WWE - Money In The Bank 2011 [DVD]

This was a truly amazing PPV with all the matches, except the divas match of course, being superb. The thing that made this even greater, was in England it was on Sky Sports so we got it free!!!

1. Smackdown Money in the Bank Ladder Match - Kane vs Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan vs Wade Barrett vs Cody Rhodes vs Sin Cara vs Justin Gabriel vs Heath Slater - 9/10 - Excellent ladder match, some creative moves and very unpredictable ending

2. Divas Championship Match - Kelly Kelly (C) vs Brie Bella - N/A - Did not watch this so cant rate it, im sure it was poor as Divas matches always are

3. Big Show vs Mark Henry - 7/10 - Decent match considering there size and age, marked the beginning of Mark Henrys hall of pain

4. Raw Money in the Bank Ladder Match - Alberto Del Rio vs Rey Mysterio vs Evan Bourne vs Jack Swagger vs R-Truth vs Alex Riley vs The Miz vs Kofi Kingston - 8/10 - Another great ladder match, but not quite as good as the Smackdown one, it was also about 10 minutes shorter.

5. World Heavyweight Championship Match - Randy Orton (C) vs Christian - 7/10 - Great match between these two, but considering it was the fourth time they had gone one on one with each other in just two months, it was a little tedius

6. WWE Championship Match - John Cena (C) vs CM Punk - 10/10 - Amazing match, one of the all time great matches, it was about 40 minutes long, some superb moves by both guys, the crowd made the match even better and the ending was just awesome

Overall 9.5/10 - A must buy for any WWE fan, I doubt any PPV will be better than this one this year.

This is an absolutely amazing Money in the Bank! It's even better than last year's show! The SmackDown Ladder match features absolute carnage and stunts that will render you speechless, and the Raw Ladder match is cracking too. Yet another excellent World Title Match between defending champion Randy Orton and persistent challenger Christian is also on offer here, and there's a surprisingly decent slugfest between the Big Show and Mark Henry which fans will actually enjoy.

But the REAL reason to buy this DVD is John Cena versus CM Punk for the WWE Championship. Everyone has been talking about this match with PLENTY of good reason. It's truly one of the greatest matches in recent memory (if not all time!), complete with half-an-hour of non-stop action and an ending that will leave you reeling. It's simply awe-inspiring and MUST be viewed by all wrestling fans!

The only minor blemish is the Divas' Championship match, but that's forgivable really when the rest of the show is just so CLASSIC! Easily one of the greatest wrestling pay-per-views of all time!

The Money in the Bank pay-per-view in 2010 was an absolutely tremendous show, one of the finest WWE had put on in ages. Boasting two absolutely electric MITB ladder matches, some great storylines and a quality card throughout, the first annual Money in the Bank event made for essential viewing. More so due to a great World title match between Rey Mysterio and Jack Swagger, the seeds sewn for Miz's main-event ascension and Kane destroying all in his path to finally get back on top as the World Heavyweight Champion after over a decade.

Given the success of the first MITB event, the show's annual status was assured. But for 2011, Money in the Bank actually surpasses the previous year's offering by FAR. And it's not because of the ladder matches this time, it's because of the MAIN EVENT.

CM Punk's contract was set to expire, making this show his last scheduled appearance for World Wrestling Entertainment. Having gained himself a title shot against none-other than John Cena, Punk declared his intent to take the WWE Championship and launched a savage, unrestrained promo (the BEST in all 2011!) on Vince McMahon, WWE and several others who had rubbed Punk the wrong way. Punk was then suspended for his outbursts, and Cena shockingly fought on Punk's behalf, demanding Vince McMahon reinstate the challenger and the bout. McMahon grudgingly conceded but stipulated that if Cena lost...he'd be fired.

It was the hottest main-event build-up since the Attitude Era, where the line between storyline works and real-life shoots became hopelessly blurred. Punk's articulate outbursts, Cena's intelligent morals and Vince's desperation made for truly the greatest storyline in years, with absolutely no way of knowing what the outcome would be. And the main-event lived up to the hype, delivering in SPADES.

Just like the rest of the show.

SmackDown Money in the Bank
Kane vs. Sin Cara vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus vs. Wade Barrett vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Justin Gabriel vs. Heath Slater
Awe-inspiring opener, that comes so close to matching the greatest MITB ladder match (from WrestleMania 21). Kane and Sheamus deliver monstrously good performances, dishing out devastating offence. Slater and Gabriel REALLY step up their game with some stunning aerial moves, whilst Bryan, Rhodes, Barrett and Sin Cara (who's breathtaking!) all take turns to wow and impress. A fantastic demolition derby that's just packed with moments that'll leave you speechless. The winner will have you leaping for joy! (9/10)

Diva's Championship Match
Kelly Kelly (Champion w/Eve Torres) vs. Brie Bella (w/Nikki Bella)
Typical Divas match that you'd expect from WWE nowadays. Kelly has improved A LOT since her 2006 debut but this is still sloppy stuff against Brie, which only serves as a breather for the audience. Short bout with some decent moves, so it's not too tedious to sit through. But again, you won't lose any sleep by skipping it. (4/10)

The Big Show vs. Mark Henry
This surprised me. I was expecting this tussle of giants to fall flat (like Henry's previous pushes), but it actually turns out rather decent. It's a real tussle between two raging bulls with Henry gaining more and more momentum to that inevitable World Title run. The outcome is actually convincing, as is the aftermath. Kudos, Show and Henry! (6/10)

Raw Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Rey Mysterio vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Alex Riley vs. Evan Bourne vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. The Miz vs. R-Truth vs. Jack Swagger
Doesn't really compare with the magic of SmackDown's MITB offering. A fine performance all-round (particularly from the Miz!), with some sick moments and breathtaking displays but it feels more like your typical ladder match instead of the start of something truly special. The reduced length also impedes things. Still a great bout, however, with the correct choice of winner. (8/10)

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Randy Orton (Champion) vs. Christian
From an in-ring analysis, this has been the best WWE rivalry of 2011. Orton and Christian have just torn the house down with their matches and it's the same again here, with the DQ-title change stipulation adding some spice to this match-up. Great moves and impeccable story-telling, which is let down by a cheap finish. However, the aftermath is TRULY UNMISSABLE! (9/10)

WWE Championship Match
John Cena (Champion) vs. CM Punk
The Chicago crowd succeed in making this one of the most electric atmospheres imaginable. It's one of the most epic WWE Championship matches in history, spanning over thirty incredible minutes and complete with near-misses, exhilarating exchanges/counters, false finishes, awesome angles and an outcome that changes everything forever. BOTH Punk and Cena wrestle the match of their lives here in one of the hottest, most legendary bouts you will EVER see. Build-up, the bout itself and the jaw-dropping aftermath are facets of PERFECTION. Undisputed match of the night, undisputed match of the year. (10/10)

Unfortunately, WWE Home Video has (AGAIN!) neglected to fill their pay-per-view DVD releases with the extras they deserve. Money in the Bank 2011 has only ONE measly extra (an interview with the SmackDown MITB winner), which is a real missed opportunity. They could've packed this DVD with Punk's Earth-shattering promo (from Raw 27/06/2011), and all the various angles/segments (including Cena's own great promos with Vince and Punk) leading up to the show, plus what happened the night-after on Raw.

It's a real shame, but one that doesn't take anything away from the overall class of the show itself. WWE Money in the Bank 2011 is one of those unmissable PPVs (like WrestleMania 17, SummerSlam 2002 and ECW One Night Stand 2005/06) that fans should own and lock away in a vault for safekeeping. One of the greatest main-events in history, awesome ladder matches and an excellent World title match make purchase of this absolutely mandatory. The Big Show/Mark Henry scuffle is surprisingly good, and even the Divas title match doesn't bring the overall grade down.

Truly a five-star purchase.