Rasslin’ Roundtable – WWE Money in the Bank 2014

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Welcome to the Rasslin’ Roundtable for WWE Money in the Bank!  Now let’s get this started.

 

Rasslin’ Roundtable

WWE Money in the Bank 2014

 

Match One

Battle for National Pride

Rusev vs Big E

 

Justin C:  Once again, this is a match set up for Rusev to look strong in. Sooner or later he will get a real program with a more established star. But you have to give Rusev and Lana credit, they are getting the gimmick over and they are met with “USA” chants every time they are out there. Big E will get some offense in but Rusev wins in the end.

Winner: Rusev

 

BD:  Oh, for fuck’s sake.

Winner: Russev, despite Big E actually being good and Russev being terrible.

 

Chris Sanders: Didn’t we just do this?

Winner: Rusev

 

Rhett Davis:  With what little time they had at Payback, they actually were an interesting match. Hopefully they get more time here before Rusev eventually squashes him.

Winner:  Rusev

 

David Spain: I was actually quite surprised that we were doing this again, after the dominant-as-hell beating that Rusev laid on Big E. So, with that in mind, I’m thinking that Big E is not the man to end the Rusev streak.

Winner (and still allowed to wave a big flag): Rusev.

 

The Tally:  Rusev – 5

Big E – 0

 

Match Two

Divas Championship

Paige vs Naomi

 

Justin C:  Holy hell was Cameron annoying on commentary the other night. I’m sure she will play some kind of role in the outcome of this match. We still haven’t gotten a Paige vs Emma match, so I’m expecting that soon. My guess is that Cameron goes to help Naomi but it backfires. Paige then wins the match. Paige isn’t ready to lose the Title yet, and certainly not to Naomi

Winner: Paige

 

BD:  I don’t watch Diva matches. I have standards.

Winner: Paige, despite lack of… everything.

 

Chris Sanders: Just keep Cameron away from a microphone and this should be a fun match.

Winner: Paige

 

Rhett Davis:  I like Paige, but this match has had very little set-up and seems like a storyline expander match.  I think Cameron is going to get involved and cost Naomi.  Of course Paige won’t like that so it’ll lead to a triple threat at the next one.

Winner:  Paige

 

David Spain: Call it a sense of patriotism; call it a need for a British victory after we crashed the hell out of the World Cup, but I don’t think that we’re done with our current champion just yet. I’m holding out for a Paige/Natalya match, personally.

Winner (and still champion): Paige

 

The Tally:  Paige – 5

Naomi – 0

 

Match Three

Tag Team Match

Goldust and Stardust vs Rybaxel

 

Justin C:  I’m a big fan of the Stardust character so far. Cody looks to be enjoying himself out there. He’s playing this character well just like he did when he had the mask on. You would assume this is still all a catalyst to see Cody turn heel at some point down the line. For now, however, the gimmick is working. I see The Dust Duo picking up the win here and possibly getting a tag title shot in the near future.

Winners: Goldust and Stardust

 

Rhett Davis:  I actually hadn’t heard about this match, but I love the new Stardust character.  I hope Goldy and Starry stay together for a while.  Why not?

Winners:  Golden Stars

 

The Tally:  The Dusty Ones – 2

Rybaxel – 0

 

Match Four

WWE Tag Team Championship

The Usos vs The Wyatt Family (Rowan and Harper)

Justin C:  This one is kind of a toss-up for me. When I thought Bray Wyatt would win the Title, I would have easily picked Rowan and Harper here. Then you would have Bray as WWE Champion and Rowan/Harper as Tag Champions. Then they could sell the group even more as a powerful threat. Now I’m not really sure. Having Rowan and Harper win the Titles but not Bray would seem a bit weird. I’m going with The Usos to retain here. But I could easily see Rowan and Harper winning. It’s a toss-up.

Winners:  The Usos

 

BD:  I might be looking forward to this match the most. I really like the Wyatt tag-team and if the Uso’s drop the lame entrance they’d be pretty much perfect. Should be a fun big team / little team match.

Winner: The Wyatt Family, hopefully with minimal SAW-movie-like contrived and silly bullshit

 

Chris Sanders: Usos have had their momentum come and kind of go. I’m not too convinced that WWE is ready to put championships on the Wyatts before Bray wins but that’s not really a huge point for them not to pull the trigger. So why not?

Winner: The Wyatts

 

Rhett Davis:  This should be a fun match, but I think it’s time to transition.

Winners:  The Wyatts

 

David Spain: I love the Usos as champs; they bring a great pace and flow to the tag team division. But the dominance displayed by the Wyatts over a lengthy period makes me feel that Harper and Rowan will not be denied. Maybe the twins will find some way to do it, but if so, then it’ll be the next PPV. Me though? I think the Wyatts are winning the gold.

Winners (and new tag team champions): The Wyatt Family.

 

The Tally:  The Wyatt Family – 4

The Usos – 1

 

Match Five

Contract Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Jack Swagger vs. Seth Rollins vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Bad News Barrett vs. Dolph Ziggler

Justin C:  This match only has two possibilities as far as a winner goes: Seth Rollins or Bad News Barrett. And now with Barrett injured, you would think that Seth Rollins is the favorite. Barrett would have been such a great choice. He deserves it and could handle things at the top. And how great would it be when he cashed in and said “I’m afraid I’ve got some BAD NEWS!!!” But we don’t know the severity of Barrett’s shoulder injury yet. With so much uncertainty, I think you have to go with Rollins here. Dean Ambrose won’t get it as it doesn’t make sense from the story telling that’s going on. Rollins gets the win here and continues his heel run.

Winner:  Seth Rollins

 

BD:  HAHAHAHAHA! Is this for real? Why even bother having this match? Just let Seth and Dean fight it out for #1 contender ship and give the rest of the guys the night off. I mean, I like Ziggler, Kofi and Van Dam as much as any normal human, but they’re not getting anywhere near winning this thing. Swagger is a waste of time, and people are already tiring of Barrett. Again. I gotta pick between Rollins and Ambrose, who are both awesome. Hmmm…

Winner: Seth Rollins, despite recent indy Softcore Wrestilng Porn revelations

 

Chris Sanders: Honestly, my favorite to win this prior to Smackdown’s taping was gonna be Bad News Barrett but Jack Swagger seems to have a talent for breaking all the things we like. So we’re still not sure if BNB will even be in this match and that throws a wrench into my prediction. I kinda figured that Dean and Seth would ultimately cost each other the match at some point but now I feel compelled to pick one of them. Kofi is just being included because of his ability, Swagger is just there breaking things, RVD is more of a nostalgia entrant that might have a good spot or two and I’m not convinced Ziggler is out of the doghouse yet.

Winner: Seth Rollins (backup pick for no points: Bad News Barrett IF he’s able to compete)

 

Rhett Davis:   I don’t see Kofi/Swagger/Dolph/RVD winning this so that only leaves three men.  Ambrose and Rollins will seemingly cost each other until Rollins ascends.  I would say that Bad News Barrett would win, but he seems to be injured… again. Yet Dolph is the injury prone one?

Winner:  Seth Rollins

 

David Spain: The trouble with this is you’ve got to think long-term, which makes it damned difficult to predict. I think we can safely say Mr Kingston will be wowing us, but not taking the briefcase. Rollins and Ambrose I believe will foil each other and have their feud sans contract. RVD is not the threat he needs to be; Barrett could roll with the briefcase, but just got his shoulder Swaggered, and whilst Jack himself has been showing great intensity, I think Ziggler is really the best choice, if there’s any way he can dig himself out of the hole he’s starting to emerge from.

Winner (and guy who will rebuild his  personality  around a briefcase  for  a  year):  Dolph Ziggler

 

The Tally:  Seth Rollins – 4

Dolph Ziggler – 1

Everyone Else – 0

 

Match Six

WWE Championship Ladder Match

Alberto del Rio vs.  Kane vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. John Cena vs. Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Cesaro

 

Justin C:  First let me say that if Alberto del Rio wins this match, I will write a 5,000 word column on his entire career next week. I would say the same about Kane. I think Sheamus would be interesting and a long shot. Randy Orton probably won’t get the Title back any time soon. Cesaro would create a lot of buzz and make fans happy, but I think it’s too soon for a Brock/Cesaro match at SummerSlam. That leaves Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and John Cena. It is still too early in the career of Roman Reigns to give him the Title. I could see Reigns almost winning but HHH coming out and preventing that. I had been on the Bray Wyatt band wagon for awhile, and even wrote about it a few weeks ago. But a lot of people seem to be pointing to John Cena. And as much as I hate it, I actually don’t mind it at the same time. If John Cena vs Brock Lesnar happens for the Title at SummerSlam, it should be just as good as their Extreme Rules match. Plus a SummerSlam card of Cena/Lesnar, Rollins/Ambrose, and Reigns/HHH sounds good to me. It’s the safe choice that we hate seeing the WWE make. But for once I’m not too upset about it.

Winner: John Cena

 

BD:  Randy Orton bores the hell out of me, John Cena bores the hell out of me, Kane bores the hell out of me, Bray Wyatt bores the hell out of me, Shaemus bores the hell out of me, I’m the only one in the world who cares about Alberto Del Rio so he isn’t winning, and Cesaro is fantastic but I don’t see him going from losing to Shaemus to the World Title. So the only one who I like that I can see winning is Roman Reigns, but I doubt that’s going to happen this early into his singles career, so it’ll probably be one of the guys that bores the hell out of me.

Winner: John Cena despite the wishes of every human being in this world

 

Chris Sanders: I suppose it all depends on exactly what Daniel Bryan is gonna say during the kickoff show and if he’ll give any indication on whether he’ll be back for Summerslam or not. But honestly, even if he does come back, there’s a good chance WWE will look to their safety net in hopes to help rebound their stock value. Clearly if Kane wins, they’re angling for Bryan to return soon and start immediately back in the championship scene. However, there’s a much more likely scenario and I think we’re gonna see everyone’s favorite dumb block head making that dumb block face at the top of the ladder…

Winner: John Cena (backup pick for no points: Kane)

 

Rhett Davis:  Everyone wants either Cesaro or Roman Reigns to win so naturally I think the winner will be the safe choice in John Cena.  Sadly.

Winner (and NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion):  John Cena

 

David Spain: I think there’s a good chance that Cena or Orton could walk away with thebelts. Sheamus already has one championship, and I think three belts is something the WWEmight be able to resist. Del Rio and Kane are coming out of blind-nowhere to be a part of thisthing, so I just can’t see the belts going home with them. Roman has business with Triple H,and the next ingredient to that is screwing him out of the championships. Bray might do it; I’dbe  more  likely  to  believe  he’d  pull  out  the  victory  than  Cesaro  (no  slur  on  the  SwissSuperman there at all; I simply think that Bray’s currently better situated and better advertisedfor the win). But at the end of the day, I think it’s going to be the kind of match that’ll get usto tune in to RAW the following night with fire and pitchforks. Enter the Viper.

Winner (and new Plural Champion): Randy Orton

 

The Tally:  John Cena – 4

Randy Orton – 1

Everyone Else – 0

 

Thank you for joining and be sure to keep it here for the latest on Money in the Bank!

Rhett Davis is a college student striving to become an engineer one day. He enjoys watching men fight over a pigskin, partying it up, and watching oiled up men move each other in unique positions on a mat. He started writing on 1/19/11.