10 WWE Money In The Bank 2018 Impulse Reactions
3. Last Nerve Standing
Despite moments of genuine class (perhaps harnessing their New Japan experiences - the nine-count rushes matched the exhilaration of a 19-count ringside comeback), AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura's Last Man Standing clash provided closure that only matched the bang-average level of their angle overall.
A series of spots glued together with ten-count teases, the integrity of the entire gimmick was inadvertently questioned when Corey Graves noted how the contest could end exactly as their woeful Backlash encounter did - in another draw. Perhaps the gloomy prospect of yet another match between the pair made Styles' victory all the more satisfying, but the contest yet again made idiots out of once Great Men (TM).
AJ Styles yet again didn't wear a cup. Shinsuke Nakamura yet again didn't consider the ramifications of hitting his Kinshasa with a bad knee. These performers are presented as the elite by the virtue of the belt they are competing for, but their glory is in name and fascia alone. It instead brings the prestige of the title down to their level - a phenomenal achievement considering the once-revered status of the man holding the gold.
In 2018, WWE's self-loathing booking style has conspired to ruin both the best wrestler in the world and his most tantalising potential programme. 12 months ago, this was pure money - it has now left both performers in debt.