RKO is Money.
The fourth annual WWE Money-in-the-Bank came to you, live on pay-per-view, from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. A six-year sabbatical will conclude in spectacular fashion at Money-in-the-Bank as former WWE and ECW Champion “The Whole Damn Show” Rob Van Dam will make his much anticipated return to the WWE as the ECW Original joins two-time “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” and the longest reigning WWE Champion of the modern era, CM Punk, the 2011 “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” and former World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan, three-time World Champion “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus, two-time World Heavyweight Champion and master of the Ladder Match Christian, and nine-time World Champion “The Viper” Randy Orton in the star-studded Money-in-the-Bank All-Stars Ladder Match where all six men will compete with the first man grabbing the briefcase hanging high above the ring earning themselves a guaranteed shot at the WWE Championship whenever he sees fit for the next year.
Seventeen years and one massive hoax have earned Mark Henry exactly what he wanted as “The World’s Strongest Man” will try to procure the one championship that has eluded him as Henry challenges one of the most decorated WWE Champions of all-time, John Cena, for the most prestigious title in the WWE.
At Payback, Alberto Del Rio showed his true colors, taking advantage of Dolph Ziggler’s recent concussion, preying on “The Show-Off” to regain the World Heavyweight Title, but, at Money-in-the-Bank, Dolph Ziggler would get his shot at redemption when “The Show-Off” challenges “The Mexican Aristocrat” for the World Heavyweight Championship.
A future World Heavyweight Champion could very well be determined at Money-in-the-Bank as United States Champion and member of The Shield, Dean Ambrose, former Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett, “The Dancing Enigma” Fandango, 2010 Money-in-the-Bank winner Jack Swagger, former United States Champion Antonio Cesaro, third-generation star Cody Rhodes, and “The Intellectual Savior of the Masses” Damien Sandow will all go to war in a Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match with the winner of the briefcase earning themselves a guaranteed World Heavyweight Title match at any time they see fit for the next year.
After taking issue with Ryback’s questionable conduct as of late, Chris Jericho would take “The Sin City Cyborg” to task as Y2J goes one-on-one with Ryback.
The Intercontinental Championship would also be up for grabs at Money-in-the-Bank as Curtis Axel makes his first pay-per-view defense of the Intercontinental Championship against “The Awesome One” The Miz.
In one of the most emotionally charged Divas Title matches in recent memory, the unbalanced and conniving AJ Lee would defend the Divas Championship against the target of her torture in recent weeks, Kaitlyn.
Match Results
- WWE Tag Team Championship: Kickoff Match: Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns (c) def. Jimmy & Jey Uso by Roman Reigns (c) pinning Jimmy Uso following the Spear to retain.
- World Heavyweight Championship Contract Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match: Damien Sandow def. Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, Dean Ambrose (with Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns), Fandango, Jack Swagger, & Antonio Cesaro to win the Money-in-the-Bank contract for a future World Heavyweight Title match.
- Intercontinental Championship: Curtis Axel (c) def. The Miz by pin following the Axel Cutter to retain.
- Divas Championship: AJ Lee (c) (with Big E. Langston) def. Kaitlyn by submission to the Black Widow to retain.
- Ryback def. Chris Jericho by roll-up.
- World Heavyweight Championship: Alberto Del Rio (c) (with AJ Lee) def. Dolph Ziggler by DQ after AJ Lee attacks Alberto Del Rio (c). As a result, Alberto Del Rio (c) retains.
- WWE Championship: John Cena (c) def. Mark Henry by submission to the STF to retain.
- Money-in-the-Bank All-Stars Ladder Match: Randy Orton def. CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Christian, & Rob Van Dam to win the Money-in-the-Bank contract for a future WWE Title match.
Detailed Results
Money-in-the-Bank kicks off in a most appropriate way as United States Champion Dean Ambrose, Wade Barrett, Fandango, with Summer Rae in his corner, Jack Swagger, Antonio Cesaro, with Zeb Colter in both men’s corner, Cody Rhodes, & Damien Sandow would wage war in the World Heavyweight Championship Contract Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match where the first man to climb a ladder and successfully retrieve the briefcase hanging high above the ring will earn a future World Heavyweight Title match whenever they want it. Early on in the match, the two alliances in the match would collide as Team Rhodes Scholars and The Real Americans would take each other out with ladders before Wade Barrett and United States Champion Dean Ambrose work with the steel with Barrett taking Ambrose out. Fandango then gets in on the action, using a leg drop over the top rope onto a ladder onto Barrett to take Barrett out for the time being. Later on in the match, Wade Barrett would actually break a rung off of one of the ladders on the outside of the ring, using it to waffle Damien Sandow and keep Sandow from winning the match. After taking Barrett out, Dean Ambrose would try to climb the ladder, but The Real Americans would intervene. However, the chaotic United States Champion would take Swagger out with a DDT, but when Ambrose meets Cesaro atop the ladder, Cesaro would utilize a sleeper hold to put Ambrose out. Cody Rhodes then re-enters the match, putting his own body on the line to take Antonio Cesaro out with a modified muscle buster on a ladder propped up in the corner. Jack Swagger would get the closest of any Superstar up to that point to grabbing the briefcase, but Wade Barrett would use the Bull Hammer Elbow to drop Swagger from the ladder. However, the unorthodox Fandango would use a sunset flip over the top of the ladder to take Wade Barrett out! Fandango would have difficulty making it up the ladder and Dean Ambrose would take advantage of the delay, using the ladder for a modified Headlock Driver to take Fandango out.
In a move that brought back memories of Terry Funk, Dean Ambrose would use the ladder like a helicopter, taking guys out by placing his head in the ladder. With The Real Americans both trying to take the United States Champion out, Ambrose would ‘skin the cat’ by using his strength to pull himself on top of the ladder, only to get dumped to the outside by Swagger & Cesaro. Swagger would then allow Cesaro to stand on his shoulders to try for the briefcase, but Cody Rhodes would topple the tower with a dropkick off of the top rope. Rhodes then sends Swagger to the outside before taking both Fandango and Wade Barrett out with Cross Rhodes! Rhodes then heads to the outside, grabbing the tallest ladder available and setting it up in the center of the ring. The time that Rhodes took to retrieve the ladder would cost Rhodes as Dean Ambrose would again climb the ladder as Rhodes would battle with The Shield member, eventually knocking Ambrose off of the ladder. However, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns would rush the ring, absolutely taking over the match as the WWE Tag Team Champions take Rhodes out before knocking Wade Barrett off of the ring apron and Roman Reigns crushes Fandango with the Spear. Rollins & Reigns then tries to help Dean Ambrose up the ladder, but Jimmy & Jey Uso rush out, attacking The Shield and this sparks a massive brawl on the outside of the ring, which is brought to an end when Cody Rhodes tips the ladder over, dumping Dean Ambrose to the outside, taking out all of the participants in the match, as well as The Shield and Jimmy & Jey Uso! Bloodied and battered, Cody Rhodes would climb the ladder, but the third-generation star would have the biggest opportunity of his career snatched away from him as, after keeping himself out of the match for nearly the entire match, Damien Sandow comes into the ring, knocking Rhodes off of the ladder before climbing the ladder himself and successfully retrieving the Money-in-the-Bank briefcase, earning a future World Heavyweight Title shot!
After he was named the new General Manager of RAW following Vickie Guerrero’s firing as Managing Supervisor on RAW, Brad Maddox appears at Money-in-the-Bank, saying that he is so proud to be the new General Manager of RAW. The new GM says that he does not claim to “fill the shoes” of the legendary Vickie Guerrero, joking that he does not look good in high heels. Maddox continues, saying that he has taken the liberty of putting Vickie Guerrero on the Money-in-the-Bank Kickoff Panel, thanking Vickie for her “contributions” to Monday Night RAW. The GM then asks Philadelphia to chant “thank you Vickie” along with him, but instead of chanting with Maddox, the fans opt to chant “you got fired” at the former Managing Supervisor. Maddox then presents a highlight package dedicated to Vickie Guerrero, which prominently features Vickie’s worst and most embarrassing moments of all-time. After the video package, Brad Maddox asks for a standing ovation, but the Philadelphia crowd shows no love for the departed Vickie Guerrero.
The Intercontinental Championship was up for grabs at Money-in-the-Bank as “The New Perfection” Curtis Axel, with Paul Heyman in his corner, defends the Intercontinental Title against “The Awesome One” The Miz. Early on in the match, The Miz pulls off a genius move to rid the match of Paul Heyman as The Miz feigns slapping himself, convincing the referee that Heyman slapped him and the referee falls for it, ejecting Heyman from ringside! During the match, The Miz would survive the Perfect Plex from Curtis Axel and would manage to lock in the Figure Four Leg Lock in on Axel, but after Axel reverses the move, The Miz would flip the move back over and Axel manages to get to the bottom rope, forcing the break. Axel would then lure The Miz around the ring and, when Miz comes back into the ring, Curtis Axel uses the middle rope to jack the jaw of The Miz, following it up with the Axel Cutter en route to picking up the win and successfully retaining the Intercontinental Title.
In an emotionally charged Divas Title match, AJ Lee, with Big E. Langston in her corner, would defend the Divas Championship against Kaitlyn, with Layla in her corner. During the match, Kaitlyn would blast AJ Lee with the Spear, but the previously injured elbow of Kaitlyn would keep Kaitlyn from taking advantage and, shortly after this, AJ Lee catches Kaitlyn in the Black Widow, nearly making Kaitlyn pass out before Kaitlyn weakly taps out as AJ successfully retains the Divas Title.
After taking issue with Ryback’s recent change in attitude, Chris Jericho would go one-on-one with “The Sin City Cyborg” Ryback at Money-in-the-Bank. At the end of a hotly contested match, it was Ryback surprising Chris Jericho with a roll-up to pick up the big win.
The World Heavyweight Championship would then be decided as “The Mexican Aristocrat” Alberto Del Rio defends the World Heavyweight Title against the man he took the title from last month at Payback, “The Show-Off” Dolph Ziggler. During the match, Dolph Ziggler’s girlfriend, AJ Lee, would skip down to ringside, entrance music and all, but with the match in his control, Ziggler had no need for AJ’s help. Dolph repeatedly tells AJ to head to the back, but the Divas Champion refuses and, in a very confusing conclusion, Ziggler sets up for the Zig Zag on Del Rio, but that is when AJ enters the ring and blasts Del Rio with the Divas Title belt, resulting in a disqualification win for Del Rio, who retains the title! After the match, Dolph Ziggler screams at AJ Lee that he had the match won before walking out on AJ, leaving the Divas Champion in the ring, screaming “I’m sorry” at Ziggler.
Then it was time for the WWE Championship to be decided as the reigning eleven-time champion, John Cena, would defend the WWE Championship against “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry. Early on in the match, Mark Henry would methodically dominate John Cena, but after several attempts, Cena would finally manage to hit the Attitude Adjustment on Mark Henry, but Henry would kick out of Cena’s finisher! Cena would then attempt to come off of the top rope, but Mark Henry would catch Cena in mid-air, squashing Cena with the World’s Strongest Slam, but Cena would respond with a kick-out of his own! In a fit of rage and frustration, Mark Henry would rip one of the top turnbuckle pads off, exposing the steel. Henry would then throw a couple of steel chairs into the ring, which distracts the referee long enough for Mark Henry to expose a different turnbuckle, but Cena would counter Mark Henry, sending the challenger into the exposed steel! Cena then locks in the STF on Mark Henry, but Henry manages to get to the ropes for the break. Cena then pummels Henry in the corner, but when the referee gets close enough, Henry shoves Cena into the referee, knocking the referee down long enough to sneak in a low blow on Cena, but Cena still kicks out! Mark Henry then goes for the World’s Strongest Slam again, but Cena counters, again locking in the STF, leaving Mark Henry no choice but to tap out as Cena successfully retains the WWE Title!
Then it was time for the much-anticipated main event as six of the top Superstars in the WWE would go to war in the Money-in-the-Bank All-Stars Ladder Match as the longest reigning WWE Champion in the modern era CM Punk, former World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan, “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus, Ladder Match veteran Christian, nine-time World Champion Randy Orton, and, returning to the WWE to compete for the first time in six years, “The Whole Damn Show” Rob Van Dam would all compete in the ultra-dangerous match with the first man to successfully retrieve the briefcase hanging high above the ring winning the match and earning themselves a future shot at the WWE Championship whenever they please. Once the match begins, five of the six combatants formulate a plot as CM Punk, Christian, Sheamus, Randy Orton, & Daniel Bryan all target Rob Van Dam, taking the crowd’s favorite out of the match first. With RVD down on the outside, Punk, Christian, Orton, & Bryan target Sheamus, taking the biggest man in the match out of the ring! After a brief brawl between the four men standing, it comes down to the two best technical wrestlers in the match, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, but the chain wrestling would be broken up by Sheamus, who takes both men out with a ladder. After getting cut off twice early on in the match, “The Whole Damn Show” would finally get the chance to showcase that he’s still got what it takes as Rob Van Dam drops Orton with a shoulder to the mid-section before taking Sheamus out with a kick off of the top rope. “The Extreme Innovator” then takes Punk out with a straight kick to the skull, followed by a kick to Daniel Bryan and a monkey flip to Christian! Christian would soon make his way back into the match, but Van Dam tosses Christian onto the ladder before RVD places Daniel Bryan on the ladder, squashing Bryan with Rolling Thunder! RVD would then square off with Randy Orton, leaving “The Viper” prone on a ladder, but before RVD could hit his Five-Star Frog Splash, Christian uses a ladder to knock Van Dam off of the top rope to the outside. Christian would then use a miniature ladder to take out some of the participants on the outside, but when Christian tries to climb a full-size ladder, Sheamus cuts “Captain Charisma” off and the two men end up jockeying for position on the ladder, but Sheamus would use the ladder to knock Christian out of the ring.
Alone in the ring, Sheamus would begin to climb towards the briefcase, but Rob Van Dam would roll back into the ring, shoving the ladder over, making “The Celtic Warrior” fall on top of the ladder. Sheamus would fight back against RVD, using a senton to squash Van Dam on top of a ladder. On the outside of the ring, Sheamus uses a ladder to make a bridge between the ring apron and the announce table with his sights set on putting Daniel Bryan through the ladder, but Bryan would counter, knocking Sheamus to the floor before running the apron and taking Sheamus down with a knee to the face! Meanwhile, back in the ring, CM Punk sets up a ladder and begins to climb, but Randy Orton knocks Punk off of the ladder before Christian re-enters the fray, pummeling “The Viper” down. With Punk, Orton, and Christian already scrambling to climb the ladder, Daniel Bryan brings a second ladder into the ring and, before long, all six match participants are desperately reaching for the briefcase, but all six men end up toppling to the mat! The first man back to his feet is Sheamus, who systematically takes out CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Rob Van Dam, and Randy Orton before Christian enters the fray, but Sheamus makes Christian pay, slamming Christian into a ladder before dropping “Captain Charisma” with White Noise. Sheamus then begins to climb the ladder, but spots RVD nearby and “The Celtic Warrior” pops Van Dam in the face with the ladder before leveling “The Whole Damn Show” with the Brogue Kick! Sheamus is then met atop the ladder by Daniel Bryan, but Sheamus clubs Bryan, knocking Bryan off of his perch. Before Sheamus can successfully unhook the briefcase, CM Punk comes back into the ring, knocking “The Celtic Warrior” down, but Sheamus would come back at “The Best in the World”, pummeling Punk with right hands. However, the crafty Punk would come back with a kick to Sheamus’ face, propping Sheamus up against the ladder before coming off of the top rope, using the steel ladder to crush Sheamus! Randy Orton would then capture CM Punk, using a T-Bone Suplex to slam Punk into the steel ladder propped up in the corner. Before Orton can even get a ladder, Christian hits the ring and hits Orton with the Spear, followed by a Spear to Daniel Bryan that knocks Bryan off of the apron, but Rob Van Dam would not allow “Captain Charisma” to grab the briefcase, using a ladder to knock Christian down to the mat. The two Ladder Match veterans than wage war atop the ladder, but when both men try to reach for the briefcase, the ladder topples and, while Christian falls, RVD catches himself on a nearby ladder, scrambling up the ladder and sacrificing himself to take Christian out with the Five-Star Frog Splash!
Rob Van Dam then climbs the ladder again, but Sheamus would push the ladder over as RVD’s jaw catches the top rope. Daniel Bryan would then jump back into things, teeing off on both RVD and Sheamus with several kicks to the chest of both men before Bryan sandwiches Randy Orton in the corner with a ladder and dives onto CM Punk on the outside as both men crash into a stack of ladders! The adrenaline and momentum then drives Daniel Bryan as Bryan takes RVD and Sheamus down with a double missile dropkick before Bryan uses a ladder to knock RVD and Orton to the outside and drops Sheamus with a ladder shot that sees “The Celtic Warrior” fall from the top rope through a ladder at ringside! With everyone down, Daniel Bryan is the only man capable of climbing the ladder and retrieving the briefcase, but when Bryan gets his fingers on the briefcase, Curtis Axel comes out of nowhere with a steel chair, using it to knock Daniel Bryan off of the ladder! Axel then drags Bryan to the outside, driving Bryan skull-first into the arena floor with the Axel Cutter! The Intercontinental Champion then slowly stalks the ringside area, but CM Punk catches Curtis Axel, dropping the Intercontinental Champion with the GTS, emphatically refusing Axel’s help! Axel’s advocate, Paul Heyman, then comes out, shouting at Curtis Axel to never do anything without his permission. Heyman then leaves the side of Curtis Axel to cheer on CM Punk as Punk slowly hobbles up the ladder, but the second that Punk’s back is turned, the maniacal mastermind slowly slithers into the ring, twice slamming his supposed “best friend” with a ladder, knocking Punk off the ladder! Heyman then allows Punk to get to his feet and, with a maniacal look in his eyes, Heyman slams the ladder into Punk for a third time, this time smashing the skull of Punk between the two steel ladders, lacing Punk wide open! The match then returns to chaos as Rob Van Dam tries to climb the ladder, but Randy Orton pulls RVD off of the ladder and, in mid-air, Orton drops RVD with a massive RKO! Randy Orton then carefully surveys the devastation around him before “The Viper” climbs the ladder and unhooking the briefcase, winning the match and earning himself a guaranteed shot at the WWE Championship at any time for the next year!
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