10 Worst WWE Matches Of 2018

9. Carmella Vs Asuka (Money In The Bank)

Shawn Michaels Undertaker Crown Jewel
WWE.com

It'd be too easy to rule out James Ellsworth's return here as catastrophic considering the controversy that engulfed him later in the year - he was at the time a useful component in the company's attempt to get Carmella over-the-top as some kind of a credible champion in division full of already-credible contenders.

His reintroduction could and should have helped 'The Princess Of Staten Island', but like Charlotte at WrestleMania before her, this match was less about the winner and more to do with the desperate decline of the loser.

Asuka's 'Show Of Shows' defeat against Charlotte Flair was divisive, but those in defence of the decision were on hand with the usual three-line whip; "Let the storyline play out and see where it goes", "All undefeated streaks have to come to an end", "She can now develop more as a character for the loss". Bullsh*t. Bullsh*t. Bullsh*t.

WWE is not that company anymore. WWE are the company where what happened yesterday doesn't matter today - not to those inside the walls anyway. Fans still care, and WWE used to adhere to such trivialities as audience emotion and investment. . In old money, WWE would adhere to such principles. Money In The Bank was the cold reality of Asuka plight, and things haven't really heated back up for her since.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett