The Post’s Joseph Staszewski brings you around the world of professional wrestling every Tuesday in his weekly column, the Post Match Angle.
WWE needs to shake up its premium live events schedule in 2023 – but leave Money in the Bank out of it.
Wrestle Votes reported this week that WWE is considering nixing the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view and saving the match as a blow-off to major feuds as it was originally intended, and that the idea of moving the Money in the Bank matches to its original home at WrestleMania – one each night – is also alive with Triple H now in charge.
If those conversations have been or are being had, step away from Money in the Bank. While I agree the Hell in Cell pay-per-view needs to go as well as Extreme Rules, Money in the Bank should remain its own separate show and there are multiple reasons why from both a potential revenue and creative standpoint.
The Money in the Bank concept needs to be viewed as a chance for WWE to create new stars, and prominent storylines and legitimate threats for its champions – something it hasn’t always done. And WrestleMania is the close to WWE’s creative cycle with things beginning anew at the “Monday Night Raw” after. So it comes down to, does it make more creative sense to crown Money in the Bank winners at WrestleMania or at a separate show at a different part of the year?
If you move the match to WrestleMania it’s a great chance to get even more talent on the cards with eight competitors in each match. But the flip side is, the field will likely be even further watered down than it normally is with a number of WWE’s biggest stars already locked into their own WrestleMania storylines. Unless you trim down the number of bouts, which could make it even easier to figure out the eventual winner.
By having the match at WrestleMania, you do create the opportunity for someone to win and cash-in at WWE’s biggest show or on Raw the next night and make huge headlines. But cashing in at WrestleMania is possible under the current format – and it sure worked out well for Seth Rollins. The biggest creative benefit of keeping Money in the Bank a separate show is the winners are the talk and headline of the night and for the next few weeks. Think Liv Morgan, Nikki A.S.H., Austin Theory and even Otis at the start. The briefcase holders – barring a cash-in – would feel pretty secondary to whatever else happens over the two days of WrestleMania. If you are looking to create a new star and a new champion during the slog of the WWE creative cycle, then keeping Money in the Bank separate feels like the way to go.
Then there is the fact that Money in the Bank has become WWE’s fifth biggest show – maybe fourth for a number of years with how poorly Survivor Series was handled. Why just throw that all away without trying to find a way to better monetize it? WWE tried making it a stadium show this year but was forced to move it from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas during the highly competitive international fight week in July to the smaller MGM Grand Arena two months prior to the show. WWE should maybe explore the logistics of moving Money in the Bank to September or October where Extreme Rules and Clash at the Castle were this year and working with teams to host it at an MLB stadium on a Saturday when the team is away.
So if you keep Money in the Bank on its own and nix Hell in a Cell and Extreme Rules — because mixing hardcore type matches onto regular cards make them feel even more special— what do you do to fill those slots on the calendar? (This would be a lot easier if NXT — in an attempt to win the Wednesday Night Wars — didn’t already claim Halloween Havoc, Great American Bash, and In Your House.) You will need three or four new shows if Day 1 remains off the calendar as it will conflict with the College Football Playoff.
First, you could bring back King of the Ring in place of Extreme Rules in October or as the early-in-the-year Saudi show, alternating that and the Elimination Chamber in February and March. I’d be all for WWE doing a UK/International pay-per-view every year in September. Then you bring back some combination of the classic Attitude Era shows — No Mercy, Unforgiven, Fully Loaded or Judgment Day — or make use of WCW classics such as Starrcade, SuperBrawl or Clash of the Champions to fill in the other holes. Or just create a brand new show named something better than Great Balls of Fire.
Whatever WWE chooses to do, it will likely be better than the way it’s done now where Hell in Cell and Extreme Rules matches dictate the creative instead of the creative dictating when those match types are needed. But leave Money in the Bank alone, it’s best the way it is.
Let it Raine
NXT did a fantastic job building to the debut of Ava Raine, The Rock’s daughter Simone Johnson, as the crowd had an audible gasp of surprise when she was revealed to be the person in the red hoodie and the newest member of the Joe Gacy’s Schism faction. They addressed her having a new “family” immediately in the promo and putting her in a group means she smartly won’t be out there on her own for a heel run with all the scrutiny she’s sure to get because of her family ties. Then when WWE thinks she’s ready, Raine can free herself from the cult-like Schism for a babyface singles run.
All Part Of The Plan?
We all kind of knew The Firm turning on MJF was coming, but seeing it actually unfold still felt very shocking. It does however all feel like one big master plan from MJF to make the audience believe he’s gone babyface. The look he and Stokley Hathaway give off that vibe in their interactions. As interesting as this angle is, AEW needs to get back to the actual clear and compelling story between MJF and Jon Moxley, the two men who will actually wrestle this match at Full Gear.
The 10 Count
Am I the only one at least a little skeptical of another masked Bray Wyatt character in this Uncle Howdy fellow because of the difficulty booking The Fiend? That is unless Uncle Howdy is Bo Dallas and we get an epic brother vs. brother feud.
Roman Reigns and Logan Paul had done a great job selling the YouTube star’s viability to shock the world at Crown Jewel. What has my interest peaked most is this feels like the most Reigns has dismissed a challenger.
I’m sure there will be more to it, but did Tony Khan have Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee beat FTR – in a superb match – with a low blow just so the latter is no longer the No. 1 contender for the AEW tag team championships right now and they can come back to this later? Swerve and Lee’s match against The Acclaimed at Full Gear should be their last together or close to it. Right now, Swerve is sooo better as a heel and Lee as babyface.
Grayson Waller is the perfect next opponent for new North American champion Wes Lee, but enough with all the main roster crossovers. They should feel special and not weekly. I do love R-Truth and want to see more of him on TV but Truth showing up felt like it took the spotlight away from Lee.
Read Related Also: Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Tim Dillon: A Real Hero’ On Netflix, A Podcasting Comedian Has The Stage All To Himself
For anyone who has ever made excuses for a wrestling company’s creative, The Bloodline storyline is a reminder of the magic pro wrestling can create with simple layered storytelling that is lightly scripted and all performers on the same page having a blast. “Ucey” will now forever be a thing that cracks me up.
Happy to see Emma (Tenille Dashwood) getting a second chance in WWE along with the rumors Chelsea Green, Mia Yim and possibly Tegan Nox could get the same. Hopefully, someone arises as a much-needed new challenger to Bianca Belair’s Raw women’s championship, or the depth is used to rebuild the women’s tag team division.
Johnny Gargano was fantastic in the “60 Minutes”-like WWE Investigates segment that included “Dark Side of the Ring”-like reenactments staring Johnny Wrestling in all the roles to expose The Miz for initially paying Dexter Lumis to attack and kidnap him. The witty segment itself really should have some staying power as a storytelling device in WWE.
After WWE gave us the White Rabbit, AEW delivered a cryptic video of The Elite disappearing from company history as if Thanos snapped his fingers. It comes after a Fightful report that the group’s return from suspension is imminent. You’d think they’ll be back on TV before or at Full Gear, but it will be intriguing how it’s executed after that video.
Bully Ray’s angle after winning the Call Your Shot Gauntlet at Impact’s Bound for Glory has just gotten interesting. The Hall of Famer has told world champion Josh Alexander he would ask for his title match the right way and not cash in nefariously. But now, given his history, him being suspected for attack Ace Austin in the parking lot and Moose’s actions, Ray’s intentions are being questioned. He also seems to be struggling with it as well. Will he live up to his word?
Not sure bringing back the unhinged version of Nikki Cross only to have her lose her first match – yes to Belair – really was the right call.
Extra: Congratulations to Sheamus and his wife Isabella Revilla on their wedding over the weekend. And our heart go out to Carmella and Corey Graves after she revealed having an ectopic pregnancy.
Extra, Extra: Loved, loved, loved WWE showing people dressed as some of the wrestlers for Halloween as well as Chad Gable and Otis’ steal-the-show Chippendale dancing.
Wrestlers of the Week
Alexa Bliss and Asuka, WWE
The duo returned from a month-long hiatus from TV in storyline because of an attack by Damage CTRL only to defeat Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky for the WWE women’s tag team championship in the main event of “Monday Night Raw.” The surprise title win makes Asuka a three-time women’s tag champ with a third different partner (Thanks @WWeStats) after Kairi Sane and Charlotte Flair the first two times. Bliss is now also a three-time tag champ, previously with Nikki Cross.
Match to Watch
Gunther (c.) vs Rey Mysterio, Intercontinental championship on SmackDown (Friday, 8 p.m., Fox)
Rey Mysterio and Dominik breaking up may be the best thing to happen for both. Dominik is thriving as a heel and Rey feels rejuvenated during his Intercontinental championship quest on SmackDown. Seeing what Mysterio, 47, and Gunther, 37, pull out in this match should be worth the price of admission for their first-ever meeting – which will be very different than what we saw from the champ vs. Sheamus. Will this be a one-off or the start of something truly new for Mysterio?
Honorable Mention: Chris Jericho (c.) vs. Mystery former Ring of Honor champion, ROH world championship on Dynamite.
Around the Ring
Cody Rhodes said on Twitter that he didn’t leave AEW because of The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, money or booking, but a “personal issue and wanting to go for the big one.”
Shinsuke Nakamura announced he will be having a dream match with the Great Muta on Jan. 2 as part of NOAH’s The New Year 2023 show in Budokan Hall.
