In-ring: Justin Roberts announced they’re going right to the #1 contender match for the WWE Title. Out first was Randy Orton as Cole and Lawler hyped what’s on the line. Apparently they have something bigger in mind later in the show, as this would seem to be the match to hype throughout two hours leading to the main event. Out next was Chris Jericho after Orton’s full entrance. Jericho
was sporting tape over his right elbow to sell the effects of the Money in the Bank match last night. Cole noted how many championship reigns Orton and Jericho each have, then Edge came out third to round out the field. Cole noted all three of the men can’t be 100 percent after the match. After a wide shot of the arena to set the stage for the match, the bell sounded to start things off.

RANDY ORTON vs. CHRIS JERICHO vs. EDGE – #1 contender match to WWE Title
Edge and Jericho started things off with a unified attack on Orton. They went for a double backdrop, but Orton pulled out a signature counter with a double DDT. He made a cover on Edge for a two count. Orton then went to work on Edge with a methodical attack as Jericho recovered on the outside. Orton whipped Edge hard into the corner, then went down on both hands to tease the RKO. Edge shoved him away, though, and Orton ran into Jericho for a codebreaker out of nowhere. Jericho attempted a cover, but Edge broke it up. Jericho and Edge then brawled to the outside. Edge rammed Jericho off the announce table and they cut to break with action on the floor.

They returned from break with Jericho and Edge still on the outside as Lawler reset that the winner will face Sheamus for the WWE Title at Summerslam. Jericho then crawled back onto the ring apron and Orton bumped him back to the floor. Edge and Jericho tried to crawl back in again, but Edge scampered away and Jericho took the signature spike DDT off the middle rope. Orton tried a cover, but Edge yanked Orton out of the ring. Some good sequences so far in the match. They reset at 9:00 with Edge and Orton in the ring, but Jericho yanked Edge out of the ring and went to work on Orton. Jericho tried a pin with his feet on the ropes, but Orton kicked out in time.

Jericho settled into a reverse chinlock on Orton as the crowd rallied behind Orton. They came to their feet and Orton mounted a comeback with two knock-down clotheslines followed by a snap powerslam for a nearfall. Edge then tried to sneak in, but Orton dropped him with a fallaway backbreaker for another two count. Orton kicked Edge to the outside again, then he teased the spike DDT on Jericho again, but Jericho countered with the Walls of Jericho. They went to the Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 camera shot of Orton trying to fight the hold, then Jericho pulled him back to center ring. Suddenly, Edge entered the ring and grabbed Jericho for a DDT that resulted in a two count.

Edge measured Jericho for a spear moments later, but Jericho countered with a roll-through into the Walls of Jericho. Edge fought the hold and grabbed the bottom rope for a break. Edge tried to come back with a roll-up pin, but Jericho kicked out. Edge then clotheslined Jericho over the top rope and Orton snuck in the back door. He tried the RKO, but Edge blocked with a reverse DDT for another close nearfall. Suddenly, all three men traded nearfalls before all three men hit a triple knock-down clothesline to put everyone on the mat.

They reset with Jericho shoving Edge to the outside, then Orton teased the RKO on Jericho, who blocked. Jericho teased the Lionsault, but Orton moved. Orton then stalked Jericho and finally connected with the RKO. Edge tried to run in with the spear, but Orton dropped him with the RKO. Orton then covered Edge for a three count to win as the crowd popped for Orton’s victory. Post-match: Orton maintained his cool demeanor as a graphic showed Orton going to Summerslam. After a replay of the high points in the match, they showed Orton staring into the crowd with an icy glare. It’s Sheamus vs. Orton at Summerslam.

WINNER: Orton at 15:10 to become #1 contender. WWE obviously saw how hot the crowd was for Orton almost winning the MITB match last night and pulled the trigger on the hot babyface in the main event of the second-biggest PPV of the year.

Backstage: Sheamus had an ice pack on his head walking down the hallway with a medic checking on him. He walked past the Bella Twins and Gail Kim, who were giggling. He shouted at them this isn’t funny. Randy Orton then walked up to him and said it’s too bad what happened to him out there. Orton said being champ makes him a target. He said he doesn’t care who the champ is at Summerslam because that person will be wearing a giant bulls-eye. He said he won’t be hitting that bulls-eye with a spear or an arrow, but with an R-K-O. Sheamus sold that he didn’t want to hear any of this after a rough night at the office

RAW MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
Order of ring entrances: Randy Orton, The Miz, Mark Henry, Ted DiBiase (w/Maryse), John Morrison, Chris Jericho, Evan Bourne, and Edge. Cole said Miz is his dark horse pick to win the match. Bourne dove into Henry in the corner at 1:00; they both tumbled to ringside. Edge, alone in the ring, was the first to climb the ladder and touch the ladder. Orton yanked him down and pounded on him. DiBiase used a ladder in the ring as a weapon. Morrison avoided the ladder and dropped DiBiase with a spinning hook kick. DiBiase clotheslined Morrison back-first onto the ladder. Ouch. Bourne dropkicked a ladder into DiBIase. Miz rammed Bourne’s head into the ladder. Jericho attacked Miz. Henry dove onto the back of Miz who was draped over the middle rope. As Henry showboated, Miz blindsided him with a ladder shot.

I the ring, Bourne set up a ladder. Jericho charged at him with the ladder. Bourne ducked and then set up a ladder mid-ring and climbed to the top. Edge grasped as Bourne. Bourne dove off and head scissored him to the mat. Orton entered the ring and gave Bourne a DDT off the ladder’s third rung the same way he usually does off the middle rope. Morrison rammed Orton into the turnbuckle and then leaping roundkicked him in the head. Orton rolled to the floor. Morrison fell backward into the ladder and hit the back of his head and seemed momentarily stunned. DiBiase went after Morrison, but Morrison reversed him with a suplex attempt. Miz intervened. Miz and DiBiase stomped on Morrison. Morrison used a drop toe hold to send DiBiase into a ladder propped in the corner.

At 6:00 Morrison then climbed the ladder. Edge re-entered and met him on the other side. Jericho set up his own ladder and climbed it. Orton met him at the top. All four battled to reach the swinging briefcase. Henry entered and shoved both ladders over for stereo mirror images bumps on opposite sides of the ring by both pairs of wrestlers. Bourne springboarded into the ring and at Henry, but he flew all the way to ringside. Maryse checked on DiBiase, who was KO’d at ringside. Maryse climbed into the ring as if she was going to climb the ladder. Lawler wondered if she could officially win the match. Maryse climbed to the top. Morrison gently helped her down and onto his back in a fireman’s carry position. He ordered her out of the ring. DiBiase climbed the ladder. Morrison quickly turned and went after DiBiase. DiBiase leaped off the ladder onto Morrison.

Miz catapulted Morrison into a ladder at ringside. he climbed that ladder and then teetered of of another ladder in the ring to land on top of a ladder mid-ring. That was a first. It was like the old Mouse Trap game. He knocked Edge down and reached for the briefcase. Edge yanked Morrison through the ladder so he was bridge of sorts between both sides. Miz and Edge rammed Morrison in his abs (no, not the abs!) with the ladder. Edge then jabbed Miz in the face with the ladder. Lawler said, “Never trust Edge.” Edge tipped the ladder over with Morrison’s body still bridged across it. He knocked Morrison to the floor and then set up a ladder again.

DiBiase jabbed Edge in the gut with the ladder. He set up it up upside down in a “V” position. He knocked Orton off the ring apron with another ladder. DiBiase propped another ladder against the “V” ladder, then climbed the ladder in the middle. Henry finally returned to the ring and went after DiBiase. DiBiase dove at him, but Henry caught him and powerslammed him. Jericho charged at Henry. Henry kicked the ladder into him. Then he caught Miz and dropped him into Jericho. Bourne leaped onto Henry’s back and climbed to the top of the ladder. Edge and Orton intervened, but they turned to Henry. Bourne, meanwhile, reached for the case. They turned back and yanked Bourne off and co-pressed him and threw him onto Henry on the floor. Henry powerslammed Bourne on the floor. Morrison leaped off the ring apron and kicked Henry. Jericho gave Henry a Code Breaker. Edge speared Henry at 14:00.

Miz and Orton and Morrison climbed a ladder in mid-ring. Jericho joined them. DiBiase slid a ladder into the ring, bridging it over the top rope and into the support beam of the ladder and walked over to join them. The meeting of five broke up when Edge and Orton slid the ladder, with DiBiase on it, out of the ring. DiBiase took a hard fall. Orton then gave Edge an RKO. Jericho and Morrison remained on the top. Jericho reached for the case. Morrison stopped him. Jericho ended up hung upside down in the corner. Orton yanked Morrison down and gave him an RKO. Bourne gave Orton an Air Bourne as soon as Orton landed. Bourne them climbed the ladder with Jericho still hanging upside down on the other side. He dramatically reached it and almost had it unhooked. Jericho punched at him. Bourne fought him off and again tried to unhook it. Jericho met him at the top again. At 18:00 Jericho knocked Bourne down by hitting him with the briefcase. Jericho was spent and slipped a couple rungs. Good drama there, especially for Bourne fans.

Edge met Jericho at the top. Edge headbutted Jericho. Orton then gave Jericho an RKO off the ladder. Edge reached for the case, but it was out of reach. Orton knocked Edge onto the “V” ladder. Orton then eyed the briefcase. The crowd popped as he climbed the ladder. He reached for it, got a sense of the height, and almost unhooked it when Miz tipped over the ladder. Good believable near finish. Miz then climbed the ladder and unhooked it for the win. I’m doing pretty well on my picks made earlier today on the VIP Wade Keller Hotline (79 straight days and counting!)

WINNER: Miz in 20:00