Money in the Bank recap: Braun Strowman and Alexa Bliss win MITB matches, Bliss cashes in and wins title

There was a mad scramble early, and it was ultimately Ember Moon who made the first attempt to get a ladder in the ring. Moon did her springboard cross-body onto Sasha Banks, which sent Banks falling back-first into a ladder on the ground -- the first bump that brought a noticeably loud reaction from the crowd. Lana soon slid in and got a similarly loud reaction as she hit a facebuster to Moon onto that same ladder that lay in the middle of the ring.

Natalya scoop-slammed Lana onto that ladder and then dropped Naomi legs-first and stomped on her back using that same ladder that just kept coming into play. This brought Charlotte Flair back into the ring to push Natalya -- reigniting Flair's first major WWE rivalry -- but Natalya soon ceded in favor of Flair facing down another friend-turned-rival-turned-friend, Becky Lynch. As they played tug-of-war with a ladder, Naomi used it to jump onto Natalya and, without missing a beat, bounded off the ropes and hit a dropkick that sent the ladder into the faces of both Lynch and Flair.

After a blockbuster from the apron to the floor on Banks, Naomi slowly stirred to her feet at the same time as Moon -- with Lynch quickly joining the mix. As Naomi and Moon fought over the ladder, which was nearly perpendicular to the ground, Lynch climbed most of the way up -- only to quickly pay the price as the ladder went crashing down into the corner.

Moon hip-tossed a running Naomi into a ladder set up in the corner -- another strategically placed weapon that would continue to play a factor -- and that was Banks' cue to get back into it. After leaving Moon lying on a small ladder on the bottom rope, Banks positioned Lana on the middle rope and stomped the both of them at once.

Banks became the first to attempt to climb in earnest, only for Flair to come back into the ring as the two long-separated rivals went after each other and the briefcase in the ring.

Flair landed the first blow with a twice-twisting neckbreaker, but after another mad scramble, Banks attempted to scale the ladder -- and got booed along the way by the Chicago crowd. When Lynch got back into the ring and started to climb, there were uproarious cheers -- the loudest for anyone outside of perhaps Lana. After a long period with just a rotating cast of two women at a time, the numbers started to pile up in the ring. Banks and Lynch stood atop one ladder, while Lana set up a second, taller ladder and started to climb up that.

Everyone got involved. Moon got onto a ladder, too, while Natalya and Banks took turns pulling each other down. Natalya ultimately powerbombed Banks into the shorter ladder, which also sent Lynch tumbling out, and as Moon and Lana battled atop the ladder, Flair got back into the picture while Bliss played defense. Flair plucked Moon off the ladder and powerbombed her onto a second ladder perched on one of the turnbuckles, and then, as she attempted to do something similar to Bliss, the latter hit a Code Red to take Flair out of the picture.

For a moment, Lana stood alone in the ring, but rather than scale the ladder, she locked her husband's signature move -- the Accolade -- onto Bliss to great cheers.

As Lana finally scaled the ladder, Naomi springboarded to the top of the other side, kicked Lana in the head and sent her out of the ring. Lynch disrupted Naomi's climb and took her out, and as she climbed the ladder, Flair fought her way up to the top as the briefcase hung just over their heads.

Bliss inserted herself into the picture, but after a spear, Flair was the only one left in the ring. Banks hit a Banks statement to take out Flair, while Naomi slammed Banks face-first into the ladder to again shift the balance. Lana took out Naomi, and Natalya took out Lana. Moon took out Natalya, and then Flair re-entered, spearing Moon into one of the corner ladders.

After one final mad scramble, it was back to Lynch and Flair -- and with a Bex-sploder, it appeared that the long-suffering Lynch would finally get a much-needed shot in the arm by taking home the Money in the Bank briefcase. But as she climbed to the top and got the briefcase in hand, Bliss slid back in the ring, tipped the ladder over and claimed the briefcase for herself.

The fate of the Raw Women's Championship later in the show will likely dictate how long Bliss holds onto the briefcase, and only time will tell what it will mean for the rest of the Raw women's division.

Intercontinental championship: Seth Rollins (c) def. Elias

No one in the WWE is performing at a higher level than Seth Rollins right now. His Intercontinental championship reign has felt important not just because Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship has been MIA but also because Rollins has torn the house down each and every time he has stepped into the ring.

Across the ring from him in Chicago was one of the fastest rising stars on the main roster in Elias. The potential seems limitless for Elias. He can work in the ring, and his musical performances are heat-generating machines. Adding some gold to his repertoire would improve his standing even more. After his match against Rollins, it looks like a no-brainer that that will happen -- even if he fell just short Sunday.

After some mat wrestling filled with reversals, Rollins and Elias traded strikes highlighted by a flawless dropkick by the architect. He followed that with some aerial attacks including a springboard clothesline to the challenger. Elias fought back, though, nailing a vicious clothesline to Rollins, who took a rough tumble on the ring apron.

Elias continued the aggression and began to target Rollins' neck, including a spike DDT on the champ. The sound game plan continued as Elias locked in a cobra clutch on Rollins, wearing down the neck further.

After Elias thwarted a couple Rollins comebacks, Rollins was able to land a sling blade followed up by a suicide to the outside onto Elias and then a blockbuster back inside the ring. However, after Rollins missed a springboard attempt, seemingly injuring his knee, Elias nailed him with a knee to the jaw of his own, and the pace quickened.

A strike fest ensued, a battle Rollins won when he delivered a picture-perfect kick to Elias' face. The hobbled champion then ascended the top rope looking for a frog splash, but Elias raised his knees, catching Rollins in the gut. Rollins remained resilient, though, and performed his always impressive top rope superplex/falcon arrow combination. But it wasn't enough.

Shortly after, Elias made a comeback of his own, catching Rollins as he attempted another suicide dive. He tossed Rollins into the ring post, then the steel steps, before landing a top-rope elbow drop, but it wasn't enough.

After Rollins' knee gave way when attempting a running buckle bomb, the two traded roll-up attempts, and aided by his grabbing of Elias' belt, Rollins snuck in a three count, winning the match and retaining his title.

It was a strong showing for both men. We've gotten accustomed to these types of performances by Rollins, but this was an important showing by Elias, who proved he can hang in the spotlight with one of the best in the business. The future is bright for the drifter.

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Bobby Lashley def. Sami Zayn

After the mess that was the build-up to Sami Zayn vs. Bobby Lashley at Money in the Bank, it was all too appropriate that the match that hopefully signals the end of their rivalry was short and to the point.

Lashley won the match handily, thanks to a trio of delayed vertical suplexes and a spinebuster -- and with cross-dressing stand-ins for Lashley's sisters, an obstacle course and accusations of stolen valor behind us, let's hope there's somewhere better for each of these guys to go moving forward.

No matter how despicable Zayn has been over the past few weeks, there was very little that could've been done to get Zayn booed by a Chicago crowd -- or Lashley universally cheered, for that matter.

Zayn avoided all contact early on by sliding out of the ring twice, but on the second attempt, Lashley chased him. Lashley got a few licks in, but Zayn used the ropes to his full advantage and picked up some early offense that sent Lashley tumbling out of the ring. It was about as much of an advantage as he'd have throughout the match.

Lashley ultimately crushed Zayn's hand, which he hurt during a handshake a few weeks ago, and followed with a clothesline.

Zayn attempted a cross body from the middle rope, but Lashley caught him and tossed him overhead via crucifix suplex. Lashley ultimately hit a spinebuster and a delayed suplex, prompting Zayn to beg for mercy, but Lashley was having none of it. At the prompting of the crowd, Lashley repeated the delayed suplex, got Zayn up in a perpendicular torturer rack and then, as he got Zayn up a third time for the vertical suplex, finished things off.

Lashley's pin, which had him simply stick a hand on Zayn's chest, is not necessarily something most "good guys" would do, but considering how far Zayn pushed the boundaries of taste in this rivalry, it's a decisive close to a story that went off the rails in a hurry.

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Daniel Bryan def. Big Cass

Some rivalries don't click, and it's not necessarily because the superstars in question aren't doing their part. Sometimes the timing of the particular feud is off. This is an example of that. Daniel Bryan made his triumphant in-ring return at WrestleMania, but that momentum was stalled so that he could play a role in Big Cass' development as a heel. While Cass is generating a good deal of heat -- as evidenced by a flurry of "Big Cass sucks" chants from the Chicago crowd tonight -- this program has stunted the progression of Bryan's comeback.

Tonight's chapter began as you'd expect, with each superstar displaying his calling card -- Bryan with quickness and Cass with power. Bryan focused on chopping down the giant by attacking Cass' leg, but power prevailed early on when Cass shoved Bryan off the ring apron into the barricade.

From there, the pace slowed dramatically as Cass pelted Bryan with strikes and taunted him in the process. The tenacious Bryan attempted several comebacks but was overpowered, most notably by way of a swinging side slam from the big man.

The tide began to turn when Cass charged at Bryan in the corner, and Bryan sidestepped him, sending Cass face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Bryan then continued to target the left leg of Cass, trying to soften him up for his patented heel hook.

Bryan continued his offensive onslaught and, out of nowhere, turned a tilt-a-whirl attempt by Cass into a Yes Lock, but Cass was able to wiggle his way to the ropes, breaking the hold. Bryan increased the tempo even further when Cass rolled to the outside of the ring. Bryan ascended the turnbuckle and launched himself to the outside of the ring onto Cass.

Cass had a devastating move in his arsenal too, though, as the two made their way back into the ring. From the middle turnbuckle, he nailed Bryan with a fallaway slam, ala the great JBL. He followed it with a reverse death-valley driver and shortly after, a huge boot to the face, but Bryan kicked out of both pinfall attempts.

However, after escaping a torture rack submission attempt by Cass, Bryan caught him with a running knee to the face and locked in the heel hook, forcing Cass to tap out.

Bryan's second consecutive pay-per-view submission victory over Cass likely puts an end to the lackluster rivalry, which benefits both men. Bryan can continue his ascension up the SmackDown Live ladder, and Cass can continue his progression elsewhere.

Having said all of that, tonight's bout was their best performance as adversaries.

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Kickoff Show
SmackDown tag team championships: The Bludgeon Brothers (c) def. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson

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Still to come:

Raw women's championship: Nia Jax (c) vs. Ronda Rousey

Men's Money in the Bank ladder match: Braun Strowman vs. Finn Balor vs. The Miz vs. Rusev vs. Bobby Roode vs. Kevin Owens vs. TBD (The New Day) vs. Samoa Joe