Below is the (likely) final advertised card for Sunday’s Money In The Bank PPV featuring CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship, with AJ Lee right in the middle of the action as the special guest referee. Also on tap for MITB Sunday 7/15/12 is Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship, two Money In The Bank ladder matches including one with John Cena, and a WWE Tag Team Championship pre-show encounter:
WWE Championship Match: CM Punk (c) vs. Daniel Bryan with AJ Lee as Special Guest Referee
World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sheamus (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio
Money in the Bank Ladder Match for a WWE Championship Contract:
John Cena vs. Big Show vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho
Money in the Bank Ladder Match for a World Championship Contract:
Dolph Ziggler vs. Christian vs. Lord Tensai vs. Santino vs. Damien Sandow vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Sin Cara vs. Cody Rhodes
Pre-Show: WWE Tag Team Championship Match: R-Truth & Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Hunico & Camacho
CB’s Slant: Money In The Bank obviously has a special place in my heart after last year’s amazing turn of events when CM Punk left his hometown of Chicago as the WWE Champion by beating John Cena and Alberto Del Rio in the same night … you know, the day his contract expired. And, just like last year, CM Punk is selling me on this show.
This time, however, Punk has some reinforcements to help him sell Money In The Bank 2012: his opponent Daniel Bryan; and special guest referee AJ Lee. Both Bryan and AJ — along with Punk — have really made this summer of WWE TV worth watching, despite some really bland programming that is filling up Raw when these three are not on screen.
I’ve read some complaints on here about AJ being in the spotlight a little too much, but honestly I’d rather see AJ play her role well and go believably bats*it crazy to progress a top storyline involving the WWE’s top prize than watch another John Cena vs. management saga unfold or see Brodus Clay doing the same song and dance every week (yes, I’m getting sick of the Funkasaurus, my apologies in advance to Ralph Hardin and his family).
And if anyone thinks AJ’s involvement is going to hurt the match quality that Punk and Bryan will put on display on Sunday, well, think again. Punk and Bryan are at the top of their game and at the top of the card … where they should be. That is the ONE thing I like about John Cena being in the Raw Money In The Bank ladder match, for with Cena occupied there it frees up Punk and Bryan and AJ to steal the show. And you know something, all THREE of them deserve that chance. That’s how much faith I have in AJ, and I can’t wait to see how this whole thing winds up unfolding come 10:50 pm ET Sunday night.
I’ll let all of the other pontificators and prognosticators provide their own thoughts on the full Money In The Bank card, but I am sold on buying this PPV on Punk vs. Bryan alone.
That’s all from me — CB.
