Main Event
Date: May 10, 2018
Location: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, New York
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness
How exactly do you have a full show when there was one major story getting attention all week? This was the first week of Money in the Bank qualifying matches and that means a lot of the matches will be shown here, along with all of the usual stuff we see around here. In other words, the same people having the same matches. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Tony Nese vs. Cedric Alexander
Result: Cedric Alexander b. Tony Nese – Lumbar Check (5:58)
From Raw.
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Kevin Owens vs. Braun Strowman
Strowman shoves Owens away to start, knocking the referee down in the process. Some whips into the corner knock Owens down twice in a row before sending him outside. Owens tries to bail into the crowd but manages to catch Strowman in a tornado DDT. Strowman beats the count at eight and Owens is losing his mind. Back in and Strowman hits him in the chest but Owens sends him outside again as we take a break. We come back with Strowman hitting the same kind of knockdown as he did earlier, only to get kicked in the head.
Owens gets two off a backsplash but Strowman pops up with a big boot. Strowman misses a charge into the corner and it’s a superkick into the bullfrog splash for two more. There’s another superkick but the Pop Up Powerbomb just isn’t happening. Instead it’s a splash in the corner and Owens bails outside. The running gag continues with Strowman shouldering him down three times in a row. Back in and the running powerslam sends Strowman to the ladder match at 8:42.
Result: Braun Strowman b. Kevin Owens – Running powerslam (8:42)
Also from Raw.Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Roman Reigns vs. Finn Balor vs. Sami Zayn
Sami yells at Reigns to start and gets punched in the face to send him outside. Balor speeds things up and dropkicks Reigns down for two as the announcers debate how important Money in the Bank is compared to the rest of the year. More right hands drop Balor and Zayn as we take an early break. Back with Balor stomping on Reigns until Sami grabs a rollup for two.
There’s a Samoan drop to put Zayn on the floor with Balor on the opposite side. The fans start a TOO SWEET chant and the double beating is on to one of the strongest reactions of the night. Even Balor and Sami seem taken aback by the YES chants. The three head into the crowd and the fans are annoyed when Reigns comes back. A Helluva Kick knocks Reigns into the tech area and the other two head back inside to kill time until Reigns spears one of them.
The Blue Thunder Bomb gives Sami two but Balor fights back and they head to the floor. Cue Reigns diving over the barricade to take Sami out but Balor drops Reigns again. Back in and Reigns hits the Superman Punch on Sami. The Sling Blade looks to set up the Coup de Grace but Reigns rolls away. Instead it’s another Superman Punch but here’s Mahal to trip Reigns. The distraction lets Sami hit the Helluva Kick to drop Reigns but Balor hit the shotgun dropkick and Coup de Grace on Sami for the pin at 15:25.
Result: Finn Balor b. Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns – Coup de Grace to Zayn (15:25)
One more time from Raw.Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Ruby Riott vs. Ember Moon vs. Sasha Banks
Sasha and Ember get together to start and take Riott down, only to have Banks roll Moon up for two. Some rather athletic armdrags have Banks in trouble but Riott comes back in to send Sasha face first into the middle buckle. Sasha gets sent outside again as we hear about how successful Money in the Bank cash-ins have been. A double DDT plants Sasha and Moon for two each and it’s off to a chinlock on Moon. That’s broken up with a jawbreaker but here’s Sasha back in to run people over.
Banks stops to dive onto the Riott Squad though, allowing Riott to run her over. Moon hits a heck of a suicide dive for two on Riott as the fans are distracted by something in the crowd, which gets a YOU DESERVE IT chant. Back in and Banks gets two off a sunset flip with the Riott Squad coming in for the legal save. Cue Bayley to help Sasha but the Squad takes her out as well. Moon heads up top for an Eclipse to both Banks and Riott at the same time for the pin on Riott at 10:23.
Result: Ember Moon b. Ruby Riott and Sasha Banks – Eclipse to Riott (10:23)
And from Smackdown.Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Charlotte vs. Peyton Royce
Before the match, Billie says Charlotte’s loss made her uncle overcome his stutter because he was laughing so hard. Peyton tries to imitate the look but it’s only funny when Charlotte does it. They lock up to start with Charlotte shoving her around. A toss to the floor takes us to an early break. Back with Peyton grabbing a chinlock before choking in the corner. A half nelson over the ropes with her legs has Charlotte in even more trouble and we hit another chinlock. Charlotte fights up with a neckbreaker by the hair but misses a big boot.
A rollup gets two on Peyton and Charlotte dives onto Billie, leaving Peyton to grab a swinging neckbreaker on the floor. The referee gets distracted by Peyton so Billie can snap Charlotte’s neck across the top, setting up a spinning kick to the face for two. Charlotte is right back with the big boot, only to have the moonsault hit knees. Royce kicks the knee out for two but gets speared down. The Figure Eight makes Peyton tap at 12:56.
Result: Charlotte b. Peyton Royce – Figure Eight (12:56)
Here’s Curt Hawkins to issue an open challenge. Hawkins talks about this being his hometown and his parents being in the crowd tonight. Fans: “WE WANT RYDER!”Zack Ryder vs. Curt Hawkins
Hawkins tries a cheap shot and gets punched in the face, followed by an armbar. A faceplant sends Hawkins to the apron and he backdrops Ryder to the floor, sending us to a break. Back with Hawkins getting two and grabbing a chinlock. Ryder is right back up with a neckbreaker and the middle rope missile dropkick.
The Broski Boot connects for two but Hawkins sends the Rough Ryder into the buckle for two. Ryder is right back up with a middle rope hurricanrana and the Rough Ryder gets two with Hawkins’ boot going on the rope. Ryder looks stunned and another Broski Boot is blocked, allowing Hawkins to grab a rollup with feet on the ropes. That’s caught, allowing a second Rough Ryder to pin Hawkins at 9:04.
Result: Zack Ryder b. Curt Hawkins – Rough Ryder (9:04)
Post match Ryder says he wants to represent WWE a Mr. Money in the Bank.
Back to Smackdown.
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Jeff Hardy vs. The Miz
Non-title. Miz cranks on the arm to start as the announcers talk about Miz’s history in the Money in the Bank match. Jeff sends him outside and hits Poetry in Motion against the barricade but it’s way too early for the Swanton. We take a break and come back with Jeff holding an armbar as the pace stays slow. The Reality Check gets two on Jeff but he elbows out of a Skull Crushing Finale attempt.
They head outside with Jeff getting the better of a slugout as the sleeves of Jeff’s shirt make me want a rainbow pop. The legdrop between the legs and the Twisting Stunner rock Miz but again he gets out of the way before the Swanton. Miz slams him neck first onto the apron and we take another break.
Back again with Jeff jawbreaking his way out of a chinlock and getting two off the Whisper in the Wind. A baseball slide knocks Miz to the floor but again he avoids the Swanton, this time with a good crotching. Instead it’s a sunset bomb for two as the back and forth continues. The Twist of Fate gets two and a corner dropkick sets up Hardiac Arrest (the other corner dropkick). Another Twist of Fate sets up the Swanton for real this time, but Miz rolls him up for the pin at 20:16.
Result: The Miz b. Jeff Hardy – Rollup (20:16)
And one more time from the blue show.Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Rusev
Bryan starts in on the legs early on and kicks the arm out for good measure. Some more kicks sends Rusev outside so Bryan tries the suicide dive, only to be caught and thrown over the announcers’ table as we take a break. Back with Rusev throwing him around some more but getting dropkicked in the corner.
The Spinning Rock Bottom doesn’t work so Rusev kicks him in the head for two instead. A quick YES Lock sends Rusev bailing to the ropes and Aiden English is rather relieved. Rusev heads outside so Bryan hits the running knee off the apron for two. Back in and the running knee misses, setting up a Machka Kick to give Rusev the completely clean pin at 11:20.
Result: Rusev b. Daniel Bryan – Machka Kick (11:20)
Bryan looks devastated to end the show.Thomas Hall has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has seen over 50,000 wrestling matches. He has also been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 5,000 full shows covered. You can find his work at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his Amazon author page with 26 wrestling books. His latest book is the WWE Grab Bag.
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