Shane McMahon on ‘SmackDown Live.’ (WWE.com)
After James Ellsworth on Sunday interfered in the Money in the Bank women’s ladder match to help Carmella, SmackDown Live manager Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon have said his actions were unacceptable.
The first reaction on Sunday night came from Daniel Bryan, who said that what Ellsworth did was “absolutely unacceptable and cheap.” He also said that the circumstances surrounding the match will be the first thing addressed on SmackDown Live this Tuesday.
Shane McMahon also issued a statement on Twitter, saying that this was not how he envisioned the first ever Money in the Bank women’s ladder match ending. He also said that James Ellsworth and Carmella just robbed the WWE universe.
Daniel Bryan will be returning to SmackDown Live this Tuesday, and the show will presumably open with Bryan and McMahon taking action against James Ellsworth, possibly even calling for a new ladder match to determine who should get the Money in the Bank contract.
At Money in the Bank tonight, the first ever women’s ladder match was held, with the participants being Tamina, Natalya, Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Carmella. The match ended when James Ellsworth climbed up the ladder and grabbed the contract, handing it to Carmella. WWE officials subsequently argued at ringside about what to do, but the bell was called and Carmella’s theme played.
Later, Carmella came out during the Women’s Championship match, teasing the fact that she was about to cash in. But this did not end up happening, and Carmella decided to hold on to the contract for a bit longer.
Clearly, though, Carmella won through less than legitimate means by having James Ellsworth interfere, and so this sets Bryan and McMahon up to take action against her. It remains to be seen whether Carmella will be allowed to keep the Money in the Bank contract. It is not unprecedented for the winner of the Money in the Bank ladder match to have to defend their contract at a later date, and so this may be what happens with Carmella.