Renee said this math is an example of iron sharpening iron. Styles gave Seth a backbreaker and settled into full-fledged control. Styles set up a Styles Clash on the ring apron, but Seth slipped free. Styles instead kneed him from the ring apron to the side of Seth’s face.

Styles threw Seth back into the ring. Seth surprised Styles with a forearm and then dove through the ropes and tackled Styles into the announce desk. Both were slow to get up. Back and forth action back in the ring. Styles dropped Seth over his knee. Both were slow to stand again. Later Styles lifted Seth into a torture rack and then dropped him with a spinning powerbomb for a near fall. Seth set up a to rope move, but Styles countered, then Seth rolled through and planted Styles for a near fall. They showed fans going bonkers in the crowd. Styles countered Seth into a Calf Crusher a minute later. Seth cried out in agony. Styles leaned into it. Seth rolled out of it and kicked Styles in the head. Both were slow to get up. Styles gave Seth an inverted DDT and leveraged him down for a near fall that popped the crowd. Seth caught a charging Styles with kick. Both were down again and slow to get up. (That looked a trillion times better than Shane’s casual kick that showed light but Miz sold anyway earlier. Leave it to the pros.) A new battle-chant broke out. They went into a rapid-fire back-and-forth. Seth went for a stomp, but Styles turned it into a Styles Clash for a believable near fall that the crowd popped for. Then they chanted “This is awesome!”

Styles leaped off the top rope, but Seth countered with a ripcord knee and then a superkick to the chin. He followed with a running Stomp for the win.

WINNER: Rollins in 20:00 to retain the WWE Universal Title. (****1/2)

(Keller’s Analysis: Great match. This lived up to expectations, perhaps exceeding them or at least erasing concerns or fears that it would come up short given the magnitude of each of their track records and the possibility that this would be a classic. It’s quite the act to follow, and I’m curious about not closing the show with this match other than not wanting the men’s MITB winner looming over the finish and distracting from this one-on-one epic battle.)