After a long night of playing it cool and “hearing everybody out,” the newly returned SmackDown Live GM Daniel Bryan made good on his promise to deliver an official decision regarding the controversial outcome of the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank match.
In case you missed it, Carmella emerged the winner of that match at Sunday’s MITB pay-per-view, albeit by highly questionable means. As babyface fan-favorite Becky Lynch ascended the ladder after beating down the Princess of Staten Island, Carmella’s companion James Ellsworth proved the ultimate heel spoiler. In a shocking upset, Ellsworth pulled the ladder out from Lynch, stealing the opportunity to clutch the briefcase himself then tossing it down to the barely conscious Princess of Staten Island, making Carmella the highly-contested “Ms Money in the Bank”
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In a segment preceding the final match of the night, Daniel Bryan made his entrance down the ramp to a gigantic pop from the crowd gathered in Dayton, Ohio. The SmackDown Live GM announced he’s had to put his emotions aside while making this decision, and was told that unlike the contested heel winners he would have to “stick strictly to the WWE rule book.”
He then introduced all the participants from this past Sunday’s match to the ring, as the women made their entrances one by one. Once all five women (plus James Ellsworth) were gathered in the ring, Bryan announced that his decision involved them all.
More: Daniel Bryan Publicly Questions WWE’s MITB Decision
Bryan began by conceding to Carmella that there is no rule saying that handing the briefcase to one of the competitors is wrong. He added that although there have been interferences in MITB matches in the past, this is unchartered territory as Ellsworth climbed up the ladder on her behalf.
Ellsworth proceeded to mock the GM’s hesitance and new fatherhood, riling the returning Bryan who silenced the unwelcome heel with a strong “Shut up,” adding that should he talk about his baby girl one more time, he would “punch him in the face so fast he won’t be able to breath” and threatening to fire him.
As the women began to bicker and trade insults, it was up to Bryan to restore order and calm as the sole voice of authority. He did so calmly informing Carmella she would have to hand over the briefcase. He then said that they would “relive that historic moment” announcing a rematch for the Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase to be held next week on SmackDown Live.
As the Bryan made his exit, the women descended into a scuffle, until only Charlotte, Becky and Carmella were left in the ring. Charlotte put the stripped contender in The Natural Selection, then allowed Becky to get her payback putting Carmella in the Disarmer.
Next week’s SmackDown Live will certainly prove one to watch, as another chance to make history, with a deserving participant to emerge with the briefcase contract as top contender for the SmackDown Live Women’s Championship.
