As some of you are aware, I first subscribed to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter in the mid-1990s. With the Money in the Bank ladder match debuting in 2005, I knew it was possible for me to go back and look at every single match to see how the newsletter's editor, Dave Meltzer, rated them. This was one of my projects for the week. I was hoping the odds didn't move before I was able to find the time to look into this. Thankfully, they haven't. Yet.
Not that I was going to back the final selection in the image above. I immediately discounted the 'Dave Meltzer to give this match 5 stars' selection for two good reasons.
Most importantly, I don't have any confidence in the match being awarded one of Dave Meltzer's famous five stars. From memory, the last five star match within WWE was the CM Punk versus John Cena championship match from the Money in the Bank event six years ago. Bearing that in mind, the 7/1 for next week's ladder match to get five stars is way too short, in my opinion.
Another thing working against backing the 7s is the fact that - for most of the past few PPVs - the oddsmakers from Kambi have offered either 15/1 or 20/1 for ANY match getting 'Five stars or more'. If you think that it can be pulled off, you may as well wait and see if Kambi's markets include a Wrestling Observer special. This will cover every match on the card. so your bet will win if, for example, Lana and Naomi execute a mat classic.
With my tongue no longer fixed to the inside of my cheek, I do like the chance of Meltzer giving the match 'Four Stars or More'.
I arrived at the conclusion after going through all of the Money in the Bank ladder matches in history and seeing how they've been rated by the editor.
As many of you know, the Money in the Bank ladder started off as a bout on the card for WrestleMania 21. It became a regular fixture until it was given its very own pay-per-view event in the summer of 2010.
Going in, I thought it was worth looking at the Money in the Bank ladder matches that were on the WrestleMania undercards and the MITB pay-per-views separately. I had a feeling that the Mania matches may not have been given enough time due it being a midcard fixture in that era and this could have resulted in a slightly lower rating. This didn't really play that much of a factor as fifty percent of the Mania MITB matches score four stars or higher.
The MITB PPV era, which is where we now find ourselves, is even stronger in favour of four or more stars. Of the eleven matches that have taken place on its own branded shows, seven Money in the Bank matches have been given four or more stars in the following week's issue of the Wrestling Observer. That's near sixty-four percent to those keeping score.
Overall, fifty-nine percent of the past Money in the Bank matches would have resulted in winning bets.
I also like how close the other matches that didn't hit four stars came. Five came a quarter of a star shy, one came a half out and the other was three quarters.
AJ Styles being involved in the match has also helped me reach the decision. He has been on fire and - so far in 2017 - his PPV matches have averaged 4.25 stars.
There was no way I couldn't have a gamble on the selection after looking back at how the previous ladder matches have been rated.
We'll find out how these markets are settled once the Money in the Bank 2017 review appears inside the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that will be printed a few days after the pay-per-view. I expect it'll be on Thursday June 22nd.
Tyler bate Vs Pete dunne at Takeover was without doubt the best match in WWE this year so far. Meltzer even said so himself - and that match got a 4 3/4 star match. I don't see this being a 5 star, but with AJ, Kevin, Sami and Nakamura in this match alone it's going to be 4 stars by default just from the wrestling ability
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