Written By: Mark Armstrong
Running Time: 169 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Clear Vision Ltd/Silver Vision
Released: October 31 2011
This event has gone down as one of WWE’s finest amongst die-hard fans, which I’m sure has nothing to do with two indie vets claiming big victories that night. Cynicism aside, MITB 2011 is a treat to relive on DVD, as I shall now explain.
The opening SmackDown MITB Ladder match didn’t have an obvious winner beforehand which makes things unpredictable, helped by the action being very exciting. In contrast, Kelly Kelly vs. Brie Bella isn’t up to much, though it does provide a perfect snapshot of the WWE Divas division prior to the Women’s Revolution. Mark Henry vs. Big Show could be worse, but it too does not serve as the evidence to support the high reputation that this card has.
The Raw MITB Ladder match does, though; while slightly inferior to the earlier Ladder battle, it’s still a lot of fun and has some jaw-dropping spots. Randy Orton and Christian then continue their very underrated feud; the action is great, and while they had better battles in 2011, the Chicago crowd adds that extra main event feel to it. The best is saved for last, though …
John Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship is an unforgettable match held in front of a hot-as-hell audience at the peak of Punk’s kayfabe-breaking storyline whereby he was attempting to leave WWE as its top titleholder. It’s slightly overrated, but it is a terrific match with a very popular outcome, and this victory alongside the previous “pipe bomb” promo transformed Punk into one of the company’s biggest stars. A genuine downside of the DVD is how the cover art spoils the outcome of a bout that was too close to call at the time.
Still, Money In The Bank 2011 is more than worthy of the top-level praise it has been awarded in the years since it took place. If there is one WWE PPV from 2011 that you should watch again on DVD, this is it.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10 – Excellent
