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oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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Money in the Bank is a multi man ladder match that debuted at Wrestlemania 21 in 2005 as the idea of Chris Jericho in which a briefcase containing a contract for a shot at the WWE championship is suspended over the ring. There are no refs, no DQs and no rules. The man who gets the briefcase has one (1) year to cash it in and he may do so at any time he chooses without restriction. Obviously this means the holder has a huge advantage and can choose his time to strike.

I decided to do this review of all MITB matches because first my work schedule changed and I have a few free hours to kill now and second the matches are all at least pretty good if only because of the train wreck appeal of them. Hopefully a match will be posted at most every three days. However I reserve the right to get bored of this and just quit.

#1: Wrestlemania 21. April 3, 2005 in Los Angeles, California.

Participants: Chris Jericho, Edge, Christian (with Tyson Tomko), Chris Benoit (RIP), Kane, Shelton Benjamin (RIP).

This was during the Brand Split so all wrestlers are on the RAW brand. A huge slugfest in the aisle starts the match off. Kane beats up everyone but eventually the numbers take over and Benoit and Shelton take him out. Christian takes the opportunity to get a ladder but while he's pulling it in the ring through the ropes Jericho jumps on the end driving it like a see saw into his face. Shelton and Jericho pair off while JR explains the concept of the match for a third time.

Edge and Benoit climb up on the apron but Jericho hits a springboard dropkick sending them down to the floor and then Jericho jumps out after them. Then Christian hits a splash onto the three of them and THEN Benjamin hits a Hilo on them AND THEN KANE jumps off the turnbuckle onto them. Kane brings out a ladder from under the ring and starts smashing people until Jericho hits a middle rope dropkick on him. Then Jericho takes over with the ladder hitting Edge and Shelton. Benoit runs in and absolutely murders Jericho with a German suplex while Jericho is still holding the ladder causing the ladder to fly out of the ring in a cool visual.

Benoit sets up a ladder and starts climbing up only to get chokelsammed off by Kane. However, Benoit reverses it and drops down into the Crippler Crossface and Kane taps out to no avail. Edge drags Benoit off Kane but also gets caught in the Crossface. Benoit is just killing people in there. Kane uses the ladder like a battering ram into Benoit's head to end that. Kane repeatedly slams Benoits arm between the ladder legs but gets speared by Edge when he turns around.

Edge and Christian team up and sandwich Kane between two ladders but then get hit by a springboard clothesline from Benjamin. A cool spot where Shelton hits his Dragon Whip on Christian when Edge ducks it. Edge sets up a ladder in the corner and whips Shelton into it but when he goes for a spear Shelton flapjacks him into the ladder. Crowd is now chanting Sheltons name. Shelton sets up Edge and hits an impressive looking Stinger Splash. Edge falls out and Shelton is all alone climbing the ladder and touching the briefcase. One of the flaws of these types of matches comes up where the person on the ladder has to obviously not grab the briefcase while waiting for the next segment.

Jericho scales the other side and they start slugging it out. Eventually more ladders get set up and everyone but Kane is clustered underneath the briefcase chopping and punching each other. It's pretty obvious Shelton does not fit in at all as he's the only American in the group. Christian and Benoit are taken out as Christian hits a DDT/armbreaker thing from the top of the ladder down to the mat. Next goes Jericho off some simple punches and finally Shelton hits his finisher, a T-Bone suplex, on Edge off of the ladder popping the crowd huge.

Christian jams a ladder into the rungs of the sole standing ladder so it forms a ramp and then gets his head rammed into by Jericho. Jericho claims up the opposite side and reaches for the briefcase but Shelton runs up the ladderramp and clotheslines Jericho off the top in a cool visual. We get a view of that bump from the birds eye camera by the briefcase, dubbed the Wile E. Coyote camera by Lawler. Shelton climbs but gets knocked off by Christian who in turn gets booted by Kane. Kane tries to chokelsam Shelton over the top rope but they gently caress it up and Shelton gets caught up in the top rope.

Tyson Tomko solves that problem by running in and kicking Kane down. He sets up the ladder and helps Christian up by putting him on his shoulders. Kane recovers and takes out Tomko. Kane then tips the ladder over spilling Christian outside the ring onto Tomko. Kane has his hands on the briefcase but again has to stand up there as Jericho is late climbing up to stop him. Jericho was also at fault the first time it happened. Kane and Jericho both kind just lean to the side and tip the ladder over and take themselves out. Kane is left alone lying in the middle of the ring.

Benoit, selling the hurt arm from earlier, sets up a ladder in the corner and climbs up and hits his falling headbutt and then goes into convulsions from the 16 foot drop. Benoit is bleeding from his nose and his stitches from earlier shows have also split and blood is coming from his forehead. Chris Benoit killed his wife and child in 2007. Benoit sets up a ladder and climbs it but KANE SITS UP. Kane climbs up but Benoit fends him off with a bunch of headbutts. Crowd cheers Benoits victory but Edge comes in and knocks Benoit off with a chair shot to the injured arm and claims the briefcase and becomes the inaugural MITB winner while Benoit lays on the mat and bleeds and screams. Benoit was such a good wrestler. Edge celebrates and so ends the first MITB.


Any comments or suggestions are welcome whether in the thread or through PMs. Should I go on and say how the briefcase was cashed in and on whom and the result? Should there be any type of video package description? Help me help you make this better.

For brevity sake, I will start using abbreviations

SUAL: sets up a ladder
SUALACI: and climbs it
GKOTL: gets knocked off the ladder

I hope people enjoyed this and it becomes a good thread.

oldpainless fucked around with this message at 00:09 on Apr 26, 2017

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Grifter
Jul 24, 2003

I do this technique called a suplex. You probably haven't heard of it, it's pretty obscure.
As a non wrestling person, where did the ladder match in general come from?

Push El Burrito
May 9, 2006

Soiled Meat

Grifter posted:

As a non wrestling person, where did the ladder match in general come from?

Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon invented it to determine who could do more cocaine.

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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Grifter posted:

As a non wrestling person, where did the ladder match in general come from?

As far as I know, the first ladder match was done in Stampede Wrestling up in Canada in the early 70s

C. Everett Koop
Aug 18, 2008

oldpainless posted:

As far as I know, the first ladder match was done in Stampede Wrestling up in Canada in the early 70s

Also to see who could do more cocaine.

punchdaily
Nov 8, 2010

oldpainless posted:

As far as I know, the first ladder match was done in Stampede Wrestling up in Canada in the early 70s

There are clips of a Stampede Wrestling ladder match Bret was in in one of the documentaries they put out about him. They use a household wooden ladder and the ten seconds they show looks like the most dangerous thing I've ever seen in wrestling. Despite having seen them wrestle after the fact, I can only assume Bret and Bad News Allan died in that match.

MysticalMachineGun
Apr 5, 2005

I love MITB so looking forward to more reviews.

Jerusalem
May 20, 2004

Would you be my new best friends?

oldpainless posted:

Should I go on and say how the briefcase was cashed in and on whom and the result? Should there be any type of video package description? Help me help you make this better.

I think that would be good, Edge's cash-in was pretty loving spectacular and really cemented him after years of teasing as a main event level guy.

This is a really good idea for a thread, good jo-

oldpainless posted:

Chris Benoit killed his wife and child in 2007.

Goddammit!

Cavauro
Jan 9, 2008

money in the thanks for this thread. You god drat little guy. i dont know what size you are really. hell if i know. Damned if i know

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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MysticalMachineGun posted:

I love MITB so looking forward to more reviews.

Thanks

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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Jerusalem posted:

I think that would be good, Edge's cash-in was pretty loving spectacular and really cemented him after years of teasing as a main event level guy.

This is a really good idea for a thread, good job




Thanks

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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Cavauro posted:

money in the thanks for this thread. You god drat little guy. i dont know what size you are really. hell if i know. Damned if i know

Thanks?

IcePhoenix
Sep 18, 2005

Take me to your Shida

Jerusalem posted:

Goddammit!

Woo?

El Estrago Bonito
Dec 17, 2010

Scout Finch Bitch

Grifter posted:

As a non wrestling person, where did the ladder match in general come from?

There's a limited amount of objects that could feasibly be left around in a place where a wrestling show can take place. So when you start getting into the 70s and the popularity of no disqualification bouts like the Brass Knuckles Championship and similar matches you start seeing a large variety of weapons come into play. Chairs, ladders, etc would obviously need to be in a venue and so they become very common. The logic behind why all this stuff is under the ring doesn't make sense until you remember that it has it's roots in a time when wrestling matches were held in places like bingo halls and Elks lodges, where under the ring is a perfectly sensible place to store things that belong to the promoter. Eventually these props get used enough that certain wrestlers get associated with them, once that happens it makes sense to book a match based around the prop.

That DICK!
Sep 28, 2010

fucker

Taintrunner
Apr 10, 2017

by Jeffrey of YOSPOS
The money in the bank should become the money of the masses. Only when the talent throws off their chains and overthrows the Meekmahon family, seizing the booking of production, will they finally realize their value as Superstars.

Endorph
Jul 22, 2009

Push El Burrito posted:

Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon invented it to determine who could do more cocaine.
why didnt mr. perfect do a run-in

MysticalMachineGun
Apr 5, 2005


more like oldthankful

Endless Mike
Aug 13, 2003



El Estrago Bonito posted:

There's a limited amount of objects that could feasibly be left around in a place where a wrestling show can take place. So when you start getting into the 70s and the popularity of no disqualification bouts like the Brass Knuckles Championship and similar matches you start seeing a large variety of weapons come into play. Chairs, ladders, etc would obviously need to be in a venue and so they become very common. The logic behind why all this stuff is under the ring doesn't make sense until you remember that it has it's roots in a time when wrestling matches were held in places like bingo halls and Elks lodges, where under the ring is a perfectly sensible place to store things that belong to the promoter. Eventually these props get used enough that certain wrestlers get associated with them, once that happens it makes sense to book a match based around the prop.

Modern wrestling rings are assembled with kendo sticks and sledgehammers, which is why they are often found under the ring.

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames
Punk's cash-in on Jeff Hardy will always be my favorite because it kicked off his massive but extremely gradual heel turn.

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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#2: Wrestlemania 22. April 2, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois.

Participants: Matt Hardy, Shelton Benjamin (with the Intercontinental Championship), Finlay (with shillelagh), Rob Van Dam, "The Boss" Bobby Lashley, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

Commentators: Michael Cole (SmackDown), Tazz (SmackDown), Jerry "The King" Lawler (Raw), Jim "JR" Ross (Raw).

The most obvious change for the second ever MITB is that now it has wrestlers from both brands and so logically all four commentators are working the match. For the record Flair is 57 years old in this match. Big brawl to start off as JR explains that there's no rules to the match. Lashley takes control quickly and the announcers crow about the SHEER POWER of Lashley followed seconds later by Lashley being unable to properly press Ric Flair for a slam. Shelton catches Lashley with a sweet kick to the head which takes Lashley out. Meanwhile Hardy is grabbing a ladder from the aisle way.

Matt sets it on the apron and RVD dropkicks it into his stomach. He follows that up with a plancha onto Matt and the ladder in a good bump. Shelton beats Finlay down with a ladder and then drapes it across the top rope forming a ramp to the outside. He plays to the crowd for a second and then runs up the ramp and hits a senton (diving somersault) onto Hardy, RVD and Lashley.

That leaves Flair and Finlay in the ring to battle it out. Flair SUALACI but he's way the gently caress out of position. Hardy scrambles up the other side and then suplexes Flair up and over to crash onto the mat. Flair screams in pain and the refs check on him and call for medical help. JR reminds us that Flair legitimately broke his back back in 1975. Flair is helped to the back while the crowd chants his name.

Back in the ring, RVD drop toeholds Shelton face first onto a ladder and then goes for the Rolling Thunder but Shelton moves and RVD thuds right on the ladder. We get a replay of the suplex bump from the Wile E. Coyote cam. Meanwhile, Lashley SUALACI but only goes about halfway up the ladder and then stares at the briefcase. The announcers suspect Lashley suffers from acrophobia. Shelton runs up the opposite side and goes for a sunset flip powerbomb but Lashley hold onto the ladder. Hardy and Finlay come over and help Shelton hit the powerbomb. The spot is more about showing off the SHEER POWER of Lashley by talking about the fact it took three men to get him off (heh) but the spot probably would have been more impressive if Shelton had just hit the powerbomb in the first place. The mics manage to pick up Lashley calling Finlay a bathturd.

Finlay takes out Shelton by normal means but gets pushed back into the corner by Hardy who then leans a ladder against him. The crowd chants for RVD during all this. Hardy charges across the ring but Finlay just tosses the ladder back at Hardy and catches him in a good looking spot. RVD slithers into the ring and reaches for the briefcase even though he's on his knees on the mat and it makes me laugh. Finlay takes him out and is left all alone in the ring. He starts setting up a ladder but the crowd starts WOOing and we see Ric Flair walking the aisle back down the ring.

Finlay jumps out of the ring and right into a vicious chop and then gets sent into the barricade. Tazz questions the legality of Flair returning to the match which allows the other commentators to explain the rules, or lack thereof, of the match and how anything goes. Hardy and Benjamin both try to keep Flair from stylin and profilin up the ladder but he just chops the poo poo out of both of them. Shelton takes an over the top rope bump off a chop.

Flair climbs up and the crowd roars but Finlay uses his shillelagh and coldcocks Flair who tumbles down. Shelton and Finlay slug it out on the ladder but Lashley uses his SHEER POWER to hit the ladder with another ladder and knock it all down. Lashley hits the Dominator on Shelton. Lashley SUALACI cautiously but RVD hits a Van Daminator off the top turnbuckle into Lashley's back. Hardy pushes RVD out of the ring and then hits a leg drop on Lashley from about 3/4 of the way up the ladder.

Hardy SUALACI but Finlay scrambles up the same side. Matt turns around so they're dancing cheek to cheek (Hardy in green) and then hits a Side Effect off the ladder in a nice visual. Everyone is down so RVD takes this opportunity to climb to the very top of a ladder and splashes Finlay. It was meant to be a 5* Frogsplash but he more or less just fell off rather than jumped but I'm sure the ladder isn't the most stable of surfaces to try that move from.

Crowd chants ECW. RVD climbs and almost has the briefcase but in a cool shot Shelton just jumps in from offscreen and lands opposite RVD on the ladder. He springboarded (sprungboard?) off the top rope but like I said its got a good element of surprise for the viewer. While RVD and Shelton fight, Matt SUALACI and now there's a 3-way going on. RVD pushes over the ladder holding the other two and they spill to the outside. RVD is left alone and claims the briefcase.

RVD would go on to cash in his shot on John Cena at ECW One Night Stand that June and win, becoming the only man to hold both the ECW World Heavyweight Title and the WWE Title. One month later RVD, along with Sabu, would be arrested for possession of marijuana and Vicodin. He would lose both titles and be suspended for a month. RVD was charged with possession while Sabu was charged with homicide and genocide.

Final Thoughts: A good match overall. It serves as a showcase for Lashley who was still new while Benjamin and Hardy have experience with these types of matches. Flair and Finlay seem like the odd men out but Flair leaving and returning later is a good moment and gets a great reaction from the crowd. The star obviously is Rob Van Dam as this match starts his push to become the top guy and its too bad his reign got cut short due to a dumb decision.

Next time: a major change impacts the MITB as we know it.

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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Jerusalem
May 20, 2004

Would you be my new best friends?

I think I remember Flair and Finlay were feuding at the time. I think I recall it because Flair would happily tell stories about how back in WCW when he'd show up and look at who he was booked to have a match with if he saw it was Finlay he would wipe his name off the whiteboard :allears:

RVD's cash-in and victory over Cena was amazing, and in a neat callback to the previous MITB it was thanks to assistance by Edge. Hell, the crowd literally chanted,"THANK YOU EDGE!" when he interfered!

MysticalMachineGun
Apr 5, 2005

Shelton :allears:

I hope they offer him a contract now that he's healed in time for MITB. He's the MVP of the match type.

Grifter
Jul 24, 2003

I do this technique called a suplex. You probably haven't heard of it, it's pretty obscure.

El Estrago Bonito posted:

There's a limited amount of objects that could feasibly be left around in a place where a wrestling show can take place. So when you start getting into the 70s and the popularity of no disqualification bouts like the Brass Knuckles Championship and similar matches you start seeing a large variety of weapons come into play. Chairs, ladders, etc would obviously need to be in a venue and so they become very common. The logic behind why all this stuff is under the ring doesn't make sense until you remember that it has it's roots in a time when wrestling matches were held in places like bingo halls and Elks lodges, where under the ring is a perfectly sensible place to store things that belong to the promoter. Eventually these props get used enough that certain wrestlers get associated with them, once that happens it makes sense to book a match based around the prop.
That makes sense, thanks. This is all new to me. In MMA the space under the ring is only used to hide from piss collectors.

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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# 3: Wrestlemania 23. April 1, 2007 in Detroit, Michigan.

Participants: Jeff Hardy (with Matt Hardy), King Booker (with Queen Sharmell), Finlay (with shillelagh), CM Punk (RIP), Kennedy (KENNEDY) (with mic) (RIP), Matt Hardy (with Jeff Hardy), Randy Orton, Edge.

Commentators: Jim Ross (Raw), Jerry "The King" Lawler (Raw), Michael Cole (Smackdown), JBL (Smackdown), Joey Styles (ECW), Tazz (ECW).

First things first: There are now 3 brands competing so we have six announcers. This also means we have 8 competitors which is a smart move in my opinion. More people means less downtime as people recover and the bumps are able to be spread around more hopefully cutting down on injury. This is the first MITB to have a returning winner (Edge) and this is the 2nd MITB for three contestants (Matt and Finlay). Kennedy, as probably the least familiar to people who aren't big into wrestling, was a guy who got over on his mic skills which were at least unique, if not actually good. His gimmick was he would repeat his last name twice. That's pretty much it but at least it was different and brought in some crowd participation. Kennedy was pegged to be a pretty big star by management but a reputation (rightfully deserved) of getting injured, being disliked by top guys, and getting caught up in the steroid scandal of the late 2000s got him released and he ended up in TNA. The complaint from top guys, such as Cena and Orton and HBK, was that Kennedy would do things "realistically", such as wiggling around during a bodyslam, which was a danger to both himself and his opponent. Kennedy's defense of this was that if wrestling was supposed to be real, it would make sense to try to fight back during these types of maneuvers. I'll let you decide who was in the right. Anyway, after injuring Cena on a hip toss, that was the last straw and Kennedy died the next year. So endeth the tale of MR Kennedy.




KENNEDY



Bell rings and we are underway. Everyone stands in a big circle staring at the briefcase and each other for about 10 seconds until we have a big brawl and JR explains the rules of the match. Cole clarifies that the winner can challenger for any World Title of their choosing and JR counters by reminding us that there are NO COUNTOUTS OR DISQUALIFICATIONS. We end up with Finlay jumping off the top to the outside, taking out everyone but Edge and Matt Hardy. Edge hosed Matt Hardy's girlfriend Lita and then drove him off of RAW and then out of the WWE. They tussle in-ring for a bit and spill to the outside. This allows Finlay and Orton to climb a ladder and begin trading blows (punches). They knock each other off and spill to the outside. This allows Jeff and Kennedy to climb in the ring and start fighting. They spill to the outside whilst Booker grabs a ladder from under the ring but it turns out to be a step-ladder about 3 feet high which CM Punk takes from him and starts using as a weapon. A nice bit of foreshadowing. Edge, the ULTIMATE OPPORTUNIST, takes the ladder and just throws it into Punk's head which busts him open.

Everyone pairs off while Booker climbs into the ring and then people just calmly walk up to him and get spinebustered in a row, ninja-style. The ring clear and everyone down, Booker takes the opportunity to do a spinaroonie instead of trying to win the match. Edge and the Hardy Boys take down Booker and then Matt gives Edge the Side Effect. Something something Edge gives Lita the Side Effect. This leaves the Hardys and whether they're going to fight. JBL mentions that they have never been in a ladder match where they opposed each other which is an outright loving lie.

They decide to beat Edge's rear end some more and set a ladder down horizontally and then drape another ladder over it. Jeff goes up top but gets jerked off (heh) by Finlay so Edge takes the opportunity to suplex Matt onto the ladders. Kennedy runs in and cleans house and set up Matt on a ladder and goes for the Kenton Bomb but Matt moves and Kennedy hits the ladder. While Kennedy writhes in pain, Jeff goes ahead and hits the Stanton Bomb on him. The Hardys each take an end of a ladder and start walloping anything that moves and then SUALACI. However, there can be only one so they start fighting it out on the ladder getting a good reaction from the crowd. Finlay pushes the ladder over and Matt and Jeff crash down to earth hardyway. Finlay clotheslines the poo poo of everyone. Finlay always had really good looking clotheslines, probably second to only Chris Benoit who murdered his wife and child in 2007. JBL uses one of his favorite phrases "lights on bright" to describe Wrestlemania. Despite all of his rear end-kicking, Finlay gets speared by Edge, much like Lita got speared by Edge repeatedly.

Edge spears Orton! Edge spears Booker! Edge spears Kennedy! Edge spears Hardy! Edge spears the other Hardy! He tries to spear Punk but Punk leapfrogs and Edge hits the turnbuckle face-first. Punk and Orton have done nothing this entire match. Punk puts the ladder on his shoulders with his head coming through the rungs and starts spinning around, taking out everyone. Then, in a cool spot, Edge spears Punk knocking him backwards which in turn drives the ladder into Orton and Finlay. Edge stands triumphant and alone in the ring. He goes outside and gets a bigger ladder while the announcers giggle about how size does matter in life. Ladder looks to be about 12 feet tall or so. High enough so you wouldn't have to reach for the briefcase.

Edge climbs up but gets pushed over and out of the ring by Orton who takes a face-first suplex from Jeff Hardy. Matt drapes Edge across a ladder that has been set up as a bridge between the ring and barricade and Jeff climbs up the tall ladder and just jumps right onto Edge killing himself, Edge, and the ladder. Crowd loves it and JBL berates Jeff for not winning the match when he had the chance. With all the insane bumps Jeff has taken for the last 25 years, I'm amazed he can walk. Math grinds to a halt as the refs check on Jeff and Edge and we get a replay. The EMTs come down while JBL damns Jeff Hardy to hell, STRAIGHT TO HELL, for being a human highlight reel. Both Edge and Jeff Hardy are taken away.

JR, who 30 seconds ago was lamenting the possible end of these two young men's careers, notes that the match must go on and starts calling the action again. RKO for Matt Hardy! Orton stares up at the briefcase. Finlay spins him around. RKO for Finlay! Orton stares up at the briefcase. Kennedy spins him around. RKO for Kennedy! Orton finally thinks to SUALACI but Punk catches him in the back with a ladder. Punk SUALACI right next to Orton's and the commentators note how neither ladder is actually under the briefcase. Can't Measure Punk. Orton returns and RKOs Punk off the ladder in a cool spot. JBL mentions cordwood.

All alone, Booker climbs the ladder but doesn't bother to put it in the correct position. Orton returns and goes for the RKO off the ladder but Booker fights back and hits a Rock Bottom off the ladder. Booker climbs again and Hardy scales the other side to fight him. Sharmell runs into the ring and pulls on Hardy's leg so he jumps down and threatens to Twist of Fate her. Booker is caight in a moral quandary between saving his wife or getting the briefcase. In a nice bit of character development, Booker jumps down to save her while JBL calls him a fool. Hardy gives Booker the Twist of Fate.

Finlay runs in and pushes the ladder over and then gives Matt a Celtic Cross on the ladder. Finlay has been busted open from above the eye and the top of the head and has a pretty good amount of blood going. Finlay's hair is white so its a good color contrast. Hornswoggle, Finlay's leprechaun or midget depending on who you ask, runs in and starts climbing up the ladder while Finlay cheers him on. Kennedy kicks Finlay in the face and climbs up. He glares at Hornswoggle who slaps him twice. Kennedy no-sells and gives Hornswoggle the Pittsburgh Plunge off the ladder! Finlay nails Kennedy with a ladder and goes up but Punk hits a dropkick on the ladder and Finlay and the ladder both go down. Punk SUALACI but Kennedy runs up and they slug it out. Punk headbutts Kennedy off but then Kennedy uses the ladder as a battering ram to knock off Punk. Kennedy climbs and claims the briecase! Your winner: MR KENNEDY




KENNEDY





JR notes that both winners of the first 2 MITB would cash in and become champions and ponders if Kennedy will follow suit. he wont Kennedy announced he would cash in at the next Wrestlemania. However, during a match with Edge in which his MITB title shot was at stake, Kennedy was injured and was projected to be out for a while. That's the end of the MITB storyline for Kennedy.

Final Thoughts: Like I said, going to 8 people was an improvement just because more bodies equals more action. This MITB had the first huge bump with the splash Jeff did to Edge but the ending of it was kind of anti-climactic. Lots of finishers like the spears and the RKOs is always a hit and I really like Booker's decision to save Sharmell as so many times heels are just out for themselves. Hornswoggle taking the big bump was cool and the Hardys are always good in matches like these.

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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rare Magic card l00k
Jan 3, 2011


It should also be noted that back then many goons had Kennedy at the top of the list of 'guys who should end Undertaker's streak'.

DeathChicken
Jul 9, 2012

Nonsense. I have not yet begun to defile myself.

It was kind of weird the way Kennedy lost the briefcase too. As I recall, Edge preemptively beat the poo poo out of him with a monitor before the match with the briefcase on the line. Heel Kennedy did the "I will bravely and stupidly signal for the ref to start the match anyway in spite of being half-dead" thing usually reserved for faces, then promptly lost. Whoops

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames
How do you injure someone on a hip toss? Or has Cena just always been made of glass despite his mutant healing factor?

rare Magic card l00k
Jan 3, 2011


sticklefifer posted:

How do you injure someone on a hip toss? Or has Cena just always been made of glass despite his mutant healing factor?

By actually pulling on a guy instead of being a body for him to bump over, I presume.

Aphrodite
Jun 27, 2006

Cena was the one doing the hip toss.

http://www.wwe.com/videos/john-cena-suffers-injury-against-mr-kennedy-raw-october-1-2007

It doesn't look obvious what caused it.

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames
Oh right, he tore like his entire pec off doing that, didn't he? So did Kennedy just sandbag him then, or was it a freak accident and they blamed him anyway because Cena?

Aphrodite
Jun 27, 2006

He had some events mixed up. Kennedy actually wasn't fired until May 2009. He doesn't seem to have been especially punished for the Cena injury. He went into a Jeff Hardy feud, then HBK.

It was after nearly injuring Orton that he got fired. According to Kennedy himself, Orton was pissed and went to Vince and had Cena back him up.

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ulob_LR-kIs

A clip of Kennedy suplexing Orton and Orton obviously getting pissed off

oldpainless
Oct 30, 2009

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Aphrodite posted:

He had some events mixed up. Kennedy actually wasn't fired until May 2009. He doesn't seem to have been especially punished for the Cena injury. He went into a Jeff Hardy feud, then HBK.

It was after nearly injuring Orton that he got fired. According to Kennedy himself, Orton was pissed and went to Vince and had Cena back him up.

Although I appreciate the clarification I must remind you that I am always totally correct and never make any mistakes

Jerusalem
May 20, 2004

Would you be my new best friends?

From memory once Kennedy had lost the MITB briefcase because they thought he was going to be injured for months.... it turns out he was okay and was back in like 3-4 weeks?

Jetfire
Apr 29, 2008

Jerusalem posted:

From memory once Kennedy had lost the MITB briefcase because they thought he was going to be injured for months.... it turns out he was okay and was back in like 3-4 weeks?

That was definitely the reason. Kennedy started a countdown to the next Wrestlemania, stating he wouldn't cash in until then, but it was shut down almost immediately due to injury - which seems weird, in retrospect, because even if he was going to be out for 6-8 months (which he wasn't) that'd still be enough time to come back before Mania.

The Croc
Dec 19, 2004

A-well-a everybody's heard about the bird!

OH YEAH!



Kennedys sacrifice led Edge to again have a bad rear end cash in

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DMorbid
Jan 6, 2011

Hello! I see you.


rare Magic card l00k posted:

It should also be noted that back then many goons had Kennedy at the top of the list of 'guys who should end Undertaker's streak'.
I wasn't on SA yet at that point, but this tended to be the sentiment in quite a few places and even back then I thought it was dumb. I didn't exactly dislike Kennedy (yet) but thought he should be an upper midcarder/occasional main event guy at best.

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