WWE’s Confusing Money In The Bank Ads Have Left Employees Just As Baffled As Fans

No one knows whether this year’s Money in the Bank winners will get title shots or WrestleMania main event spots.

Even though Hell in a Cell is next up on WWE’s Premium Live Event calendar, most people already have an eye on what’s next. That’s because Money in the Bank on July 2 will spark a run of three stradium shows in two months. SummerSlam on July 30, and then Clash at the Castle on September 3, the first stadium show in the UK for 30 years.

WWE began hype for Money in the Bank at WrestleMania Backlash, airing an ad featuring Cody Rhodes in Allegiant Stadium from which the show will air live. Harmless enough, except one line in the ad has had people talking ever since. Rhodes states the winners of this year’s Money in the Bank ladder matches will book spots in WrestleMania main events.

That’s very different from the title shots holding a contract usually guarantees. Some believed it to simply be a slip up that somehow managed to fall through a number of cracks. However, that same ad aired unedited on Raw the following night, and then again during NXT on Tuesday. There has still been no clarification as to whether Money in the Bank winners now earn something different, and apparently those within WWE are just as confused.

According to a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, no one backstage knows what exactly is going on regarding this year’s Money in the Bank. That includes people who would usually in the know when it comes to that sort of thing. There was also no confirmation offered up by WWE, so for now, what exactly this year’s Money in the Bank winners will get remains a mystery.

It could be argued that Money in the Bank was in need of a shake up after a few of its most recent winners, and their subsequent cash-ins, haven’t felt quite as impactful. Having them hold the briefcase until WrestleMania with no threat of them cashing in before then though, that doesn’t feel like the solution. If WWE does follow through with this idea, it does also raise the question of what will next year’s Royal Rumble winners get if those main event slots have already been taken?

Source: TheSportster

UPDATE

The ad with Rhodes led to a lot of speculation, with many people assuming this was a mistake. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that many people within WWE were also under the belief that this year’s MITB stipulations would be the same as they have been in previous years.

It was said by some within WWE that the wording on the ad was a mistake that wasn’t caught when it aired at WrestleMania Backlash, but then WWE aired the same commercial on Monday and Tuesday.

One WWE source says McMahon has plans already in place for the top matches at WrestleMania 39, and that these plans do not include Money In the Bank winners in the top title matches. It’s still interesting that the commercial aired three times without an edit.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 5/10/22

Tonight’s WWE NXT 2.0 episode will feature fallout from last night’s NXT Spring Breakin’ special.

WWE RAW Preview 5/9/22

The post-WrestleMania Backlash edition of WWE RAW will air live tonight from the XL Center in Hartford, CT with fallout from last night’s Premium Live Event.

WWE has not announced any matches or segments for tonight but the build to Hell In a Cell on June 5 should begin.

WrestleMania Backlash saw the reveal of Rhea Ripley as the newest disciple to WWE Hall of Famer Edge, helping him defeat AJ Styles, so it’s likely that the Judgment Day storyline will continue tonight.

A new challenger for Cody Rhodes is also being teased now that he defeated Seth Rollins in their rematch last night

 An appearance by The Bloodline is possible as a follow-up to their win over RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania Backlash.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Backstage News On Charlotte Flair Being Written Off WWE TV

WWE announced that Charlotte Flair suffered a “fracture of the radius” during her I Quit match against Ronda Rousey at Sunday’s WrestleMania Backlash.

Following the announcement, Fightful Select reported that the injury is “very much a storyline angle” to write Flair off WWE TV. It was further noted that Flair was taking time away from the company.

Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer reports that Flair is getting married soon, and requested time off from WWE prior to Sunday’s event.

Flair recently revealed that her wedding to AEW star Andrade El Idolo is set to place this summer.

“We have a [wedding] date. It’s this summer in Mexico, I have my dress,” Flair told BT Sports’s Ariel Helwani. “I think Manny (Andrade) would be a little angry if I walked down the aisle with my title. He was like, ‘Mami, for the wedding, I do not want your hair to look like Charlotte.’ I was like, ‘what does that mean?’ Just less makeup, he likes the fresh face.”

After announcing Charlotte Flair’s injury Sunday, Kayla Braxton asked fans to check WWE’s website for regular updates regarding The Queen’s condition.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE WrestleMania Backlash Results 5/8/2022

Cody Rhodes defeated Seth Rollins

Omos defeated Bobby Lashley

Edge defeated AJ Styles

Styles goes to the top rope but now Damian Priest is walking down the entrance ramp. Priest points out he’s not yet at ringside but Finn Balor is right behind and the two brawl into the ring and back out to ringside.

In the confusion, a masked individual pulls Styles off the top rope. Edge locks on the cross face. Edge turns it into a sleeper hold on the mat and the referee calls for the bell.

The masked individual steps into the ring and kneels before Edge before unmasking to reveal it’s Rhea Ripley, sporting a darker hair color.

“I QUIT” MATCH FOR THE WWE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Ronda Rousey defeated Charlotte Flair (c) (**TITLE CHANGE**)

Madcap Moss defeated Happy Corbin

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns & SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso) defeated Drew McIntyre & Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle)

WWE WrestleMania Backlash 5/8/2022

DATE: May 8, 2022 8:00 pm
LOCATION: Dunkin’ Donuts Center, Providence, Rhode Island
AVAILABLE ON: Peacock (U.S.), WWE Network (International)

CARD

“I QUIT” MATCH FOR THE WWE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair (c)

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns & SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso) vs. Drew McIntyre & RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle)

Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins

AJ Styles vs. Edge
Damian Priest is banned from ringside.

Madcap Moss vs. Happy Corbin

Omos vs. Bobby Lashley

WWE SmackDown Preview 5/6/22

The WrestleMania Backlash go-home edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX will air live tonight from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.

It’s interesting to note that WWE has apparently pulled the Sheamus and Ridge Holland vs. The New Day Tables Match from tonight’s show. The match disappeared from the WWE website listing some time between Tuesday night and Thursday morning, and the old URL for the match preview now just says “Access Denied” when you try to access it.

The only match listed for tonight’s show is WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Sasha Banks vs. Shayna Baszler. This is to build to next Friday’s show with Banks and Naomi defending against Baszler and Natalya.

RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro are scheduled to appear tonight for the final WrestleMania Backlash build as they team with Drew McIntyre to face The Bloodline in six-man action on Sunday.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Big E Provides Update On Neck Injury, C1 Not Healing Optimally

Four to six more weeks in a neck brace for the former WWE Champion.

Pro wrestling might be staged, but every time wrestlers compete, they put their bodies and potentially even their lives on the line. We were reminded of that earlier this year when a belly-to-belly suplex gone wrong at ringside resulted in Big E suffering a broken neck. The former WWE Champion has naturally been absent from WWE TV ever since, providing updates on social media.

The latest of those updates came this morning, and while it wasn’t the worst news possible, it also wasn’t good news. E revealed that his C1 isn’t healing optimally, and that means he will be wearing the neck brace he has been sporting ever since suffering the injury for at least four more weeks. “I’ll spend another 4-6 weeks in a brace in hopes that I can avoid a fusion. But don’t you fret! I’ve got a tremendous support system & what shall be shall be,” E tweeted.

Shortly after E suffered the injury, and once the necessary tests had taken place, E revealed what exactly the extent of the damage was. His C1 and C6 had been fractured, but not displaced, which is apparently a good thing. He also hasn’t suffered any damage to his spinal cord or ligaments, so more good news off the bat.

The length of time E will be away from the ring remains unclear. In fact, whether the New Day member will be able to wrestle again at all is still very much up in the air. Wrestlers have come back from neck, back, and spinal injuries, of course. Now so more than ever as Edge is back wrestling, pretty much full-time, and Paige has even been hinting that she will wrestle again after having to retire at 25.

The main thing right now is making sure E heals and that he leads a happy and healthy life. He’s clearly getting the best care possible, and if four more weeks in a neck brace is what’s needed, then that’s what has to happen. He’s an incredibly positive guy who is incredibly well-liked in the locker room. We wish him all the best and hope we see him in a WWE ring again one day.

Source: TheSportster

What Happened After NXT Spring Breakin’ Abruptly Went Off The Air

The show ended with two hooded figures staring down an unsuspecting Bron Breakker.

NXT TV special Spring Breakin’ took place on Tuesday night. Cameron Grimes kicked things off by successfully defending the North American Title, and Nikkita Lyons and Cora Jade successfully saw off Natalya and Lash Legend. The show ended with Bron Breakker defending the NXT Title against Joe Gacy, a match that ended with the title still around the second-generation star’s waist.

After the match, Gacy was on his knees in the corner as two hooded figures in red masks stepped up onto the apron. However, it was at that point this week’s NXT 2.0 came to an abrupt end. If you went to bed wondering if that was intentional, no, it wasn’t. There was a whole segment planned after that, but the show clearly overran and it wasn’t shown on USA.

Instead, WWE had to settle for posting the footage on Twitter, which you can check out below. The clip begins with the hooded figures who were watching from around the arena descending on the ring and attacking Breakker with a steel chair. The two anonymous people in red masks then proceed to put the boots to the NXT Champion.

Gacy then directs the two of them as they remove a barbed wire-clad stretcher from under the ring and proceed to place Breakker onto it. The pair then slowly carries the champ out of the arena as the clip fades to black. That’s presumably where WWE actually planned on ending this week’s broadcast, more than 90 seconds after the USA feed was cut which resulted in a rather jarring end to the show.

That ending implies the issues between Breakker and Gacy aren’t over.

Source: TheSportster

WWE NXT Spring Breakin’ Preview 5/3/22

The special Spring Breakin’ edition of WWE NXT 2.0 will air tonight on the USA Network, live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.