WWE Money in the Bank 2018: Results, Highlights, and Grades

Photo Source: WWE.com

Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh) vs. Roman Reigns

Result: Roman Reigns defeated Jinder Mahal via pinfall

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

The irony of Roman Reigns being in a de facto cool down match is staggering. After the women tore down the house in the ladder match, out comes the supposed “chosen one” to give the WWE Universe a chance to catch their breath. Maybe it’s a tactic to try to avoid boos — which didn’t work — or maybe it’s just realizing that there were so many other more high profile matches on the card.

I wish WWE had the guts to do a kind of social experiment regarding Reigns. Like, I want to see two other superstars do literally the same match as Reigns and his opponent for the cycle. Beat for beat, same pacing, same layout, everything — only special moves and finishers would be different. If this Reigns/Mahal match was, say, Rollins/Elias, would the crowd react the same way? Or is it just because they see The Big Dog and the Maharaja?

But instead of paying attention to the story being told, just because they’re disinterested in the superstars involved, we get the wave, and (I’m assuming) beach balls. No one cared that Sunil Singh was faking most of his injuries and didn’t need the wheelchair. No one cared that the match itself was, while nothing earth-shattering, wasn’t nearly as boring as their chants would indicate.

You can argue “But Chicago!” all you want, but the facts of the matter is this was a match between two former WWE Champions. It’s not worth the vitriol hurled at the participants, just because you don’t want someone to win a belt a month from now.