Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.

This week, Dallas Allsopp, Bodeen Green and Aryan Malhotra will be reviewing Money in the Bank 2020.

Money in the Bank 2020 was a unique event, as the titular match was turned into a Climb the Corporate Ladder Money in the Bank match. But was the change effective? Did the winners deserve their briefcases? And will Drew McIntyre continue to feud with the Monday Night Messiah?


ALLSOPP: Asuka isn’t a surprising choice per say, as she is one of the strongest women in WWE. I assumed Shayna Baszler was a cert for the win, but I’m very happy that The Empress of Tomorrow is once again being pushed hard. In terms of Otis, his win is one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Money in the Bank concept, but he deserves this no less than Asuka. Otis has been one of the most entertaining aspects of WWE over the past few months, and there are multiple options available to Otis that can make for entertaining television. I just hope Otis is allowed to shine with the briefcase, as many male briefcase holders have been booked poorly whilst they wait to finally cash in.

GREEN: This was a very interesting result to a very interesting match. Due to her long history with Becky Lynch, I felt that Asuka wouldn't have much of a chance. But after Lynch’s announcement on Raw, it made perfect sense as she easily deserved to win the Money in the Bank briefcase, and as a result, the Raw Women’s Championship. I also look forward to her time with the title, as her over the top performances during the empty arena situation have been a highlight of each show. This also explains why Shayna Baszler lost, as management may not have wanted her to win her first title outside of NXT via forfeit. Otis winning the Money In The Bank briefcase was also another shocking win, even more shocking than Asuka winning. Whilst I enjoy watching Otis and think he has a great character, he doesn't deserve the Money in the Bank briefcase, especially when you compare him to the other people that were actually in the match. Whilst Dolph Ziggler and Otis have had a great singles feud, Otis is still a tag team competitor. Whilst this might be a great short term idea, I really don't see any effect it has in the long term.

MALHOTRA: Asuka definitely deserved to win, which was the best decision in my opinion. One could argue that the majority thought Shayna Baszler or even Nia Jax would win, but Asuka was not that far fetched considering her recent increased exposure, in addition to reports that Vince McMahon was really impressed with her. So whilst a little shocking, it was a great decision, and it will be interesting to see her be added to the Raw Women’s championship scene again.

Otis winning was a big shock, as he was probably the last person in the match I expected to win. I am still not convinced or sure about his victory. Though on one hand we can see how Otis has organically gotten over recently, firstly with his tag team and then as part of the Mandy Rose storyline. He has been entertaining, and is a WWE creation at the end of the day rather than being an indie star like so many others. However, seeing him go from just the comedy tag team to the top, I do not see him as a viable option based on his persona and matches. There are possibilities of him losing the briefcase or cashing it in on the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, but I think this win should have gone to somebody else, and Otis should have been left to grow and develop in his fun midcard role.


GREEN: Whilst they didn't have much to compete with, to me, this was the match of the night. I am honestly undecided when it comes to Drew McIntyre’s next title defense. Whilst I would love to see these two men face off again at Backlash, I don't feel like management would have Seth Rollins lose 3 pay-per-view matches in a row. However, I don't see McIntyre defending against anyone else except for either AJ Styles or even a cross brand match with someone from SmackDown. Whilst it wouldn't make any sense, it hasn't stopped WWE from doing it in the past.

MALHOTRA: On paper, this rivalry sounds like one that could easily stretch on and be entertaining for a couple of months. It has been really entertaining in terms of in ring performances, whilst the Monday Night Messiah storyline has been effective. However, the ending of the match makes me doubt this thinking. Seth Rollins lost clean right after losing clean at WrestleMania 36, before shaking hands with Drew McIntyre in a manner which hinted at their issues being resolved. Rollins, considering his top position in WWE, could easily rebound and become number one contender again, and whilst that would be interesting and ideal, it would require a new side to the story. Otherwise, McIntyre could have different challengers such as Andrade for some time, before again competing against Rollins at SummerSlam.

ALLSOPP: On the basis of Monday’s episode of Raw, it is clear Seth Rollins is not turning face. And rightly so. Rollins works so much better as a heel, however his current Monday Night Messiah gimmick is the best heel gimmick in WWE today. It is so nuanced, which meshes well with Drew McIntyre’s likeable face character. I do see their feud continuing, but only because the list of credible heel opponents is short. Clearly Rollins brings out the best in McIntyre, and for this reason alone they should continue to feud.


MALHOTRA: Apart from the ending portion being a little underwhelming, and the match being a little short in my opinion, I thought it was a really fun watch. The cinematic angle and use of WWE headquarters was new and fresh, and I enjoyed the way they mixed cameos and silly parts with the brawling ones. However, this feels like a special attraction during these unique times. With a crowd in the building and everything back to normal, it should return to the way it was. This type of format should be kept for special circumstances, and is not for a crowd to watch on the titantron.

ALLSOPP: As much as I enjoyed the madness of the match, I couldn’t help but long for a standard Money in the Bank match. The lack of hard hitting ladder spots was a glaring issue, whilst the lack of drama over ascending the ladder was also detrimental to the match quality. The Corporate Ladder format was a great option to have during the COVID-19 outbreak, but it is not a feasible long term option. Cinematic matches are seemingly here to stay in WWE, but they should be used sparingly in order to enhance blood feuds. Money in the Bank is a solid concept, therefore it doesn’t need to be adulterated again like it was this year.

GREEN: Whilst the match itself has divided fans, I ultimately found the Corporate Ladder format entertaining to watch, especially as two normal ladder matches on the same night in a empty arena could have felt awkward. However, I only felt this worked due to the circumstances surrounding the event. As much as I enjoyed the twist, I'd much prefer to see a return to the standard Money in the Bank match.