MLP SEASON 6 ANALYSIS: The Season Thus Far...

Two weeks ago, the twelfth episode of Season 6 aired, which means we're halfway through the season! However, thanks to Hasbro and DHX not wanting to square off with the Rio 2016 Olympics in what I'm confidently assured would be a bloody ratings war, we now have to endure a long hiatus over the course of the summer before our weekly dose of 'Pones 'N' Stuff' returns.

As a result, it's time for me to analyse what we've seen over the season thus far, and judge whether it has done its job and given all it could have hope for.

PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS UPDATE

Before the season began, I predicted events that I believed would occur over the course of this twenty-six episode romp. You can view these here.

So far, the revelation of Fluttershy's family (E11 - "Flutter Brutter") and the inclusion of dance as a driving episode plot point (E4 - "On Your Marks") have proven to be correct. The inclusion of a recurring male character COULD yet be proven right if Sunburst, Zephyr Breeze or Tender Taps make a second appearance this season, but I consider those scenarios unlikely to happen. While we are probably going to see Sunburst in the finale if it once again deals with Princess Flurry Heart, seeing him outside of a premiere and finale would be the lone criteria to give my Number Two prediction some clearance. The possibility of the other predictions I surmised occurring all rests on which of the leaked episode lists that Equestria Daily reported about turns out to be true, and with two presumptive lists on show, with differing titles, it'll be difficult to judge which is correct until the first episode post-hiatus gets aired.

So, to put it bluntly, my prediction game has faired poorly. Having a twenty percent success rate after twelve episodes is fairly disappointing. Then again, we still have a lot to get through. Hopefully I can check another three off the list before this season reaches its end, however even with my optimism, based on my choices, I don't feel that confident.

EPISODE QUALITY

One thing that is apparent right off the bat, is that Season 6's episodes have been fraught with issues. Thanks to re-used episode plots and messages, minimal prominent use of (now) superb flash animation and a lack of desire to tread unfamiliar water story wise, as a Brony and a reviewer, it has left me incredibly frustrated. In fact, I've haven't been more frustrated as a fan of this show since I reluctantly joined the fandom in Season 1, which says something seeing as I barely survived Season 3 with my sanity. I noted in my review of "The Crystalling" back in March that the writers and animators were showing restraint, fear and apprehension as to where the show will progress following the end of Season 5, and after watching "The Gift Of Maud Pie" the next week, my declaration was proven correct thanks to the episode re-using Maud in a similar story to her first appearance and relying the humour on awkward dialogue between all characters. This negative mood can be put down to one important thing, as many of the shows long-time writers, producers and directors had gone their separate ways. This shift came about either from the staff leaving to go to other companies, focus on other projects or in some cases put more time into the 2017 feature film and while I am happy that some new blood has been able to add their own touch to the show, there hasn't been a enough of a sign that it's transitioned smoothly based on the episode quality.

While some episodes such as "A Hearth's Warming Tail", "On Your Marks" and "Gauntlet Of Fire" were successes that showcased the quality of the show brilliantly, some like "Applejack's 'Day' Off", "Newbie Dash" and the fan-acclaimed "No Second Prances" were dull, tepid affairs that reflected the negative ambiance I noted earlier. The rest either come through either on the verge of poor with some good points to help or as average, balancing their negatives and positives, but didn't bring anything more to the table. "Spice Up Your Life", in particular drew my ire after the realisation that its story borrowed plot elements from no less than FIVE prior episodes in this series (including this seasons "The Saddle Row Review" which aired only three weeks prior). Sadly, this wasn't the only culprit of this heinous crime, and it confirmed beyond doubt that this season's episodes don't have the individuality that it needs to be seen in better light, which is disappointing. Hell, it's hard to believe that "A Hearth's Warming Tail" and "Spice Up Your Life" were written by THE SAME PERSON considering the gulf in quality between them. As a result of this inconsistency in narrative terms especially, the quality of the episodes so far has fluctuated more-so than previous seasons have shown.

The line graph above notes the ratings I've given every episode this season so far (with the two-part premiere sharing its rating across itself). You can see that the peaks and troughs that cycle between poor and great after the opening three episodes average and below average markings, which are signs of an alarming trend. From one episode to the next I don't know what I'm going to get, and while that may be seen as a positive to some, when it comes to the look of the show to first-time watchers, it looks more like Russian roulette than quality, consistent television. Having that on the mind is worrying, especially if many could be turned off by just one bad piece of exposure. That isn't good for the future of the show, and if it continues post-hiatus, this season may rank lower than Season's 1 and 3 in terms of quality, which I know is not wanted.

While some fans reading this may think I'm overreacting and overanalysing (as I am known to do), I don't mince my words. Even when talking to fellow Bronies I know, the same concerns are echoed. Seasons 4 and 5 upped the quality of the show and as a result the watchers' expectations in conjunction were upped with it. It's no wonder that I, like many have been disappointed thus far with what we've been given based on that alone. While I am quick to praise the best of what Season 6 has offered, in my opinion I haven't seen enough good quality material over the last two months to justify extending it any further. Looking back at that comparison to Season 1, while the 2010-11 initial season finished with an average aggregated rating, it had more above average and good quality episodes at this point than this current season has had. For me, Season 6 feels much like Season 1, but lacking the passion to push forward that its inaugural, older brethren did with gusto. For the final comparison to put this claim into perspective, after twelve episodes, Season 1 averaged 12 out of 25, while Season 6 has averaged a 11 out of 25. Those numbers are alarmingly similar, which doesn't scream growth to me, especially after six years on air.

While you can tell that I'm worried about this fluctuation in quality, knowing this show like I do, it can bounce back at any moment. Seasons 2 & 4 both suffered from dips midway through to come back fighting, and I expected its current even numbered brethren to do the same when it comes back. I'm just hoping the team know what they're doing to get it done, because with my reviews going forward, I won't hold back on my criticism.

SONG QUALITY

While I am quick to highlight the issues in episode quality this season, I am in no such mood to tar the seasons' musical numbers with the same brush.

Dan Ingram has shown that even with poor visual and written components surrounding them, the musical numbers he writes are good enough to give credit to even the worst episodes. This season has graced us with nine songs, six of which appeared in A Hearths Warming Tail. All the songs featured in that christmas themed episode helped make that episode not only the highest rated of the season thus far, but arguably the highest rated episode I've seen in the entire series. They added cinematic presence to an episode already overflowing with sentimentality and a great comedic presence. With special mention going to 'Hearths Warming Eve Is Here Once Again' and 'Seeds Of The Past' for matching the theme and feels on show. In similar praise, 'On My Own', the country ballad sung by Apple Bloom voice actress Michelle Creber rounded of a sublime episode with a song that packed a massive punch of emotion. 'Can I Do It On My Own', despite feeling out of place within Flutter Brutter still showed some good musical cues and great vocal performances by all concerned and 'It's Gonna Work' added new genre elements and another great showing of vocal harmonies to turn it from a mediocre experience into a favourite thanks to repeated listens.

Overall, the songs of Season 6 have mostly delivered. Mr. Ingram, you are the shining star so far this season, don't let me down. With twelve more episodes to go, I can't wait to see what this lyrical and composing maestro can bring to the table, and maybe, just maybe he can finally get hold of that Daytime Emmy that's been wrongfully given to others. One day he'll get the award he deserves, lets hope its this year.

CONCLUSION

As you have probably realised from reading this article, my opinion of this season isn't a very positive one. While I am very happy to praise what good this show has given thus far in 2016, there are still many problems that I can't skip over. This season had a rocky start, and still hasn't managed to find its feet despite some bright sparks appearing every now and again. While I may sound overwhelmingly negative, I still have hope that this series can recover and be a lot stronger than it has been. To have this series after five seasons of solid growth fall away from itself is disparaging, and something that I don't want to see continue.

The good news is, the episode titles in both leaked lists give me hope and make my mind race with ideas. I'm still anticipating something grand to come by this seasons end. Whether we get a Season 7 or not is still up in the air, but with a new Equestria Girls film coming soon and the aforementioned Feature Film still yet to be showcased to the public outside of a logo and some A-class castings, there's still a lot to look forward to. I'm just praying that this season showcases itself as a great main course rather than the disappointing side dish its declaring itself to be at this moment. Only time will tell if that can or will change.

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I've been Freddy Thomas, you've been people reading. This has been MLP Season 6 Analysis for The CC Network Blog and I'll see you all next time.

WWE REVIEW: Money In The Bank 2016

Money In The Bank has garnered a reputation for being a good PPV event, one of high quality matches and some of the biggest moments of the last five years. Some consider it to be a 'Big 4' PPV, taking Survivor Series place in terms of fan hype and quality. Last years event, which was capped off by Owens VS Cena II and a five-star classic Ladder Match between Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose got a 6.75 out of 10. This years edition of the event therefore has a lot to live up to. That being said, the card looks solid, but will it deliver? Lets find out as we go ahead with this review.

SPOILER WARNING - IF YOU DON'T WANT THE RESULTS RUINED, DO NOT READ ON.

If you've never seen The CC Network's video reviews of WWE events before, my review system that I use for those as well as these blogs will be new to you. Matches are given star ratings in accordance with an average, accumulated score of five rating factors: Psychology (in-ring story), Move Variety, Crowd Reaction, Match Length and Pacing, as well as my overall enjoyment as a result of those factors. 

THERE WILL BE NO ACCOMPANYING VIDEO DUE TO OTHER VIDEO COMMITMENTS PLANNED THIS WEEK.

Now time to get into the show. As I don't review the Pre-Show Match as part of the whole televised package, here's the result of that match:

Golden Truth def Breezango (5:06)

The Lucha Dragons def The Dudley Boyz (8:48)

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THE NEW DAY def THE CLUB, THE VAUDEVILLIANS AND ENZO & CASS IN A FATAL-4-WAY TAG TEAM MATCH TO RETAIN WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS (11:43)

PSYCHOLOGY: 1.5
MOVE VARIETY: 1
CROWD REACTION: 2
MATCH LENGTH AND PACING: 2.5
MY ENJOYMENT: 2
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES

FINAL RATING: *1/2

Fatal-4-Way Tag Matches without the elimination element are matches that are predominantly just normal tag matches that degenerate into large clusterfucks. With teams containing a varied amount of in-ring styles and charismatic crowd pleasers, it could have been something quite special. While it did prove to be a decent watch, something didn't feel quite right.

The crowd while respectful of Kofi and Enzo showing their technical abilities to them, they were rather muted throughout, only popping for Enzo & Cass's appearances and the multi-team brawl halfway through. It created an aura of disinterest, especially when Gallows/Anderson or the Vaudevillians graced the ring, which sadly for the Vegas crowd was a majority of the in-ring action. They also probably didn't have too much visually to go off on either, as it took some time to pick up in pace, starting and consistently showing mat work before fast paced spots littered the second half, with a Flipping DDT by Kofi and a Black Hole Slam into a DDT were the highlights. The appearance of two quite sloppy botches also made the pace of the match feel warranted, especially when they involved fast paced moves with a double cross body being mistimed and Kofi failing to hit Enzo's head off a Trouble In Paradise, a move which if hit correctly would have looked superb. Aiden English calling an audible waving his arms to set Big E up for his Apron Splash didn't help either.

While I did find the near falls towards the end along with the face/heel teams helping each other was a nice touch to proceedings psychologically along with Cass, Gallows and Big E all showing their strength by demolishing the smaller guys around them, the match still felt rather lifeless in places. Whether that is down to not enough being done in-ring or whether the crowd were tired after seeing The New Day and Enzo Amore rip their opponents and the city before the bell is unknown, but this match needed a lot more. By the end, the match was all over the place to the point where we couldn't tell how as legal, which was the final nail in this matches proverbial coffin, preventing it from higher merit. In fact, the mic work beforehand that I've already alluded to actually tells me what went wrong with this match quite clearly, it was all talk. No team managed to prove they could walk the walk and stand out to make this match be more than it was. Sure, it was still enjoyable, but with so much good talent in the ring, you'd expect better. A match like this needs direction, sadly, despite some clear moments, this match lacked it, comprehensively.

BARON CORBIN def DOLPH ZIGGLER (12:23)

PSYCHOLOGY: 2
MOVE VARIETY: 1
CROWD REACTION: 1.5
MATCH LENGTH AND PACING: 1.5
MY ENJOYMENT: 1.5
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES

FINAL RATING: 3/4

With a feud that has trundled along as sluggishly as Ziggler VS Corbin, it's satisfying to see that it has finally had a match come on the main card of a PPV after two months wasting away on the pre-show. With that being said though, the match didn't really do anything. Sure, Corbin won by looking destructive, but thanks to Ziggler's usual shtick of rebounding from punishment and no selling it, the match turned into a boring and slow farce by the end of its wince inducing 12-minute run time.

The match didn't need to have Ziggler fight back, that's the point I'm trying to make, as Corbin did his job to ensure that he looked as strong as possible. Ziggler already showcased his tenacity and brains in the previous matches these two had and made this one drag out way longer than it should've. With Corbin controlling the pace with a slow, methodical and occasionally hard hitting beatdown, it turned the crowd against it, chanting boring whenever the chance arose. Thankfully, Corbin is a good heel and drank it in by taunting them for a steady amount of heat. While they did peak when Ziggler fought back, momentum shifted so much it didn't feel realistic given the way the match played out, which meant that Ziggler's selling of the punishment looked unrealistic too.

I will give Ziggler some credit for adapting his style early on to try and take the big man down with some technical grapples and submission holds as well as his selling late on. Corbin also recovered a botch by Ziggler turning it into a Deep Six on the floor as well as the commentators hyping up Corbin's legit strike ability making his impact moves feel legit, the match didn't do too much to warrant itself with that much praise. While I will give these two some credit for trying, pin fall botches and occasional sloppiness combined with its pace was its downfall. It wasn't the worst match ever, doing the bare minimum it needed to do, but this match could've been much better given the talent of both men. 

CHARLOTTE & DANA BROOKE def NATALYA & BECKY LYNCH (7:00)

PSYCHOLOGY: 1.5
MOVE VARIETY: 1.5
CROWD REACTION: 1.5
MATCH LENGTH AND PACING: 1
MY ENJOYMENT: 1
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES

FINAL RATING: 1/2

I said in my predictions that the addition of Becky Lynch to this match would make it overall a much more pleasing experience to watch. How wrong was I? This match fell incredibly flat in-ring, thanks to a disinterested crowd, slow pace, sloppiness and a lack of in-ring psychology from all concerned.

Becky was the shining light in the match though, waking the crowd up and adding some much needed speed and a great double dropkick to break the monotony of the grappling that Dana, Charlotte and Natalya were doing in the mean time. Charlotte and Dana held momentum for most of the match, and with little difference in their ring styles, it was tiring to watch as they wore Natalya down. I will give them both credit for the lone psychology elements in the match with Dana using her foot to pin Natalya, Charlotte attempting to cheat to win and Dana pushing Becky into Natalya to set up the winning finisher from her mentor. However, that is where the good points end. Thanks al; included who ISN'T called Becky Lynch, the crowd were put to sleep, occasionally coming through with 'We Want Sasha' chants, much to my irritant. 

The match had the potential to bring some life to a feud that has stagnated over the last few months and add some intrigue for the future. While we did get that in Natalya's unexpected heel turn, the match itself was lifeless and dull, which proves that there needs to be more than solid in-ring work to make a women's match in this modern era more entertaining. The Women's Champion has been in the worst rated match of two consecutive PPV's, and that doesn't sing her praises well. She may be gold in-terms of story on RAW, but I would like to see that translated to the big stage once in awhile to re-enforce her position, which for me keeps falling every month.

APOLLO CREWS def SHEAMUS (8:36)

PSYCHOLOGY: 1.5
MOVE VARIETY: 3
CROWD REACTION: 1
MATCH LENGTH AND PACING: 1.5
MY ENJOYMENT: 1
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES

FINAL RATING: *

I didn't expect much from this match, and upon watching got proven right. It was the typical dominant heel versus new babyface match, with the veteran wearing his opponent down, with the new guy showcasing some of his ability to keep himself in the match. While the finish came across as rushed and unusual, the match did enough to get in my good books despite of the poor reception inside the T-Mobile Arena.

Both men used technical holds early on to showcase their strength and that they are indeed able to work at a pace that detracts from both mens mobility. Sheamus was in control wearing Crews down, with his younger opponent working his way out to show he has what it takes to grapple with the Celtic Warrior on this stage, which Sheamus immediately turned into vengeful aggressive attacks and submission holds which slowed the match to a crawl for half of its duration, with Crews occasionally offering respite. The crowd were apathetic and indifferent, which didn't help my viewing. In fact, the match was as cumbersome as you'd think it would be, as Crews didn't really show off a lot of the agility that had made him famous, except in one two pieces of athletic brilliance. The moves were the high point of the match, with Sheamus hitting an Irish Curse Backbreaker off the apron and a White Noise from the top rope while Crews in response hit a belly-to-belly suplex over the top rope and followed it up with a sublime apron moonsault to thunderous applause from me and the Vegas crowd.

While those moves were satisfying, when they are the only real highlights of a match that could have been much more exciting considering the two men involved. I will give both men credit for showing how athletic they were in pulling off such great moves but I wanted a lot more. The match was paced as expected, went just the right amount of time and had the tiniest of psychological elements to give it some meat. However next time these two fight, I will be expecting more.

AJ STYLES def JOHN CENA (24:10)

PSYCHOLOGY: 5
MOVE VARIETY: 1
CROWD REACTION: 5
MATCH LENGTH AND PACING: 4.5
MY ENJOYMENT: 4.5
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES

FINAL RATING: ****1/2

Cena versus Styles, the face of TNA versus the face of WWE. A battle for the ages and a match to see once and for all which of these two modern juggernauts of American wrestling really could prove their worth in front of a rabid crowd. It sounds fantastic, and knowing these two, they built a great match upon the hype. While the finish was questionable and controversial to say the least, everything that was done until that point was damn near perfect.

The crowd were loud and proud from bell to bell, not wavering amidst the action that lay before them. Styles took control from the start, trash talking Cena every chance he got while also proving he'd done his research by countering EVERY move Cena had in his arsenal from small moves, to signatures and finally his finishers. It was wondrous to see Cena's offence be some easily overturned and exposed. Styles targeted the surgically repaired shoulder before taking down one of Cena's legs with the Calf Crusher, which Cena sold well, especially in how he performed his Five Knuckle Shuffle, doing so without rebounding off the ropes. The commentators kept noting that as it was Cena's first match back, he wasn't at one hundred percent and in his laboured and flustered performance, it showed. Even with that, Cena's endurance and tenacity that he saves for big matches like this by kicking out of the Styles Clash, somehow countering the Springboard 450 and rebounding of a melee of opportunities for Styles to end it. It was an engrossing contest that got the crowd invested even more the longer it went on, and while it did start out slow and stop-start, the faultless momentum shifts and the amount of time given to make both mens offence mean something made it fascinating to watch.

While the way I've portrayed this match does make it sound quite sublime, there are a few downsides that stop it from reaching the zenith. Firstly is the finish, I can understand that The Club wanted Styles to win at any cost, but it ruined the flow of the match and stopped it from reaching its natural conclusion as well as ruining all the great work Styles had put in wearing Cena down all match. He was the better man and deserved to win cleanly. JBL's statement, calling the finish BS was quite literally the best response from a McMahon influenced commentator that I've heard in quite some time. Secondly, is the lack of move variety from either man, with John Cena's sublime Monkey Flip proving to be the only highlight. Finally, even though it went on for 24 minutes, I would have liked it to have gone on a few minutes longer so a more natural finish could occur without interference.

This match was fantastic, but it could have been the five-star classic that was anticipated if both men just a little more polish was added to buff out the faults. This was a true centrepiece of how good AJ Styles is, and for the first time since SummerSlam 2014, a showing of how good and convincing Cena was on the receiving end of a lot of punishment. This is a match worth seeing for sure.

DEAN AMBROSE WON THE MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH (21:38)

PSYCHOLOGY: 2
MOVE VARIETY: 3.5
CROWD REACTION: 4
MATCH LENGTH AND PACING: 4
MY ENJOYMENT: 4
CORRECT PREDICTION: NO

FINAL RATING: ***1/2

Ah, the Money In The Bank Ladder Match. One such match where high risk moves and hyped crowds are expected. With a group of wrestlers that (for the most part) are universally loved by fans, something had to give. While it was a fun match, it had a lot to do to beat the best ladder match of the year coming from WrestleMania 32. Did it managed that? No, given its due credit, it did a lot to be entertaining, which is all I can ask for.

Move Variety is what can make or break any ladder match, while one can be done without it, it definitely helps. It was good to know there was quite a bit to see, as almost every wrestler in the match did at least one big move. Cesaro hit a plancha onto a ladder at ringside early on, followed by a Cesaro Swing into a corner positioned ladder and finishing off with a sublime springboard corkscrew uppercut in between. Del Rio hit his trademark double stomp to a ladder prone Sami Zayn, locked in a cross-arm breaker on top of the ladder to accentuate the pain of that move and hit a backstabber off it. Jericho hit a Codebreaker off a ladder, Owens hit a frog splash onto a ladder prone Ambrose and Ambrose hit a Dirty Deeds off the side. Sami Zayn arguably had the spot of the match, with a ladder on its side, hit a Michinoku Driver right onto it... the sight of Owens' position afterwards was just sickening. Then you get the positioning of both sets of ladders between two turnbuckles and all hell broke loose, it was scintillating entertainment.

While that may all sound good, the crowd took their time to warm to the match, as the spots came and went pretty quickly, as did the attempts for the briefcase. Thanks to the barnstormer that was Styles/Cena, they weren't fully invested for the first ten minutes or so, and the wrestlers knew after awhile they had to get the crowd back on track and as a result used the time wisely, as the 21 minute run-time was used to great effect, helped thanks to multiple momentum shifts and a quickening pace. Thankfully though, that quick pace slowed, as all six men went right for the briefcase, battling on those positioned ladders and creating the incredible shot you see above. It was dramatic and sublime, if not for the time given, it may not have been this fun.

While I am praising this match for building itself greatly and re-capturing the crowd, the psychology was left out in the cold. Sure, Jericho kept shouting '69' at Ambrose while ramming his arm with the ladder (in reference to the thumbtacks from the Asylum Match) and Owens tricked Zayn and the fans into thinking he'd go for a plancha onto Zayn but kicked him instead as well as powerbombing a beaten down Zayn onto the propped ladder, nothing else of note came out of three rivalries going at once. It seemed incredibly clustered towards its end as a result. Thankfully the two favourites, Ambrose and Owens were the last two fighting for the briefcase. While I didn't get the prediction right, I was happy it was Ambrose who did get it. He deserves it, and we all know what can happen with it (as we found out later). This was a fun match that could've been a little better, but all in all it was quite entertaining indeed. Not as good as the WrestleMania 32 Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match, but still a match worth your time.

RUSEV def TITUS O'NEIL TO RETAIN THE WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP (8:30)

PSYCHOLOGY: 2
MOVE VARIETY: 1
CROWD REACTION: 1
MATCH LENGTH AND PACING: 1.5
MY ENJOYMENT: 1.5
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES

FINAL RATING: 1/2

This feud seemed honestly quite empty and predictable on RAW leading up to this event, it was substandard booking and gave us a clear indication that Rusev would run through a resurgent Titus O'Neil for an easy victory. While it proved to be more than a cake walk for the Bulgarian Brute, the match lived up to its lacklustre hype, but got saved by a piece of impromptu genius from the United States Champion.

As it was Father's Day, O'Neil had his two kids at ringside, which was perfect bait for Rusev to latch on to. The Bulgarian Brute didn't even step in the ring as the bell went, and eyed his opponents kids, leading to O'Neil giving Rusev a MIGHTY beating. After regaining control Rusev twisted the knife again telling O'Neil, mid-choke hold to look at his children as he slowly passed out. That is sublime psychology, and hopefully if they fight again Rusev can use this to make the feud even more aggressive and entertaining in the long run. Rusev also helped the psychology by working O'Neil's arm in the choke hold, setting up for the Accolade, which O'Neil fought out of first time due to his freak strength but not the second time as he was wore down by some stiff kicks. Another good thing this match brought was its speed with great momentum shifting between both men. These two agile big men proved they could hit hard and do it fast, even in its slower moments it didn't stutter. Sure, I'd of liked it to have been about 3 minutes shorter, but we can't get everything.

Even with these good points making it an enjoyable watch to a degree, there wasn't much noise from the crowd or move variety to up it into at least 1 star territory. It was a match that lived up to what the build had given and wasn't that spectacular. I will give Rusev a lot of credit for making this match way more than it could've been otherwise. If his mic work and blunt twitter rantings combined with his stellar ring work are anything to go by, he could be World Champion material in the future. This may not have been a shining example of his best work, but it is a sign of what this man can bring to so little.

SETH ROLLINS def ROMAN REIGNS TO WIN THE WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, DEAN AMBROSE CASHES IN MONEY IN THE BANK AND WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP (26:09)

PSYCHOLOGY: 4
MOVE VARIETY: 1
CROWD REACTION: 3
MATCH LENGTH AND PACING: 3
MY ENJOYMENT: 3
CORRECT PREDICTION: NO

FINAL RATING: ***1/4

With a match that has been in the making for as long as this one has been, there's always going to be an air of apprehension around it. Many would wonder, who would come out looking better, who would get the best of the action and inevitably would this match be able to live up to the hype? Thankfully, I would say it has, but it wasn't an easy ride, that's for sure, but it ended in a seismic way long after the final bell had rung.

It seemed, as expected, the double turn had initiated itself right from the bell. Reigns showed disgust at the 'Lets Go Rollins' chants as the bell rung, with Rollins himself letting a slight smirk. From there, Reigns took absolute control, showing intensity not seen before. His trash talking also helped bring out a heel-esque aura to his character venting at his 'little brother' while whacking him with stiff looking forearms and telling him to quit and stay down before the finisher move onslaught that laid before him. Rollins showed he still had what it took to be 'the man' countering every finisher that Reigns put in front of him, showcasing incredible tenacity off every stiff Reigns shot and being able to hit the high flying offence that fans love despite the surgically repaired knee. Reigns also showed his endurance by kicking out of a pedigree after going head first into the barricade shortly beforehand. The onslaught of Rollins was too much and surprisingly, Reigns didn't kick out of the second Pedigree, giving Rollins his second championship and the now former champion the first entirely clean loss of his entire WWE career.

The crowd, while hot for Rollins, were booing loudly for Reigns. As his dominance continued further on, the crowd got quieter, deciding to let their silence do more for Roman's character than their boos ever will. While the multiple near falls woke them up in the latter stages, it still impacted on this 26-minute romp and made half of it feel empty and boring, which was quite to contrary considering how much work these two were doing subtly through their psychology. However, the pace of Roman's offence confirmed the crowds lack of noise, which with a lack of momentum shifting until the latter third meant the match stagnated before it really got a chance to get going, and while Rollins got minimal offence, it didn't help the match early on at all, which explains the mauling it got on Twitter. The match went the right amount of time, despite having the PPV go overtime to fit it all in, but the momentum and pace fluctuated creating a air of tension around proceedings which made it much more pleasing to watch while making the fans restless in the process.

The move variety was only helped by a before-seen Sit-Out Cross Powerbomb by Reigns and a lovely Superplex Falcon Arrow by Rollins, but I was expecting more. What I wasn't expecting along with Rollins shock win, was the finish post-match. Dean Ambrose cashing in his Money In The Bank contract was teased on RAW last week, but I didn't think he would firstly win it and secondly actually go through with it. Well, Ambrose is a man of his world, smartly attacking Rollins while he was distracted with his titantron. One Dirty Deeds later, and we had all three former Shield members held the title on this night, which is fantastic for the stats. Ambrose as champion plants many seeds for the future top feuds going forward and it also had this event end on an explosive note, making RAW tonight even more interesting.

Overall, this match achieved the rating I expected it to, but I was left a little disappointed that Reigns didn't target the knee and weaken it like a good in-ring psychologist would have. While the match was a good one, it was let down by the aforementioned early pace and fluctuating crowd noise to really make it special. It was still good, just not good enough to some peopke.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I mentioned at the beginning of this review that Money In The Bank 2016 had a lot to live up to in regard to its past events, when you have Michael Cole and the opening video package hyping it as the (potentially) the greatest event in this PPV's history, you'd be expecting one of the quality of the 2011 and 2015 editions. While some will say this event has achieved its goals, I must pull the brakes on the parade and steer us into a very clear pit lane so clear thoughts can be analysed and ascertained.

Sure, the marquee matches of this card (the Ladder Match, Reigns/Rollins and Styles/Cena) all did exactly what was expected of them, but when you look at the rest of this card, it was woeful. The undercard for the most part was forgettable with very little to make them worth the time, leaving the big matches to labour them across the finish line, with Ambrose' shock title win jacking it with steroids as the event went twenty-five minutes past its ending slot. It was a top-heavy event, with the viewer having to sit through nearly an hour and a half of substandard and mediocre matches before reaching the pot of gold at the end of the money coloured Las Vegas rainbow. While some may be high on anticipation and adrenaline following the quality of the big matches and a shock ending, it still doesn't take away from the poor quality of what proceeded them. It was a PPV that continued with the quality of the worst events WWE's main roster has put out this year, but I was expecting it to be much better.

This ladies and gentleman, is why the WWE shouldn't promote their events as 'the best in the events history', because as Jon Stewart's 'ten of the best matches you'll ever see' claim at last years SummerSlam implied, it puts more stress on the card that makes them underachieve in the wake of such bold claims. As a result while it isn't the worst show of the year, it could have been a much better showing of the parts it had. Here, in Las Vegas, the money dropped, sadly against the house.

MONEY IN THE BANK 2016 GETS A 4.5 OUT OF 10

In relation to other 2016 events, it lines up as follows:

Payback: 7.75/10
Royal Rumble: 6/10
WrestleMania 32: 6/10
Extreme Rules: 4.75/10
Money In The Bank: 4.5/10
Fastlane: 4.25/10

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I've been Freddy Thomas, you've been people reading. This has been the Money In The Bank 2016 Review for The CC Network Blog and I'll see you all next time.

WWE PREDICTIONS: Money In The Bank 2016

This is the first PPV Predictions blog I've done since Fast Lane in February, since then, the landscape surrounding WWE has changed radically. While WWE themselves have repeated 'new era' ad nauseam, the physical evidence of this shift is profoundly correct. Long time draws such as Big Show, Kane and Mark Henry are off television, the matches are wholly entertaining across the board, the PPV product has been consistent throughout the year thus far, talent brought up from NXT are staples in their line-up, and wrestlers from other promotions around the world are starting to prove their staying power in a sea of talent the likes of which WWE hasn't seen since the heyday of the Ruthless Aggression era of the early 2000's.

That's all good news.

With the transition of Smackdown to a live product next month, and a brand split to come alongside it, this will be the last PPV event before these seismic events change the landscape of the company further. As a result, it will be a great barometer to judge what direction WWE will take going forward. Will the 'new order' continue to rise up the ladder, or will the members of the 'old guard' who have stuck around still be firmly rooted in their places? When Michael Cole stated that Money In The Bank 2016 has the potential to be one of the best PPV in the history of the event, based on the card, potential results and match quality as well as the implications for the future; he may be right. Lets hope the event tomorrow can deliver on what promise it has.

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Golden Truth VS Breezango (PRE-SHOW)

This feud is terrible. I don't need to say any more than that. I believe Golden Truth will win, because they've been outwitted by their opponents in the past. Makes sense. Now, lets move on. Just let this madness end.

PREDICTION: Golden Truth

The Lucha Dragons VS The Dudley Boyz (PRE-SHOW)

I don't understand why this match is happening. There's been no build on RAW or Smackdown for it, and it makes no sense. I have to predict a winner and I'll go for The Dudley Boyz, as they haven't won a pre-show Tag Match in quite some time.

PREDICTION: The Dudley Boyz.

Dolph Ziggler VS Baron Corbin

If there's one thing I hate in pro wrestling, it is prolonging something that has outstayed its welcome. The feud between Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin should have ended by now, with Corbin laying waste to the former World Champion and continuing his rise up to mid card title success. Alas, this hasn't been the case and it has been drawn out for the longest time. Thanks to being placed on the pre-show for two PPV's in a row, with minimal progression on RAW, the feud has withered and become more stale than a twelve day old loaf of sourdough. Its time for WWE to take this feud behind the shed to be shot, but not before doing the thing that should have been done in the first place: make Baron Corbin look like a monster.

When Corbin first appeared after his Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royale win, he mauled Ziggler and decimated all competition that stood in his way. He was made to look like a big deal, a man who could come in from any direction and give a beating that the name 'The Lone Wolf' could live up to. Thanks to Ziggler getting the win on the Payback pre-show for no apparent reason, that momentum faded quicker than Oscar Pistorius' free will. Even with a clever low-blow inspired victory in their tepid Extreme Rules pre-show No DQ Match, Corbin hasn't been able to replicate what made his post-WrestleMania RAW debut so domineering and impressive. Hopefully, this final pre-show encounter will look to see Corbin exact any bloodlust he has left and leave Ziggler broken. I fully expect to see the new blood get one over on the veteran. Whether this will be Ziggler's last hurrah before his contract expires we won't know for months to come, but if it is, at least he would have put someone over on his way out.

PREDICTION: Baron Corbin.

Apollo Crews VS Sheamus

Apollo Crews is, much like Baron Corbin, an NXT talent brought up WAY too soon. While his initial matches post-WrestleMania were fun little romps that showed off how athletic the man formerly known as Uhaa Nation was, his disappearance from television for no noticeable reason was worrying. His sudden return was even more bemusing, but thankfully this feud with Sheamus while shallow and lacking any real prominence, gives us a real chance to see whether this highly acclaimed indy darling has come of age and deserves his place on the main roster against a worthy opponent who contrasts with him in terms of pace and power.

With Sheamus believing that this 'new era' is a load of bull , it seems right for Crews to show to the Celtic Warrior exactly what he's made of. While I expect Crews to be beaten down most of the match, he will get the inevitable victory. While Sheamus is the product of more recent times, he's been in the company for close to 10 years, having achieved everything there is to achieve outside of winning a tag team title. Much like Ziggler, its time for Sheamus to help the others find their place and establish them as serious contenders. Lets hope he can do the job while showing his value.

PREDICTION: Apollo Crews.

UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Rusev (c) VS Titus O'Neil

I am a fan of Titus O'Neil, I'm not going to hide away from it. To see him fighting for the United States Championship is a showing of WWE's belief in a talent who has the potential for great things, even at the ripe age of 39. If he hadn't been suspended for stupid reasons, he would've won the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, I'm certain of it. While I am happy he's getting a title shot after showing his promise earlier on in the year, I'm afraid that it comes at a time where it doesn't look to benefit him in any way. For Rusev, this is a match to cement himself back into a role he dominated from in 2014.

The feud dynamics are typical, one represents America, while the other (a foreigner) badmouths and slanders the 'Land Of The Free'. It's the standard set-up for every feud since Rusev came into the company from NXT two years ago and in WWE's mind, if it ain't broke, why fix it? Well, for viewers and fans alike, this approach for Rusev's feuds is as monotonous as scrubbing dishes. It keeps being recycled for every face to get taken down in order to build heat on the Bulgarian Brute, and after two years of this feud mentality it's finally showing its issues. While I will criticise the feud itself, the representation of Titus as the 'Patriot American' in this role is one I hold with praise. Many have highlighted that in modern American sports, African-American's dominate the fields, when looking at the NFL, NBA and MLB that is a fact. To see WWE use an African American to stand up to a foreign heel and look like a viable threat in the process is something I will applaud for its realism. The only question, is whether Titus can do what seems impossible, based on the way Rusev has been getting more aggressive since splitting from The League Of Nations, it looks tougher than ever.

The re-building of Rusev since the disastrous feud with Summer Rae, Lana and Dolph Ziggler last year has been a slow burner but has finally reached its climax. Rusev is more destructive than ever, and with the body-scissors being added to the Accolade to make it even more impactful, the impression of infallibility increases match after match. While I understand that unlike many other opponents Rusev has faced, Titus is stronger, more athelticly poised and has charisma out the arse, I simply can't see him as anything other than fodder for the Bulgarian to chew up and spit out. This match gives Titus a chance to show the company why they made the wrong decision in suspending him for arguably the worst reason ever heard, and that even at his age, he has a future with the company. I'm hoping he puts in a good showing, because that will be all he can do in a match that in my opinion, based on how flat the feud has become, will not retain interest from the crowd even on a bigger stage.

PREDICTION: Rusev to retain.

TAG TEAM MATCH: Charlotte & Dana Brooke VS Natalya & Becky Lynch

The women's division in WWE has undergone a significant makeover since the arrival of Charlotte to the main roster in August of last year. The championship has been re-named and re-designed, the term 'Diva' has now been consigned into history and more capable women wrestlers are being signed and brought up to provide competition to make women's wrestling worth its weight in gold tot he company after decades of mismanagement. However, I still have my doubts, as the quality of wrestling under Charlotte's reign has fallen gradually since she won the then Divas Championship. This tag team match may not light the soul on fire but it has potential to do something different from what we've seen on recent events.

Charlotte's matches as champion before and since WrestleMania have followed the same formula, wear down the opponent systematically with hard strikes, aggressive grapples to the arms and legs and submission moves that target said extremities. While for body psychology that is a good thing, the matches are usually very laboured and slow, as well as lacking any real story outside of Ric Flair's interference to bring them to life. As a result, especially since WrestleMania, her reception in the fans eyes as an in-ring attraction is dwindling. As a result, the tag team match we have before us looks to be a way of diverting this negative response and hopefully creating a match that will be exciting and thanks to Dana Brookes' involvement, add an extra 'flair' to proceedings. Natalya while respected didn't add anything to her matches with Charlotte either, amplifying the same problems that befell Charlotte, hopefully with the exuberant and charismatic Becky Lynch at her side, more speed and pace can be added to give this match the crowd response it deserves. While it may seem I'm being quite critical about these women, the simple fact is that I am. A certain standard is now expected of women wrestling in this company and I expect it to be upheld. I believe this match can, but only if its done the right way.

Charlotte and Becky, as shown by their match at the Royal Rumble and their one-on-one parts of the acclaimed Triple Threat match at WrestleMania have great chemistry with their contrasting styles helping the flow of their matches be worth the time watching. With Becky playing the face in peril, Natalya can make her impact known and create a crescendo to make the build-up pay off. The wildcard is Dana Brooke, as I'm not entirely sure what she can bring to the table, which makes her participation interesting. Will she be able to help Charlotte or prove ineffective to build her up as the champions next challenger by proxy? The answer to that question for me lies in the former. I feel that after Charlotte's threat on RAW this past week, Dana will be the difference maker in ensuring her team comes out on top. Overall, it's better for Charlotte to be built up even more, to make her fall that much more dramatic and exciting.

On a final note, as Paige has beaten Charlotte twice in the build-up, does she become #1 Contender for Battleground, or does Sasha Banks automatically get it? That will have to be answered in the immediate aftermath of this match, proving that the commitment to stabilising this division still needs to be adhered to.

PREDICTION: Charlotte & Dana Brooke.

FATAL-4-WAY TAG TEAM MATCH: The New Day (c) VS The Club (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) VS The Vaudevillians VS Enzo & Cass

How many times a year do we hear from other fans that WWE's Tag Team Division is at its knees and the worst it's ever been? Seriously, it happens all the time. Although this is irritating, it has a point. It can't help to note that with one team dominating proceedings in The New Day, no other teams get chances in the limelight, which gives an impression of a lack of depth within this division as time goes by. However, since WrestleMania and the arrival of the three opposing teams for the incumbent champions to fight gives the Tag Team Division a breath of fresh air and an uncertainty to how the match itself will play out.

As this isn't an elimination match, it leaves the finish of the match leaves itself quite open, allowing for The New Day to be able to lose the titles without losing status or momentum. As a result, the idea of The New Day losing becomes ever more likely. With the way in which The Club have imposed themselves and the popularity of Enzo & Cass being unrivalled, both teams have a chance through their current momentum of upsetting the long term champions. While I will give The Vaudevillians benefit of the doubt that their gimmick is enjoyable, they don't have a chance of winning, if their crowd response and lack of growth since their debut has epitomised. This match could easily turn into a fast-paced, almagamated clusterfuck which while entertaining warrants no real benefits in the long term. The match has potential to excite and wow, and potentially crown new champions. Who wins though, remains difficult to decide with three viable winners still on the table

The remaining factor solely remains on The New Day themselves. Are they still popular? Yes. Are they still entertaining? Yes. Are they about to break a title longevity record? Yes. With the day before Battleground being the day in which the unicorn loving buffoons will overtake the long-standing decade old record of Paul London and Brian Kendrick as longest reigning WWE Tag Team Champions, it seems foolish to take the belts off them when they are about to reach such a milestone. Then again, they can only barely escape a match with their titles so many times before it comes back to bite them in the arse. I fully expect The New Day to retain here, simply out of principle for their popularity. However, don't be surprised if their title reign ends shortly after.

Lastly, for my sake WWE, would you please update your vectors of Xavier Woods and Enzo Amore? Woods hasn't had a moustache since last year and Enzo's hasn't changed since his NXT days and is still the one used in the 2K16 video game. It would be appreciated as I hate to see your company, with great production values to rely on recycled elements for your images. As a visual content creator, this kind of laziness is disappointing.

PREDICTION: The New Day to retain.

MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH: Alberto Del Rio VS Cesaro VS Chris Jericho VS Dean Ambrose VS Kevin Owens VS Sami Zayn

The seventeenth Money In The Bank Ladder Match looks set to be a barn stormer. Why? When you have six of the most respected wrestlers on WWE's roster vying for a shot at glory in what should be a sublime showcase of endurance, violence and storyline psychology, you can tell that fans are excited for it. Thanks to a great build, that had qualifying matches and promo segments which made all involved look like a big deal, the biggest MacGuffin Match of all time looks to be worth watching for the first time in years.

When it comes down to viable winners, there's only one that doesn't scream victory, and that's Alberto Del Rio. The 2011 winner while being as legitimate as he is, has been overshadowed by the other competitors. As for the rest, it's a difficult bunch to pick from. Chris Jericho's time in WWE is coming to an end once again, but the permanence of his departure remains a mystery. Will WWE give him one final run with the gold? While I can see WWE wanting to, I feel that Jericho would want to give someone else a chance. Sami Zayn seems to be a popular choice based on his in-ring performance and crowd reception, but for me, he isn't ready for the title run yet having only been on the main roster for 6 months. Cesare's rampant rise since returning from injury makes him a prime candidate. He's popular with the audience and a machine when it comes to in-ring work, however, I feel he would benefit from a mid card title run or big non title feud before focusing on world title aspirations. After those four men have been set aside, we are left with arguably the two best possible winners in Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens.

Ambrose and Owens are more than ready for a major title push, having both carried themselves greatly in big feuds and matches against each other. Both are great on the mic, have presence inside and outside the ring as well as being guys who you could easily slot into a role and make it work. With the Smackdown brand split on the horizon, having one of these two be a figurehead for this 'new era' would make perfect sense. Ambrose teased he could easily ruin either Reigns or Rollins' title aspirations and claim the one prize that has eluded him for so many years, while for Owens it will be perfect validation of his character who has never failed to achieve all set out for it. Picking between the two is a very difficult choice, as I would be fine with either of them. However, despite Ambrose's prominence in the Reigns/Rollins situation, his position as a main event player is already assured, and he doesn't need this match to get a world title match at this point. Ten of the seventeen winners of this match have been heels, the role of a cocky brash holder is a natural fit for Owens and it will add more credibility to his character. If he were to be the holder on a Shane McMahon run show post-brand split, could you imagine Owens trying to undermine Shane's vision of the show by taking the title from a match or champion that McMahon has faith in? It would be gold. As a result, I have to pick Owens here. While Ambrose with the briefcase would be fun, I would enjoy seeing Owens with it that much more.

PREDICTION: Kevin Owens.

WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Roman Reigns (c) VS Seth Rollins

I feel we can all breath a sigh of relief as FINALLY, after two years of waiting, this money match is going to take place. Their match at Night Of Champions 2014 was cancelled due to Reigns having to undergo an operation for a hernia, and their World Title match at Survivor Series 2015 was cancelled due to Seth Rollins' knee injury. It seemed that the will of the wrestling gods was too short tempered to allow a match between the most successful members of The Shield to happen without either man suffering an affliction shortly before it was due to go ahead. Alas, this time, with both men having now tasted glory at WrestleMania and held the World Title, that they seem content with the playing field laid out before them, to bless us with a match many have been waiting in anticipation for.

The build for this match has been... strange, to say the least. Seth Rollins return has been besieged with cheers, yet the egotistical, cocky and abrasive Rollins is still what we see, with his WWE24 documentary not helping WWE's cause to make their former champion appear apathetic to the crowds desire to welcome him back like Triple H some fourteen years before him. Sure, he wants his title back, as do many of the fans but the way WWE are presenting the champion makes him out to be more jealous and bitter rather than driven as his t-shirts' goal has alluded to. It's still the same Rollins we saw for the last year, only with a more chiselled physique and the lack of the yellow streak in his hair. As for Roman Reigns, his negative reception may be getting neutered by Kevin Dunn at the production desk week after week but there is no doubt this champion isn't 'divisive' as JBL will suggest. While he isn't the best mic worker or wrestler around, I can still tolerate Roman a lot more than others, and based on the TV ratings since WrestleMania and the continuous negative reception he gets at all televised and live events, this is a champion that the fans haven't warmed to in the way WWE would have wanted. While he's put on two great matches with AJ Styles at the last two PPV's, the perception of him as champion and as a wrestler still hasn't changed in many a fans eye. As a result, this match has some interesting implications going into it that really makes this match difficult to predict.

In terms of fan reception alone, it would be a great idea for Roman and Seth to commit the rarest of things, an alignment switch or as we call it in this industry a double turn. Reigns has been getting more aggressive, standoffish and obtuse in his disregard for the fans booing and Rollins is being cheered out of the building despite the bookers attempts to make him as hate-able as possible. With both of these two switching roles as the result of a gruelling and intense match, we can finally see Roman show how much of a danger he is if allowed to go full beast mode like he did in 2013 and 2014 to prove his dominance, and gain sympathy for the fans 'fallen hero' who finally has proven that even in defeat he could stand up to the behemoth WWE replaced him with. While that all sounds good, WWE want Roman to stay at the top and wouldn't risk all that time they spend building him to amount to nothing despite fans protests, so having Reigns keep his alignment in check for them makes the most sense. In regards to picking a winner though, it's something that is easy to see. Even with Rollins return coming hot off the heels of Reigns latest title defence, I don't see 'The Guy' losing here. If Seth had a few matches since his return to build himself up, and if it were at a bigger event, then I would give it to him. For now, Roman needs to continue to be built up as this unstoppable force, for one man to beat and make themselves. While many reading this may not be happy with that decision, in due time you will be happy that WWE stuck with this guy, and see someone else rise to compete with him at this level.

PREDICTION: Roman Reigns to retain.

GRUDGE MATCH: John Cena VS AJ Styles

If this match doesn't main event the show, then we've got a massive problem. It's the hottest and most anticipated match of the year thus far, and the build-up has been fiery, provocative and bluntly realistic. Overall, when looking at all that, combined with the two men involved, this match has five star classic written all over it. Given Styles' record since arriving in WWE, and Cena's record of the post-Wrestlemania 31 and we might be looking at the best match of the year, NXT included.

It's a dream match no-one in their right mind believed would happen. The face of WWE for the last 11 years, facing off against the face of TNA for the first 12 years of its existence. Both men are of similar age, broke into the big time in their respective companies at the same time and are multi-time world champions and Wrestler of the Year award winners from magazines the world over. This is the true battle of this generations biggest wrestling stars. I'm not going to understate that, sorry Dwayne, you're so last generation despite your age. A match of this magnitude should be headlining a Wrestlemania, the fact it isn't may be considered a crazy concept, but as Money In The Bank has seemingly replaced Survivor Series as a 'Big 4' event, it still feels to me like its worthy of its place.

For the first time since CM Punk's pie bomb infused run in the summer of 2011, a rivalry feels full on real, fuelled by the the name-dropping of other promotions, the notion that Cena 'buries' wrestlers who face him and the notion that in Styles mind just like the fans, Cena's wrestling ability isn't anything good to warrant the success he has had. This feud was hot the moment Styles heel turn was established and hasn't slowed down since. It's been three solid weeks of fantastically delivered and heated promos, coupled with a contract signing that proves you don't need a fist fight to make it exciting. I couldn't be more excited for a match if I wanted to be, and as it echoes Cena's feud with Owens last year in tone and anticipation my hype couldn't be higher. Both men have been showcased (at least verbally) as equals, something which in regards to Cena is a rarity. On Sunday, it will be time to prove that both men in-ring can back up their claims and deliver the five star match we know they can knock out of themselves.

The sole question that remains, is who walks out the winner? Many will likely use the 'Cena Wins LOL' mentality and figure, as this is his first match since December last year, that he needs to return with a victory. While that is some sound logic to put forward, I retort by noting the themes I alluded to at the beginning of this article, that we are in a new age. With this rise of new talent in the WWE, John Cena's position in the company looks more and more under threat as the years have gone by. While his presence as a draw and a legend within the company remains undeterred, even with how this feud has progressed, Styles has looked the more focused, driven and confident of the two in his delivery and presence in these promos. John Cena may be the 'face that runs the place' but after numerous injuries over the last few years and a regression down the card, the aura of infallibility surrounding him has disappeared with it. After losing clean to Kevin Owens and Alberto Del Rio last year, the idea of another wrestler beating 'SuperCena' isn't out of the question. To have this new era be fully ushered in, Cena needs to lose, and with The Club 'seemingly' banned from ringside thanks to that contract signing, the possibility of a clean loss for Cena seems more inevitable than you'd expect. Finally, given that Styles needs to rebound after three consecutive PPV losses to Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns respectively, a win would make more sense and give people the perception that Cena's time at least for now really is up. While it's no secret that Cena will overcome Styles down the line, their's only a first time once, so for WWE's sake, I'd make it count by giving the Phenomenal One a win to match his nickname and firmly state to all doubters that TNA's biggest homegrown draw is not only the real deal, but against all odds is at the top of WWE's ladder. Now that's something I never thought I'd say.

PREDICTION: AJ Styles.

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I've been Freddy Thomas, you've been people reading. This has been the Money In The Bank 2016 Predictions for The CC Network Blog and I'll see you all next time.