WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: Madcap Moss qualifies for Money in the Bank ladder match

Moss joins Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Riddle, Sheamus, Omos and The Miz at MITB

Madcap Moss vs Happy Corbin in WWE pro wrestling news
WWE

The final spot in the men's Money in the Bank ladder match has been claimed. Madcap Moss outlasted Happy Corbin, Ezekiel and The Miz in a fatal four-way match on WWE SmackDown. 

The quartet of WWE superstars pled their cases for a spot alongside Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Riddle, Sheamus, Sami Zayn and Omos in the titular ladder match. It was their actions, not their words, that determined who would have a spot on Saturday's card.

Elsewhere on the show, participants in the women's Money in the Bank match took part in a tag team match pitting superstars from Raw against superstars from SmackDown.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Moss and three others campaign for spot at Money in the Bank

SmackDown opened with a classic ladder match trope. The contestants of the men's Money in the Bank ladder match sat atop ladders with the briefcases hanging high. Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn, Riddle and Sheamus are traded barbs. Omos, flanked by MVP, was apparently too tall for a ladder and stood in the ring. The Miz, Ezekiel, Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss interrupted the competitors (and each other) to plead their cases to join the ladder match. Authority figure Adam Pearce announced a battle royal featuring the current and prospective contestants. The stakes were unclear.

Happy Corbin def. Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Riddle, Sheamus, Omos, Ezekiel, Sami Zayn, Riddle, Madcap Moss and The Miz after eliminating McIntyre to win the battle royal. Rollins eliminated himself from the match, McIntyre and Sheamus briefly aligned to toss Omos and McInyre eliminated Zayn late. Corbin snuck up on McIntyre and Sheamus to win the match.

Corbin, Moss, Miz and Ezekiel all swarmed Pearce in hopes of entering the ladder match. Pearce said that a fatal four-way match would determine who would join the other competitors on Saturday night.

Money in the Bank qualifier match: Madcap Moss def. Happy Corbin, Ezekiel and The Miz via pinfall after pinning Ezekiel. Ezekiel landed a sunset flip early in the match on Moss while Moss chucked The Miz with a German suplex. Later in the match, Corbin choke slammed Ezekiel onto the announcer's table. The Miz did his best Bryan Danielson impression, repeatedly kicking Ezekiel and Moss in the chest. A Deep Six by Corbin nearly earned him a spot in the ladder match but his cover of The Miz was interrupted. Corbin landed the fight-ending blow by planting Ezekiel with End of Days; however, his rival Moss tossed Corbin out of the ring and covered Ezekiel for the victory.

It was hard to get invested in an episode of SmackDown that opened with a meaningless battle royal and closed with four people not typically featured in the main event scene. The battle royal was passable. The fatal four-way match was fun but nothing to rave about. Grade: C

What else happened on WWE SmackDown?

  • Happy Corbin celebrated his battle royal win by last eliminating Sheamus and Drew McIntyre. He cut the interview when asked about a potential match against Pat McAfee at SummerSlam.

  • Natalya took shots at Ronda Rousey's movie career in a backstage interview. She promised to be the first person to make Rousey tap out.

  • New Day vs. Viking Raiders never took place. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods dropped Erik and Ivar with microphones only to be blasted by the Raiders' shields. Erik and Ivar decimated their foes with powerbombs.

  • Liv Morgan, Alexa Bliss and Asuka def. Shotzi, Lacey Evans and Raquel Rodriguez via pinfall after Morgan hit Oblivion on Shotzi. Becky Lynch was on commentary during the match.

  • Sonya Deville slapped Adam Pearce after informing him that she filed a formal complaint after he booked her in a handicap match last week.

  • The Usos and Street Profits play a game show hosted by Kayla Braxton ahead of their tag team title match at MITB.

  • Intercontinental champion Gunther gets a video package.

  • Max Dupri debuts his Maximum Male Models: Mace was re-dubbed ma.ce (pronounced ma-say), Mansoor is now mansoor (pronounced Mansoir). Dupri said that applications were still open to join MMM.

  • Ronda Rousey promised to submit Natalya in a backstage segment.

Live updates
(66)
See New Posts
See More