Damien Sandow is Money in the Bank
There were a few pieces that really stuck out in my mind during the opening match of WWE Money in the Bank. First off, every one of these guys are completely different than the next. Throughout the match, the young guys put on quite a show, hitting big spots and really making it look easy. I loved the Bullhammer elbow from Barrett onto Swagger at the top of the ladder because it looked perfect. Furthermore, I really wanted to see more out of Antonio Cesaro. This is a guy who should have hit a big spot from the top of the ladder. We needed to see his brute strength. Instead, we got an incredible performance from Cody Rhodes. I really feel this is his coming out party. The inverted suplex onto the ladder was excellent. Rhodes has a perfect combination of size and strength. Why hasn't he been pushed to the top yet? I really do think it is solely because WWE has not found the right situation for him to thrive. At the very end, Damien Sandow, in a heel move, tossed his friend from the top and grabbed the briefcase. I was a big fan of this because it does two things. It gives Sandow instant credibility and also makes Rhodes face turn in the beginning process. You saw how the crowd cheered for Rhodes. He is a likable guy who needs to tweak his character to really get over. The match was great and the strategic planning behind it made complete sense. This was a great match to start the show.
Grade: A-