WWE Money in the Bank

[Burke]

Following last night's WWE Money in the Bank PPV, many wrestlers commented on the John Cena vs. CM Punk match. Here are the highlights:

Kevin Nash: "MITB better than any mma ppv I've watched. Punk continues to gain my respect and Jay is the F**KIN man,WWE at it's best"

Mick Foley: "I don't think I've ever been jealous of a wrestler's character before. Money, yes, character, no. @cmpunk has changed that. Damn. Damn!"

The Rock: "Congratulations to new WWE Champion @cmpunk. Gonna be a helluva run for you. I hope our paths cross."

Steve Austin: "WOW!!! What a Tremendous reception for @cmpunk! That was a 10 out of 10. Hell Yeah! @cmpunk and @johncena had a big time pro wrestling match. I loved it. And I loved the finish. Congrats to both guys. Great stuff."

Trish Stratus: "What's so wrong w/ leaving the company as champion, right @wweuniverse? Hehe! Great match-the 'to be continued' is what's got me #mustseetv"

Sean Waltman: "That was f**king unbelievable. Glad I decided on a later flight in order to see that. Hats off to both guys and to WWE for doing it right. Now I can get on my flight a happy man. Thanks @cmpunk and @johncena . Thanks to Chicago for making that so electric. Best bldg in world."

Seth Rollins: "We're still a wrestling company and that was how professional wrestling is done."

Joey Styles: "I can't believe this. Our WWE Champion doesn't work for WWE and John Cena is or will be fired. OMG! Holy Crap!"

Chavo Guerrero: "Some of u are asking me to eat my words. I'll give credit where credit is due. Cena & Punk DELIVERED! But why should we be wondering if Cena Will show up? He is the highest paid wrestler in the industry & the backbone of the WWE… He should deliver EVERY night! No question! We Never said this about Taker or Michaels.U knew they would deliver every time they stepped foot in the ring.There was never a lazy Accusation with those 2. So what u should be saying is.. It's about time Cena gave the fans there moneys worth! I'm very happy for Punk… If he's resigning or not, he deserves it.Nobody has lot a fire in the WWE like that since Austin and I guarantee Cena makes 3-4 times if not More than Punk. If u make that much, u should deliver every night, no if, ands, or buts! But that's just me, weather I was making Mysterio Quit or putting over a little person, I gave it my all every night.Not for the money but cuz I have pride in my work and I respect this biz&The fans cuz they are what matters. There's always some1 seeing u for the first time & for the last time every night! That's how every Wrestler should view this biz. Nit as a stepping stone to Hollywood but as way to deliver to the ppl who pay there hard earned money to Watch them every night!!! Viva La Raza mother f'rs! just playing.. Dint hate!"

Paul Heyman: "It's been 20 days since @cmpunk turned the wrestling world and WWE Universe completely upside down w/ his performance. It's not what @cmpunk said, it's the realism with which his promo was delivered. HE felt it. So did millions of fans, too. @cmpunk is not the voice of the voiceless, he's the voice of today's generation! @cmpunk is cool and bad ass, yet he's a man of principle. He translates to grownups and kids alike. I'M A @cmpunk GUY!"

Chris Jericho: "Heard MITB ppv was excellent and Punk-Cena was off the charts. Glad to hear! What a great time to be a WWE fan. Sit back and enjoy this guys! As great as Punk was and is during the whole angle, don't discount Cenas work in all this. Contrary to what some say Cena is a GREAT worker".

Bret Hart: "Very good PPV tonight w/everyone working hard. Great storytelling in the main event & throughout the show. Kudos to everybody"

Matt Hardy: "heard there was a helluva wrestling show on tonight. Very happy to hear the people were given what they want-it's good for business."

Jim Ross: "CM Punk and John Cena had a scintillating main event that featured over 30 minutes of classic, old school wrestling. It took me back a generation, or so it seemed, and that match alone was worth the price of the PPV. My black hat is off to both men. John Cena and CM Punk reminded me of why I have had a love affair with this genre since I was a boy."

---

Lol @ all those respected figures in wrestling...plus Chavo Guerrero and Matt Hardy.

[Tarry]

Jul 18, 2011 7:38:51 GMT -5 Tiarnán said:

What did Randy do?

Christian spat in his face so Randy kicked him in the balls to retaliate. Christian was named the new WHC because of the stipulation and Randy congratulated him by giving him an old fashion beat down.

[Tiarnán]

Lmao. Need to find that on YouTube.

Oh, Randy.

[Tarry]

Jul 18, 2011 9:52:35 GMT -5 Burke said:

The Rock: "Congratulations to new WWE Champion @cmpunk. Gonna be a helluva run for you. I hope our paths cross."

I think we all know who isn't following the product at the minute.

[jayzero42690]

CM Punk could always have a cameo in the Rock's next movie where they have an epic 15 minute title match that has nothing to do with story or plot and just begins mid sentence like the Peter/Giant Chicken fights on Famly Guy.

[Burke]

The Bella Twins Lash Out At Fans, Fire Shot At The TNA Knockouts

The Bella Twins lashed out at fans on Twitter criticizing Brie's largely panned performance at Money in the Bank.

The twin duo, who share an account, fired back at fans who posted negative remarks concerning the WWE Divas Championship bout by saying they have no room to talk.

A Bella wrote, "I think it's funny when people have to RT something a lot when they don't even have the skill to back it up... #Desperate&Sad."

Minutes later, a fan suggested that Brie learn how to wrestle and could do so by studying footage of the TNA Knockouts. The fan wrote, "I'm actually shocked your match went like 5 mins haha!!! But seriously, learn to work. Watch TNA Knockouts and take notes!!!"

One of the Bellas snarked, "they have the worst matches ever." She added, "Show up to a live event and your mouth will shut up... Like we're in charge of time."

---

I lol'd @ "a Bella" wrote.

[Tarry]

The 'desperate&sad' tweet was aimed at Rosa who was RTing people claiming that she should be Divas Champ.

[Burke]

To follow up on the events of last night, John Cena posted the following on his Twitter account:

"I have just been 'future endeavored'. Well..if that's how it is I would like to take a moment to publicly apologize to Dwayne 'the Rock Johnson. In an effort to make WM28 as big as possible I tried to expose rock for his flaws. Very childish and immature on my behalf. My comments about the rocks absence were both unprofessional and childish. I am sorry. Rock, I truly wish and still hope in my heart of Hearts that the crazy old man who is the boss reconsiders his totally rash decision. Because Chicago was insane last night. And it made me think of what Miami could have been. I guess sometimes u do not know what u have until it is lost."

Cena is asking his followers to contact WWE, and ask Vince to change his mind.

---

I was in so much awe of that match last night that I literally forgot all about the whole "Cena is fired if he loses" stipulation until like 20 minutes after the show ended, lol.

Writing my own Bring Back Cena email to WWE as we speak tbh.

[Brandon]

Lacey Von Erich vs. Rhaka Khan on their worst day would shit on anything the Bella twins will ever do in the ring.

[Burke]

The match between John Cena and CM Punk from Money in the Bank became the first WWE match in fourteen years to receive a perfect "five star rating" from Dave Meltzer at Wrestling Observer.

The last WWE match to receive Meltzer's perfect rating was Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker from Badd Blood, the first ever Hell in a Cell match. The last match in America to receive said rating from Meltzer was the Dragon Gate Six Man Tag from Ring of Honor in the spring of 2006.

C.M. Punk pinned John Cena to win the WWE title in 33:42. Punk was super over. Lawler said he’s never seen this much home town emotion in his career. Yes, Jerry Lawler, who got this kind of a reaction every time he challenged for the world title in Memphis over a dozen year or so period said this. Punk was wearing a T-shirt that read, “Best in the World,” which is kind of gimmick pilfering. The announcers were pushing this as one of the biggest matches in the history of the promotion, and at the end, you probably could make a great case for it. Fans started with a “You can’t wrestle” chant at Cena. Punk was great at working the crowd, making a facial like, “You’re chanting this at me,” sarcastically, and then pointing to Cena. Cena took Punk down and Punk put Cena in the guard. Cole then announced that Punk had Cena in the Anaconda vise. Yes, the freaking guard was called the Anaconda Vise. Made worse that at the finish, Punk actually used the Anaconda Vise and Cole had no clue what it was. Then Cole put over Chicago, saying it’s been one of the greatest WWE cities for the past 40 to 50 years. If that’s the case, where are Crusher and Bruiser’s Hall of Fame plaques. Punk used a hiptoss, dropkick and headlock takeover spot. The announcers then brought up the 1997 Survivor Series. They noted that happened because Bret Hart wanted to leave the company with the championship belt. You’d think when he came back and they settled everything, that they wouldn’t keep telling that story. Cena tried the Attitude Adjustment, Punk tried the GTS, and both escaped. Punk threw some kicks and Cena clotheslined the hell out of him. Dueling chants. Even here, the women were cheering for Cena, even though this was as loud as any pro-Cena reaction ever (RVD at the Manhattan Center in 2006 was as loud, but there’s a difference between 2,500 people and nearly 15,000 people). Right after that chant, Lawler said he didn’t think there was one Cena fan in the building. Thank God the crowd was so great because this announcing was pure shit. Punk put Cena in a triangle (three announcers, not one had a clue what he was doing) and Cena stood up. Punk started throwing elbows before Cena could drop him, and then tossed Cena out of the ring. Punk went outside, and gave a high-five to Colt Cabana. This led to a “Colt Cabana” chant, which wasn’t acknowledged. Punk used a kneedrop off the middle rope onto Cena’s back while Cena was on the apron. Punk landed some knees, whipped Cena into the buckles and Punk missed a tackle and flew into the post. More dueling chants. Cole quoted Gorilla Monsoon, saying, “If you’re not in this business to be champion, you’re in the wrong business.” He may have said that as a worked quote, but the Monsoon quote he always said, because he hated people who were in wrestling to gratify their egos and not get business, was “If you’re not in this business to make money, you’re in the wrong business.” Punk came off the top rope with a crossbody block, but landed low, and instead of landing on Cena’s chest, landed on his knee. Cena appeared to injure his right knee. Cena tried to walk it off. It was apparently legit and not serious, because it didn’t play into the rest of the match. Cena then suplexed Punk from inside the ring to the floor. Cena, when taking the fall, twisted completely to land on his left side and protect his right knee. Cena with a fisherman suplex. Booker T talked about how Cena is turning the crowd toward him. He said the same thing about Orton, and it wasn’t true in either match. Cena got a near fall with a powerslam. Punk started throwing punches with the crowd popping for each punch. Cena used a form of abdominal stretch, but Punk eye raked and hip tossed out. They knocked each other down with simultaneous clotheslines. Punk got a near fall with a schoolboy, but then missed a knee into the corner. Cena slammed him and the crowd was booing like crazy. Cena went into his usual comeback phase. Punk crossed him up with a kick to the head. Crowd went nuts. Punk landed a flying knee that knocked Cena out of the ring. Punk followed with a tope. Punk went for a springboard move but Cena moved and Punk fell into the ring. Cena did the five knuckle shuffle, and went for the AA, but Punk landed on his feet, kicked Cena in the face and swept his leg for a near fall. Punk went for the GTS, but Cena reversed into a gut wrench for a near fall. Punk with two flying knees, the second of which looked like it landed right on the chin like an MMA blow. He followed with a bulldog and a springboard clothesline for a near fall. Punk threw some kicks to the chest, but Cena countered with the STF. Punk made the rope. Punk came back with a kick to the head and Cena kicked out. Punk used a crossbody and Cena rolled through and picked Punk up and put him on his shoulders for the AA again. Punk escaped, went for the GTS, but Cena reversed back into the STF in an awesome spot. Punk went to the ropes, but Cena pulled him into the center of the ring. Punk put his hand up to tap, and then got a look on his face as if he mentally said to himself, “I’m not tapping.” He then reversed out of the STF into the Anaconda vise. Crowd was going crazy. Cena ended up breaking the hold, and landed the AA, but Punk kicked out. Place was electric at this point. Cena came off the top for his leg slice, but Punk side stepped and went for the pin, but Cena kicked out. Punk did the Frank Shamrock sleep deal (the one Mickey Rourke used in “The Wrestler”) and went for the GTS. Cena got out again, and snapped Punk’s neck on the top rope. Cena hit the leg slice for a near fall, hit the AA, and Cena kicked out a second time. Cena put Punk on his shoulders and climbed up to the middle rope for another AA, but Punk started throwing elbows to get out of it. Punk used a Frankensteiner off the top rope, then hit a flying knee and the GTS, but Cena flew out of the ring. Cena got back in the ring. Vince and Laurinatis came out. Cena got the STF on and Vince yelled to ring the bell and sent Laurinaitis to the ring to ring it. Cena broke the hold, cut off Laurinaitis and punched him. Punk used the GTS and got the pin. Vince started screaming to cut the music and that this isn’t going to end this way. He screamed for Del Rio to come out. Del Rio ran to the ring and got kicked in the head. Punk then ran into the crowd and the show went off the air. After the show ended and Laurinaitis got up, Vince decked Laurinatis again. This was more than just a great match, but a career making moment. *****

---

Awesome match and all, but surely there's been other "great" matches in the past 10-15 years? Just off the top of my head: Rock-Austin, Taker-HBK, HHH-HBK, HHH-Austin, etc.

[Tarry]

Rock vs. Triple H at Judgement Day 2000, Rock vs. Austin at WM17, Taker vs. HBK at WM25, Cena vs. Orton at Bragging Rights 2009 and Triple H vs. Taker from WM27 all deserve a 5 star rating too. Don't forget that Dave Meltzer is the one that claimed Brock Lesnar had signed a contract to face Taker at WM27.

[Burke]

I guess if we're talking 5 star matches we'd be amiss not to mention Melina vs. Alicia Fox also.

[Tarry]

Alex Shane and Greg Lambert appear to be claiming credit for recent events in WWE and for directly being involved in - or at the very least for predicting - the demise of Vince McMahon and his replacement as WWE chairman by Triple H...

Shane and Lambert, who form the sinister Authority organisation in British Wrestling which controls three of the UK scene's major championships (the FWA, XWA and FutureShock titles) were galvanised into a flurry of activity on Facebook and Twitter following Sunday night's WWE Money in the Bank pay-per-view and the ensuing episode of Monday Night RAW.

Both have posted comments and video links which seem to indicate that they are claiming prior knowledge, and perhaps direct involvement in, the ousting of Vince McMahon by his son-in-law which has caused a seismic shift in the balance of power in the world's largest wrestling company.

Their main source of evidence appears to be the infamous 'Patrick Lennon video' which caused massive controversy when it was released at an FWA live event and on YouTube in August 2010.

Although at the time this video message by Lennon (The Daily Star's wrestling journalist) was purported to have been at the behest of TNA and UK star Doug Williams, its release was actually authorised by Shane in his then-role as the FWA's Head of Content.

The message claimed that Williams had uncovered evidence of a global conspiracy where a cartel of international businessmen were seeking to control professional wrestling, and therefore control the minds of young people, by planting undercover representatives in all of the biggest wrestling promotions in the world, and also by engineering events so that the head of the world's largest wrestling company (Vince McMahon) would be removed from power and replaced by one of their plants within the company (Paul 'Triple H' Levesque).

The message also said that the WWE would first be driven to a low point by these "engineered events" but then a solution to its problems would be found "which would be allowed to work" and this would lead to McMahon being usurped from his position by his son-in-law.

During a YouTube round table discussion documentary in October 2010, Alex Shane claimed the Patrick Lennon message was just part of a 'wrestling storyline' but also stated he believed the claims made in the video were very real.

Then on November 20 2010 at FWA European Uprising held at the Birmingham NEC, Shane was revealed as The Ascension - leader of the FWA's own sinister group The Agenda. Lambert (FWA commentator, leader of the XWA and prominent wrestling journalist) was also revealed as part of Shane's group, having already aligned himself with Shane to form The Authority several months earlier in the XWA.

Following his revelation as The Ascension, Shane was replaced as the FWA's Head of Content by Greg Lambert. Both men, who have been close friends since they first formed an alliance at the FWA event British Uprising 2 on October 18 2003, have since claimed to be in league with the conglomerate of international businessmen who seek to control the world of professional wrestling, who were alluded to in the Patrick Lennon video.

In recent months The Authority and The Agenda has slowly begun to grow with top British wrestlers including Colossus Kennedy, FutureShock Champion Dave Rayne, Joel Redman and, most significantly FWA Champion David Deville - the pro wrestler who works inside the corridors of power at Buckingham Palace for Her Majesty the Queen - all prominent members of the organisation.

Meanwhile in America, over the past month the WWE product - which was previously stale, predictable and uninspiring to the point that fans were deserting the promotion in droves and WWE stock value was plummeting - has become refreshed and revitalised, seemingly out of nowhere. The catalyst for this sudden improvement in WWE programming and the resurrection of fan interest in the product has been a storyline centred around CM Punk, who has "left the promotion" having won its prestigious WWE Title, thus bringing embarrassment upon the company and causing the WWE board to bring about a vote of 'no confidence' in Vince McMahon and replace him with ''Triple H'.

The almost overnight success of this storyline has led many who watched the Patrick Lennon video to wonder if this is the "solution" which would be "allowed to work". Wrestling critics and fans are also now speculating if the shift of power from McMahon to Levesque is simply a storyline, or reflective of a real-life change at WWE upper management level.

It is also interesting to note that on the day of the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Lambert released an article on the FWA website praising not only the storyline - but also both CM Punk and Alex Shane - and reminded his readers that it was Shane who brought Punk to the UK for his first ever European appearance eight years ago (Punk wrestled his best friend Colt Cabana at the aforementioned FWA British Uprising 2 event at York Hall, Bethnal Green).
The question has been asked on many occasions over the past year..."Just how high does this Agenda go?" Perhaps we now have the answer...

---

tl;dr

Good God, I hate what the FWA has become. I hope WWE issue them with a cease and desist order immediately.