WWE Money in the Bank 2020

WWE Money in the Bank 2020

Orlando, FL - May 2020

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, the WWE Champion was Drew McIntyre, the Universal Champion was Braun Strowman, the United States Champion was Andrade, the Intercontinental Champion was Sami Zayn, the RAW Women's Champion was Becky Lynch, the SmackDown Women's Champion was Bayley, the RAW Tag Team Champions were The Street Profits, The New Day were the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, and the Women's Tag Team Champions were Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. Oh, and the 24/7 Champion was the NFL's Rob Gronkowski (though he did not appear on the show).

The first thing I noticed when I booted up my WWE Network and turned on Money in the Bank 2020 was the runtime: a scant 2.5 hours. I immediately felt a sense of relief knowing that I was going to have to devote multiple days to sit through a needlessly lengthy show overloaded with irrelevant matches and advertisements. For the past few years, show times have run well beyond 3 hours without even counting the hourlong pre-show and it has made viewing these shows seem like a chore. Here's hoping that when the WWE does return to "normal," they continue to try to edit their shows and cut down on the unnecessary filler.

The show began with The New Day, now 8-time World Tag Team Champions (they now hold the SmackDown version of the titles), defending their titles in a 4-way tag team matcha against John Morrison and The Miz, Lucha House Party, and The Forgotten Sons. Gran Metallik was the buoy for the early part of the match, getting to show some of his athleticism in exchanges with Kofi, Blake, and JoMo. Cutler and Blake had some decent double-team moves, but it was Dorado's hot tag that really shined, showing off a dizzying array of high-flying maneuvers. Kofi came back in and took out Miz and Morrison and, a few minutes later, with the aid of Big E, got a nearfall on Cutler. We got a huge multi-man sequence culminating in a Starship Morrison on Big E for 2 after Dorado and Metallik broke up the pin. The pace was just insane at this point with all sorts of quick tags, signature moves, and pinfall break-ups. In front of an audience, this would've been a super hot opener. After getting involved one too many times, the referee banished Ryker from ringside - which, as Cole noted, wasn't necessarily fair because Fatal 4-Way matches are automatically No DQ. Big E hit the Big Ending on Metallik to wrap this one up very soon after. The ending felt a bit too rushed for me, especially so soon after Ryker was sent to the back. Had this match ended with another huge multi-man sequence, it would've really been something special. As it was, it was a good-not-great match. (3/5)

After a commercial for the upcoming Undertaker doc and some words from Lacey Evans and Drew McIntyre, it was time for our next contest - R-Truth (whose entrance was just bizarre in an empty arena) vs. MVP. I have not watched the weekly shows so I had no idea why these two were feuding. Their pre-match spat didn't really help out. Bobby Lashley ended up coming out to give MVP the night off and dominate Truth, basically destroying him in under 3 minutes. I guess they're now on Manager #3 for Lashley if he continues to serve as MVP's muscle as Lana was nowhere to be found nor was she referenced on commentary. I spoke too soon when I said that a 2.5 hour runtime would limit the amount of filler on this show. (1/5)

Bayley and Sasha spoke backstage, with Bayley playing the clear heel and Sasha playing the lackey. I didn't love Bayley's heel turn initially, but I'll give credit where its due - over the past few months, they have clearly established a new dynamic between Bayley and Sasha and Bayley has gotten even more confident as a villain. Her opponent tonight was Tamina Snuka. I liked Bayley's trash talk early and how vocal Sasha was on the outside too, the best friends clearly trying to fill up the dead air that makes empty arena shows so hard to watch at times. The action was decent, but definitely not at the same level we've seen out of the better, more athletic women in the division. I liked seeing Bayley show off some of her new heel offense and tactics - including a fun moment when she doused Tamina with a bottle of water - only to end up firing up the challenger. Tamina's offense was imperfect but effective. The worst part of the match was the awkward finish as Tamina and Bayley clumsily collapsed into a crucifix pinfall. Not nearly as bad as some will likely say it was, but still below par for the 2020 women's division. (2/5)

After a commercial for Total Bellas and a very brief message from Titus O'Neill, Seth Rollins cut a promo backstage. It wasn't a bad promo, it wasn't a good promo, it was just a promo. I like Rollins in "serious" mode more than I liked him trying to do comedy, but the issue remains that Rollins doesn't have much of a character, or at least not a unique one. 

Before their match, we got a nice video package recapping the history between Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman, who would face off tonight for Strowman's Universal Championship. At WrestleMania, we got the super creative "Firefly Funhouse" match between Wyatt/Cena, but this was not promoted as another visit to that mystical land. Instead, we got a straight-up match - or at least as "straight up" a match could be with Bray Wyatt in his Mr. Rogers gimmick. Some of the action was quite good here, but there were also some puzzling moments. Having Bray Wyatt's Sister Abigail finish get kicked out of makes little sense to me when, for awhile at least, it was pretty well-protected. That's the kind of spot you just don't need to have. Minutes later, Braun Strowman got booted in the face and we got a bizarre finish sequencing that saw Braun pretend to submit to Wyatt only to end up powerslamming him. Again, it just made Wyatt look foolish and naive. If this is building to a Fiend/Strowman confrontation, I'm not at all interested as neither "Friendly" Bray Wyatt nor "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt have proven to be all that powerful. Clock it, folks, it took 9 months to get Bray Wyatt exactly where he was before, just a regular ol' upper midcard heel who can't get the job done and makes empty threats. It's a shame too because his match with Cena at WrestleMania did seem like a re-invigoration of what the Wyatt character could be. (1.5/5)

The WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre, defended his title against Seth Rollins next. I'm usually not much of a Rollins fan, but I had to eat my words a bit as I did enjoy his match against Owens at WrestleMania. McIntyre's match with Lesnar that night? Not nearly as much. The early minutes of this one suffered from a few things - a "too serious" tone from the commentators, a lack of quality trash talk, and a weak "shoulder-into-the-post" spot - but Rollins' bumping was spot-on and I liked the Monday Night Messiah going after McIntyre's knee to try to slow him down. McIntyre and Rollins seemed to determined to put on a championship match identical to one that they would've put on in front of a live audience and while setting that goal and bringing that intensity is admirable, it seemed like a self-imposed handicap that needlessly ignored what had made the better WrestleMania matches work (including Rollins' own considerably more violent match against Owens). At one point, Rollins delivered a trio of knees to McIntyre's head, which would've seemed deadly had it not been that I can't recall a single time that a knee strike from Rollins was anything more than a transition move. In fact, after overselling them, McIntyre ended up catching Rollins on a failed dive and overhead suplexing him over the announce table. Back in the ring they went where McIntyre regained control with 2 more over-the-head suplexes before connecting with a big boot. Drew hit an axehandle from the top and then kipped-up but was unable to hit the Claymore as Rollins escaped out of the ring. Seth attempted a springboard knee but got spinebustered for 2. Rollins hit a superkick to a seated McIntyre but only got 1. Rollins then hit a frog splash, but again McIntyre kicked out at 1. I guess kicking at 1 is part of McIntyre's gimmick now? I'd have to double-check but I feel like that was part of the story against Lesnar at Mania and I didn't like it then either. Rollins grabbed a chair as the match hit the 11-12 minute mark. Was this No DQ all along? Anyway, he didn't have a chance to use it as McIntyre briefly rallied. Rollins attempted a superplex from the corner, but McIntyre head-butted him to the mat. Rollins sprung back up, though, and hit him with the Falcon Arrow - an impressive feat of strength, but still a move that screams "fake" to me as it requires just too much cooperation from the opponent. Rollins attempted a stomp but McIntyre caught him and delivered the Future Shock DDT. Is that named after that Starrcade from the early 90s? There was a pretty cool moment a minute or so later that saw Rollins work on McIntyre's knee in the corner only for McIntyre to use his incredible strength to toss him halfway across the ring. McIntyre attempted a Claymore, but Rollins caught him with a superkick and then delivered a Curb Stomp for 2. That was a good sequence, no doubt. Rollins went for another Stomp, but McIntyre caught him with a headbutt. Rollins came back with a superkick, but McIntyre bounced off the ropes with a Claymore to get the clean win. That final sequence would've been better if McIntyre's head-butt had just dazed Rollins, allowing McIntyre to hit the Claymore. Instead, by inserting that needless extra superkick, it just re-affirms that Rollins' superkicks are weak. Rather than figuring out what "looks cool," I wish the agents and wrestlers would give more thought to what weakens or strengthens the credibility of the action. The post-match ending didn't make a ton of sense of me, but that's actually a good thing as it almost came off as McIntyre forcing Rollins to shake his hand and Rollins being too dazed to really know that he was doing it (and, when he realizes that he did, will hopefully delve further into the heel persona and become even angrier and more disrespectful towards Drew). As with any Rollins match, there were plenty of things I didn't like but he is such a skilled worker that even if the psychology isn't always there, the athleticism, pace, and execution is hard to critique. (3/5)

Main event time - The 2020 Money In The Bank Match. This was rumored to be a "cinematic" match along the lines of Taker/Styles and the Firefly Funhouse Match, but it did not start well, with maybe the most awkward entrance segment I think I've ever seen. Music played, but from where? Some wrestlers did versions of their entrances for no reason.Guys and gals waited to fight until an invisible bell was rung. Guys wore their wrestling attire for no reason. Like, why would Aleister Black want to be 80% naked for this? Why would Daniel Bryan? Baron Corbin paused for dramatic effect at one point. In a ridiculously stupid moment, AJ Styles got stuck under some dumbbells...I guess not realizing that he could roll it over his legs? We got a Brother Love sighting in the bathroom for no apparent reason too. As much as some of this was ridiculously stupid, I won't deny that I had a smile on my face as it went on, the ridiculousness winning me over as the wrestlers did battle up each level of the building. After Daniel Bryan beatdown Otis and Corbin, we got a pseudo-Doink sighting. I guess maybe the person who did Doink's make-up was unavailable and they also couldn't find the correct wig? Stephanie McMahon did a dubbed-in/filmed-at-home cameo soon after, the difference in audio/video quality and the fact that she didn't actually share the screen at any point very apparent. Styles was shown (though it was unclear how he got out of the workout area) searching for Mysterio and, in a great callback, got freaked out as he walked past a huge poster of the Undertaker. Styles opened up a door and saw a casket sitting in a smoke-filled, purple room. Black kicked him into the door and locked it and then nodded to the heavens as Styles screamed in terror. We then cut to Paul heyman feasting in the back leading to a massive food fight. At one point, Baszler put Mysterio to sleep and Nia and Otis bumped chests. The scene ended with Jax powerbombing Carmella through a table and then staring down Otis, who had paused to eat some ham. Otis then made his way into the building's deli where he slammed a pie in the face of John Laurenaitis for some reason. We then went to yet another dining area where Asuka sought the help of a guy mopping the floor. Again, it didn't make much sense why someone would be mopping the floor in an empty office building, but whatever. The match continued with AJ and Bryan eventually brawling their way into Vince McMahon's office in a nice bit of comedy ending with Vince turning his back to the audience and making a note on a legal pad - maybe a nod to his actual creative process? Out of the office AJ and D-Bry went where they were assaulted by Baron Corbin. At this point, the match finally found its way to the top of Titan Tower where a ring was set up and a number of ladders stood. Lacey, Asuka, and Nia Jax got there first, with Nia immediately dominating her smaller opponents. As Nia set up a ladder, though, Lacey and Asuka attacked her and prevented her from grabbing the briefcase. At this point, one might wonder - where was Corbin? Or the other 3 women's competitors? Surely it wouldn't take that long to get from one floor to the roof? But, whatever, this match was not about logic. As Asuka looked to unlock one of the briefcases, Corbin did eventually make his way and...try to stop her? Did he have an alliance with someone? Commentary might've helped explain that but no one had said a word until Asuka unclapsed the briefcase. With Asuka winning the Women's briefcase, the match continued to determine which male superstar would be leaving with their guaranteed title shot. Corbin and Otis did battle in the ring for awhile, Otis even finding time to hit Corbin with the Caterpillar before Aleister Black and Mysterio showed up. Eventually AJ showed up too and dumped Rey and Black to the outside where Corbin proceeded to toss them OFF THE ROOF OF THE TOWER!?!? What in god's name was that about? It didn't show them squashed on the ground, dead, but what other explanation would there be for where they ended up? Daniel Bryan showed up and we were now down to 4. AJ hit a Phenomenal Forearm on Otis and attempted to secure the briefcase only for Corbin to climb atop and get his hands on the briefcase too. Before Corbin could take it from him, though, Elias smashed a guitar on Corbin's back (who in the hell asked for that feud to continue?), which then caused AJ to fumble the briefcase and drop it into the waiting hands of...Otis. All I could do was *sigh*. I'm an Otis fan, but he's got to take the cake for the silliest person to ever end up with the briefcase (and that list includes Damien Sandow and Carmella winning twice). Regardless of my opinion on the finish, this was a fun match - though it wasn't nearly as good as either of the "cinematic" matches from WrestleMania, with some jokes falling super flat and two "nothing special" finishes. A month ago, I rated those matches incredibly high because they felt "must see." This felt like something nobody needed to go out of their way to see, nothing to write home about, entertaining in bursts but ultimately frivolous. (3/5)


Unlike WrestleMania XXXVI, a bloated, unwieldy 2-day spectacle by design that was hard to review as a whole, the Money in the Bank 2020 was a relatively concise presentation. Unfortunately, it still suffered from some of the same drawbacks that made much of WrestleMania XXXVI a disappointment. With so much of the major and best talent either stuffed into the main event or still stuck at home in quarantine, the rest of the card offers little of merit. The opening match felt rushed and its hard not to think would've been better if it were just a straight-up tag match that gave some spotlight to the underrated Lucha House Party. Bayley/Snuka was below average, Strowman/Wyatt was well below average, and while Rollins/McIntyre wasn't bad, it was forgettable and didn't bode well for either guy coming into the summer as particularly "hot attractions." As I wrote above, the main event had some fun moments, but was hardly as "must see" as the two cinematic matches from Mania. With a Kwang Score of 2.25-out-of-5, this one sits firmly in the category of...

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver