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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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The second major topic of discussion was the highly personal, explosive contract signing. The internet was flooded with memes mocking Paul Heyman's sudden realization that he might be legally owned by the man he was trying to intimidate. "Heyman prided himself on being the ultimate legal mastermind, and Sandro just hit him with the Uno Reverse card!" a viral tweet read, accompanied by a picture of Heyman's terrified face.
However, many astute fans pointed out the reality of the business.
"There is absolutely zero chance Paul Heyman was allowed to go out there and talk about becoming a 'Daddy' to Sandro's real life girlfriends without Sandro greenlighting the promo beforehand," a popular wrestling journalist noted on their podcast. "Sandro holds too much stock and too much influence behind the scenes. They deliberately pushed the envelope to make the rivalry as personal and heated as possible, and it worked flawlessly. The tension for Sunday is off the charts."
Above all, the fans were overwhelmingly excited for Money in the Bank. The unpredictability of Sandro's physical condition, combined with Lesnar's raw power and the looming threat of the MITB briefcase, created an atmosphere of absolute, must see television.
Several days passed, bringing the WWE schedule to Friday Night SmackDown.
The blue brand was still reeling from the violent arrival of the Nexus. General Manager Teddy Long was determined to restore some semblance of order and authority to his show, but Wade Barrett and his rapidly expanding faction held too much physical leverage.
Teddy Long attempted to prove that the Nexus had to earn their opportunities legitimately. He booked Wade Barrett in a high stakes singles match, and placed Ryback and David Otunga in a tag team contest. The stipulation was clear, if they won, they would earn championship matches at Money in the Bank. If they lost, they would be sent to the back of the line.
But the Nexus was not interested in playing fair.
During both matches, the remaining members of the Nexus, Mason Ryan, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Darren Young, Curtis Axel, and Jinder Mahal, slowly made their way down the ramp. They didn't physically attack the opponents. They simply surrounded the ringside area, crossing their massive arms, creating a suffocating wall of intimidation.
The strategy was flawless. The opponents were far too distracted by the looming threat of an 8 on 1 mugging to focus on the match.
Wade Barrett capitalized on the paranoia, delivering a brutal Wasteland follwed by the Bull Hammer to secure his victory. Later in the night, Ryback and Otunga utilized the exact same psychological warfare, finishing their match with a devastating Shell Shocked by Ryback.
Teddy Long stood on the entrance stage, visibly frustrated. He knew exactly what the Nexus had done, but because they hadn't technically broken any rules or physically interfered, he had absolutely no legitimate reason to reverse the decisions.
With a heavy sigh, Teddy Long reluctantly awarded Wade Barrett an Intercontinental Championship opportunity, and Ryback and Otunga a WWE Tag Team Championship opportunity at Money in the Bank.
"They played the system," Cole noted gravely on the SmackDown broadcast. "The Nexus managed to manipulate the rules while technically staying within the lines, and now they have a chance to drape themselves in SmackDown gold this Sunday."
Two more days passed.
It was Sunday evening. The sun was setting over Rosemont, Illinois, just outside the city limits of Chicago.
The Allstate Arena was absolutely packed to the rafters. Tens of thousands of passionate, vocal wrestling fans had flooded the building, filling the air with a chaotic symphony of chants, cheers, and the rustling of homemade signs. The atmosphere was electric, carrying the unmistakable, heavy weight of a major WWE pay per view.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The opening pyrotechnics exploded across the massive entrance stage, showering the screaming Chicago crowd in sparks as the official Money in the Bank theme song pumped through the stadium speakers.
The broadcast camera swept over the sea of humanity, capturing the raw energy of the audience before panning down to the ringside area.
"Welcome, everyone, to a sold out Allstate Arena here in Chicago!" Cole shouted, his voice cutting through the deafening noise. "We are coming to you live for one of the most highly anticipated, career altering events of the entire year! This is Money in the Bank!"
"The energy in this building is absolutely incredible, Michael!" Lawler cheered. "These fans know exactly what is at stake tonight! Careers will be made, and champions will fall!"
"We have an absolutely stacked card tonight, gentlemen," Booker T added, adjusting his headset. "But everybody in this building is talking about one thing, the main event! The Beast, Brock Lesnar, challenging the God King, Sandro Zhang, for the WWE Championship!"
"The biggest question hanging over this entire event is the medical condition of the champion," Cole noted seriously. "Sandro was thrown off an elevated stage two weeks ago. He looked incredibly banged up on Monday night. Can a man in that condition actually survive Brock Lesnar?"
"He doesn't just have to survive, Michael, he has to win!" JBL argued passionately. "And I am telling you right now, the God King will be ready! You do not bet against Sandro Zhang when his back is against the wall!"
"I don't know, JBL," Booker T countered, shaking his head. "I've been in that ring with Brock Lesnar. It's a different kind of pain. When you walk into a fight with the Beast, you better be at one hundred percent, or you are going to leave on a stretcher. Sandro's heart is unquestionable, but his body might just give out on him."
As the commentators debated the main event, the camera cut to the center of the ring, where a towering, heavy duty steel ladder was already set up beneath the bright lights. Suspended twenty feet in the air, gleaming metallic green, was the Money in the Bank briefcase.
"We will find out if the God King can survive later tonight," Cole transitioned smoothly. "But we are kicking things off with absolute chaos! It is time for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match!"
The rules were simple but brutal. Eight competitors, four representing RAW and four representing SmackDown, would battle in a high risk demolition derby. The first man to climb the ladder and unhook the briefcase would earn a guaranteed contract for a World Championship match, valid at any time, in any place, for up to one full year.
"This match can change a man's life in the blink of an eye," Lawler explained as the first entrance music hit. "One successful climb, one grab of that handle, and you are instantly thrust into the main event picture!"
The crowd roared as the competitors began making their way down the aisle.
From Monday Night RAW, the World Strongest Man Mark Henry, who intimidatingly and confidently marched to the ring. He was followed by the charismatic high flyer, Kofi Kingston, looking to finally break into the main event scene and get the big win for the New Day. Next came the Franchise of WWE, John Cena, who received a massive ovation from the Chicago crowd. And finally, replacing the injured Dolph Ziggler in the lineup, was the high flying, death defying Rey Mysterio.
Representing Friday Night SmackDown, the veteran Edge made his entrance, his eyes locked firmly on the briefcase he had made famous years prior. He was followed by his lifelong friend, Christian, looking to secure his own legacy. Next came the massive, imposing Ezekiel Jackson, bringing raw power to the chaotic match. Finally, rounding out the SmackDown side, was the unpredictable and highly dangerous CM Punk, who received a hometown pop that physically shook the camera lenses.
The eight men stood in the ring, surrounded by a dozen heavy steel ladders scattered across the floor and leaning against the barricades. The tension was palpable. Friendships, alliances, and brand loyalty meant absolutely nothing in this match. It was every man for himself.
The senior referee checked to make sure all eight competitors were ready. He looked up at the green briefcase suspended high above the ring, took a deep breath, and signaled for the bell.
DING! DING! DING!
The crowd erupted as the first match of Money in the Bank officially began, setting the stage for a night of breathtaking risks, brutal violence, and the looming, highly anticipated collision between the God King and the Beast Incarnate.
Eight men exploded into motion, the squared circle instantly transforming into a chaotic, swirling melee of flying fists and brutal collisions.
There was no feeling out process. John Cena charged straight at Edge, reigniting a bitter rivalry that spanned years, driving the Rated-R Superstar into the corner with a barrage of heavy right hands. CM Punk, fueled by the deafening roar of his hometown Chicago crowd, launched himself at Christian, tackling Captain Charisma through the middle ropes and sending them both tumbling to the ringside floor.
Kofi Kingston and Rey Mysterio, realizing the inherent danger of being the smallest men in a ring with two absolute behemoths, made a silent, unspoken alliance. They double teamed Mark Henry, throwing rapid fire kicks at the World's Strongest Man's thick legs, trying to chop him down like a giant oak tree.
But Mark Henry simply swatted them away as if they were nothing more than a minor annoyance. He grabbed Kofi by the throat, effortlessly hoisting the high flyer into the air, and threw him over the top rope with terrifying ease.
Rey Mysterio tried to use his speed, bouncing off the ropes for a springboard crossbody, but Henry caught him in mid air. With a guttural roar, Henry pressed the masked luchador high above his head and violently tossed him out of the ring, sending Rey crashing painfully onto the thin mats outside.
"Look at the sheer, terrifying power of Mark Henry!" Cole shouted over the roaring crowd. "He just cleared the ring of two incredible athletes in less than thirty seconds!"
"That is exactly why you bet on the World's Strongest Man in a match like this!" JBL preached, a wide grin evident in his voice. "You don't need a ladder when you can just throw your opponents into the third row! Henry is a human wrecking ball!"
Henry turned around, his chest heaving, a dark scowl on his face. But he wasn't alone in the ring.
Standing opposite him, cracking his knuckles and rolling his massive shoulders, was the powerhouse of Friday Night SmackDown, Ezekiel Jackson.
The Chicago crowd buzzed with anticipation, sensing the impending collision. The two goliaths didn't exchange words. They simply lowered their heads and charged.
The impact sounded like two freight trains colliding head-on. Neither man gave an inch. They locked up in the center of the ring, their massive, tree trunk arms straining as they grappled for the advantage. Henry gritted his teeth, pushing forward, but Ezekiel dug his boots into the canvas, matching the raw, unfiltered strength of the veteran.
"This is Godzilla versus King Kong!" Booker T yelled in absolute awe. "Look at the muscle mass colliding in that ring! I wouldn't want to get between those two for all the gold in the world!"
Ezekiel broke the lock up, delivering a heavy, clubbing blow to Henry's back. He hit the ropes, building momentum, and leaped into the air, connecting with a massive flying shoulder block. Henry staggered backward but remarkably stayed on his feet. Ezekiel hit the ropes again, looking for a clothesline, but Henry ducked underneath it, scooped the SmackDown powerhouse up, and delivered a devastating running powerslam that shook the very foundations of the ring.
"What agility from a man that size!" Lawler marveled.
But before Henry could capitalize, the metallic crash of cold, unforgiving steel echoed through the arena.
Edge and Christian had bypassed the brawling on the outside, working together like a well oiled machine. They slid a heavy, ten foot aluminum ladder under the bottom rope. As Henry pushed himself up to a vertical base, the legendary tag team hoisted the ladder up, gripping it on either end. With perfect synchronization, they drove the edge of the steel violently into Henry's midsection.
The big man gasped, doubling over. Edge and Christian pulled the ladder back and swung it upward, catching Henry flush under the chin. The World's Strongest Man collapsed backward, rolling heavily out of the ring to escape the punishment.
"The veterans, Edge and Christian, using their unmatched experience in these environments!" Cole called out. "They practically one of the peoples who invented the ladder match!"
Edge set the ladder up beneath the glowing green briefcase, rapidly climbing the rungs. But Cena slid back into the ring, grabbing Edge by the ankle and yanking him forcefully to the canvas. Cena threw a heavy right cross, backing Edge into the ropes, but Christian immediately blindsided the Franchise, delivering a sharp forearm to the back of his neck.
The childhood friends isolated Cena, stomping him down into the mat. Christian grabbed the ladder, folding it shut, and jammed it aggressively into Cena's ribs.
"This is exactly what makes Edge and Christian so dangerous," JBL explained. "It's every man for himself, sure, but why not use your best friend to clear the field first? Let them do the heavy lifting, and figure out who climbs the ladder later. It's brilliant business!"
Christian backed Cena into the corner, setting the ladder flat against Cena's chest. Edge ran to the opposite corner, taking a deep breath. The Rated-R Superstar sprinted across the ring, launching himself forward to deliver a crushing spear directly into the steel ladder, compressing Cena against the turnbuckles!
Cena collapsed into a heap, gasping for air.
Christian turned the ladder around, looking to set it up again. But suddenly, the crowd noise shifted into a deafening, unified roar.
Standing on the top turnbuckle, looking down at the legendary tag team with a wild, manic gleam in his eye, was CM Punk.
"Look out!" Lawler screamed.
Punk launched himself off the top rope, soaring through the air. He didn't aim for the men, he aimed for the steel. Punk delivered a breathtaking flying dropkick that connected squarely with the ladder Christian was holding. The steel drove backward, smashing into Christian's face and sending both him and Edge crashing to the mat.
The Allstate Arena practically vibrated with the sheer volume of the hometown pop. Punk popped up to his feet, feeding off the energy, letting out a primal scream that resonated with every single fan in the building.
"Listen to this place!" Cole yelled over the noise. "CM Punk is practically a god here in Chicago! He has the undeniable home field advantage tonight!"
Punk didn't waste the momentum. He grabbed the ladder, setting it up directly under the briefcase. He scrambled up the first three rungs, his eyes locked on the prize.
But Kofi Kingston wasn't going to let the hometown hero steal the show that easily.
Kofi springboarded off the top rope with unbelievable agility, flying across the ring and landing perfectly on the opposite side of the ladder. He met Punk near the top. They traded rapid, stiff right hands, the ladder swaying dangerously under their shifting weight.
Punk grabbed Kofi by the hair, slamming his face into the top rung. Kofi nearly lost his grip but managed to wrap his legs around the side rail to stay upright. Kofi fired back, delivering a sharp elbow to Punk's jaw.
"They are fighting twenty feet in the air!" Booker T exclaimed. "One slip, one wrong move, and it's a one way ticket to the hospital!"
Suddenly, the ladder began to tilt.
Ezekiel Jackson had slid back into the ring. The massive powerhouse grabbed the base of the ladder, let out a terrifying roar, and shoved the heavy steel construct with all his might.
Punk and Kofi realized what was happening a fraction of a second too late.
The ladder tipped over. Both men rode the steel down, their arms flailing desperately. Kofi managed to leap off at the last second, crashing safely but painfully onto the top rope. Punk wasn't as lucky. He plummeted to the canvas, the ladder crashing down heavily on top of him.
"Good god!" Lawler gasped. "Ezekiel just swatted them down like flies!"
Ezekiel stood tall, beating his chest. He grabbed the ladder, carelessly tossing it out of the ring as if it weighed nothing. He wanted to inflict maximum physical damage before he even attempted a climb.
Rey Mysterio slid into the ring behind him. The ultimate underdog didn't hesitate. He charged Ezekiel, looking for a hurricanrana, but the big man caught him effortlessly. Ezekiel hoisted Rey up, looking to deliver a brutal powerbomb.
Rey countered brilliantly. He shifted his weight, spun around, and wrapped his legs around Ezekiel's neck, utilizing his momentum to fling the big man forward with a stunning headscissors takedown. Ezekiel stumbled forward, his arms dropping over the middle rope.
Rey's eyes lit up. The crowd recognized the setup instantly.
Rey hit the opposite ropes, building maximum speed, and swung through the ropes, connecting with a flawless, picture perfect 619 directly to Ezekiel's face!
"619!" Cole cheered. "Rey Mysterio chopping down the giant!"
Ezekiel staggered backward, completely dazed. Rey launched himself off the top rope with a seated senton, taking the powerhouse down to the canvas.
The action was relentless, moving at a blistering, chaotic pace that made it impossible to look away.
Outside the ring, the violence escalated. Mark Henry was dismantling the ringside area. He grabbed a heavy ladder, using it as a battering ram, and drove it directly into the ribs of Edge, pinning the Rated-R Superstar against the steel barricade.
John Cena, having recovered from the corner assault, slid to the outside. He grabbed a second ladder, charging at Henry. Henry turned around just in time, dropping his own ladder and catching Cena's steel weapon with his bare hands.
The Franchise and the World's Strongest Man engaged in a bizarre, high stakes tug of war over the aluminum ladder. Cena gritted his teeth, his massive biceps straining against the raw, unadulterated power of Henry.
"Cena is trying to overpower Mark Henry!" JBL laughed. "He has heart, but you cannot beat physics, Michael!"
Henry ripped the ladder out of Cena's grasp, spinning around and driving the edge of it into Cena's jaw. Cena dropped like a stone.
But as Henry turned around, Christian leaped off the steel ring steps, executing a beautiful flying crossbody. Henry caught him, but the momentum forced the big man to stagger backward.
Sensing the opening, Kofi Kingston, who had rolled to the outside, sprinted toward the barricade. He leaped effortlessly onto the thin black barrier, ran across the edge with impossible balance, and launched himself into the air, delivering a breathtaking flying clothesline that finally took Mark Henry down to the mats!
"Are you kidding me?!" Booker T shrieked, losing his mind at the display of athleticism. "Kofi Kingston just defied gravity! That boy belongs in the air!"
"It is an absolute demolition derby!" Cole yelled. "Bodies and twisted metal are scattered everywhere! This is the brutal reality of the Money in the Bank match!" With Henry temporarily neutralized on the outside, the focus shifted back to the squared circle. CM Punk pushed himself up, rubbing his bruised ribs. He grabbed a fresh ladder from ringside, sliding it into the center of the ring. He carefully set it up beneath the briefcase, double checking the hinges to make sure it was secure.
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Name: Alessandro Zhang
Age: 21 (2011)
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida, USA
Brand: WWE - RAW
Wrestling Style: Mixed Of All Styles
Faction: The Undisputed System
Championships History: 1x FCW Tag Team Champions, 1x FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA World Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA X Division Champion, 1x WWE United States Champion (1st - 376 days), 1x WWE Champion, & 1x World Heavyweight Champion
Other Achievements: 1x Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale Winner, 1x Mr. Money In The Bank, Youngest WWE Champion, PWI Top 500 (No.1) - 2010, & 1x KOTR (2010)
Wrestlemania Record: 2 - 0 Main Event: 1 - 0