There was so much compelling chaos, flesh-to-steel violence and crackling energy in WWE Money in the Bank 2017's main event that it was easy to forget the pay-per-view's disappointing elements.

Baron Corbin came away the winner in a high-octane Money in the Bank ladder match. His victory came at the close of a thriller, a star-making spectacle that will leave bruises alongside the wrestlers' bodies for days.

Money in the Bank, though, didn't thrive throughout the card the way it did in that bout.

Carmella won an underwhelming Money in the Bank ladder match. Ho-hum endings plagued some of the PPV. Too much of the fare would have felt more at home on an edition of SmackDown.

Sunday's event had its home runs to go along with its whiffs. Read on for a breakdown of the PPV, from the kickoff bout to Corbin's coronation.

The Hype Bros vs. The Colons (Pre-Show)

Zack Ryder returned to action for the first time since injuring his knee last December.

He and Mojo Rawley gained the early advantage over The Colons. They had everything going their way until Primo and Epico went after Ryder's bad leg.

Rawley charged in later on, bowling over the heels and leading the way to a win.

Result

Ryder and Rawley win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Epico mocks Ryder's "Woo woo woo" taunt.
• "I'm back!"—Ryder.
• Rawley runs in place as Epico wails on him with chops.

Grade

D+

Analysis

Ryder's return match wasn't memorable. It was a house-show-quality, paint-by-numbers bout.

Getting The Hype Bros a win was a good move to help reinsert them into the tag team division, though.

The tag team division will be better off with these fellows around thanks to added depth. There aren't a ton of heels for Ryder and Rawley to face if The Usos are busy feuding with The New Day and Breezango. Finding them something substantial to do will take come creativity.

Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Tamina vs. Carmella vs. Natalya

Tamina dominated in the early going, slamming ladders into everyone who tried to step into the ring.

Chaos unfolded as everyone brawled. Natalya cleared the ring and had her fingertips on the briefcase before Flair yanked her off a ladder. Other Superstars collided into each other as momentum shifted from wrestler to wrestler.

Lynch seemed to be closing in on victory when James Ellsworth pushed her off a ladder. He unhooked the briefcase to give it to Carmella.

Referees bickered over whether that should allow Carmella to win.

Result

Carmella wins.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "There is no safe haven in this match."—Byron Saxton.
• Natalya slams Lynch onto a ladder.
• Carmella climbs over Flair, who was caught up in a ladder.
• Fans chant "This is awesome!"
• Carmella nails Lynch with a hurricanrana off a ladder.
• Flair floors Natalya and Tamina with a corkscrew dive from the top rope.
• "You can't break a rule that doesn't exist."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

Grade

C+

Analysis

What a missed opportunity.

This wrapped up far too early and before things could get truly wild. The bout featured some thrilling spots, but it felt unfinished. And the ending was deflating.

WWE didn't make use of The Welcoming Committee dynamic at all. And Ellsworth taking a big bump would have been a nice addition.

Ending this in a swirl of confusion is the wrong move, although Carmella was the ideal winner. The Money in the Bank concept suits her character the best. And she needed this boost in a major way.

The Usos vs. The New Day (SmackDown Tag Team Championship)

Kofi Kingston and Big E beat up on the champs early on.

The Usos, though, gained control over sending Kingston tumbling out of the ring. Jimmy and Jey Uso slowed the pace of the match and punished Kingston in their corner. They focused on the high-flyer's leg, but he fought back valiantly.

Big E overpowered his foes for a stretch.

The Usos, however, managed to escape by walking away from the match. The New Day watched on frustrated from the ring.

Result

The New Day wins via count-out. The Usos retain the titles.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Big E hits Jimmy Uso with a massive splash on the ring apron.
• Kingston takes a nasty spill outside of the ring.
• Big E suplexes Jimmy Uso out on the floor.
• Kingston dives out to the floor onto both Usos.

Grade

B-

Analysis

The two squads had excellent chemistry here.

Many of the title bout's elements clicked. A limping Kingston generated some solid pathos. The Usos' nasty side and The New Day's heart were on full display. All kinds of convincing near-falls added to the drama.

It's the ending that will be the focus of many discussions moving forward, though.

Clearly, WWE is saving a more decisive finish for later down the road. This was a letdown in the present.

Naomi vs. Lana (SmackDown Women's Championship)

An aggressive Lana went right after Naomi. She flung her around the ring and grounded her with submission holds.

The champ kicked Lana into a daze. Lana responded by going after her legs.

Carmella strolled, teasing a cash-in. She instead stood at ringside to distract both wrestlers. That opened the door for Naomi to clamp on a chokehold.

Result

Naomi wins via submission.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Lana twice suplexes Naomi into the ropes.
• Naomi kicks out of Lana's sit-out spinebuster.
• "My eye's on you."—Carmella to Naomi.

Grade

D+

Analysis

Lana looked pretty impressive considering her vast lack of experience, but she was generally slow and unsure, leading the match to lose energy. Overall, this felt like a middle-of-the-show TV match, not a PPV-worthy one.

Naomi is going to have to go elsewhere to find an opponent who will inspire her to reach a higher gear.

The Carmella cash-in tease was the highlight of the action, setting up the story of a scavenger waiting nearby for her prey to fall over.

Mike and Maria Kanellis Arrive

Mike and Maria Kanellis surprised the crowd by stepping out onto the entrance ramp. The former Impact Wrestling power couple talked about wanting to teach SmackDown the ways of love.

They smooched before departing.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "We are here to educate everyone on SmackDown Live."—Maria.
• "The First Lady is here!"—Maria.

Grade

B-

Analysis

The former Mike Bennett and former WWE talent Maria joining the blue brand is a welcome surprise. That surprise element, though, depends on how much one reads up on the industry. This was a long-rumored move, as noted by Cageside Seats' Sean Rueter.

The overly affectionate couple didn't do anything stellar here but did establish their characters to a degree. They made their intentions clear. And SmackDown has an intriguing alliance to plug in on Tuesday nights.

Their music and entrance is corny but is likely to help them generate some heat along the way.

Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship)

Greg Gagne, Larry Hennig and Sgt. Slaughter were among the legends who sat in the front row to take in this match.

Jinder Mahal egged on the crowd before going into battle. He found himself eating forearms after the opening bell rang. Randy Orton walloped him with a methodical offense.

The Viper, though, tweaked his knee on a spill outside the ring. Mahal pounced on the weak point in a hurry.

Mahal used a number of moves the legends made famous. He kept Orton reeling. He dismantled the challenger.

Interference from the Singh Brothers derailed Orton's comeback. When they put their hands on Bob Orton, his son came to the rescue. The Viper throttled both cronies.

Mahal attacked him afterward, hitting Khallas for the three-count.

Result

Mahal wins via pinfall to retain the championship.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Mahal sends Orton flying into the ring steps.
• Orton slams Mahal on the security barricade right in front of the legends.
• Mahal smashes Orton's knee into the announce desk.
• Mahal puts Orton in the figure-four leglock.
• "Jinder is destroying a hometown hero in front of his dad on Father's Day. I'm not sure it gets better than that."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
• The Singh Brothers put Mahal's foot on the ropes to save Mahal.
• Orton RKOs a Singh brother through the announce table.

Grade

A-

Analysis

From the vignettes building him up to his entrance, the bells and whistles of the Mahal package have been excellent.

Building on a great atmosphere, Orton and Mahal told a classic story of babyface against heel, resilient hero against vicious villain. Mahal works a slow, throwback style that will certainly turn off some folks. This was his best and most complete match to date, however.

The match did well to make use of its many moving parts, from the legends at ringside to the Singh Brothers.

Mahal is still unpolished, but he made a statement here that he indeed belongs as WWE champ.

Breezango vs. The Ascension

Before the bout, Breezango delivered another Fashion Files segment. This time the duo parodied the old Fuji Vice bits. A mystery team announced it was the one that trashed Tyler Breeze and Fandango's office, challenging the fashion police to the match.

In the ring, Breeze and Fandango held their own in a slugfest until Konnor took control of The Prince of Pretty.

The Ascension then slowed the pace to a crawl. It tried to isolate Breeze, but Fandango went on a flurry to even things up. A roll-up ended things in the babyfaces' favor.

Result

Breezango wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Breeze and Fandango rattle off the titles of '80s songs as lines in their conversation.

Grade

C-

Analysis

Breezango's comedy segment didn't lead to the most powerful reveal, but it was a fun change of pace for the PPV. Seeing The Ascension do anything at all is refreshing, too.

The match itself was nothing memorable. It felt like the filler that it was.

The Ascension has no momentum, so beating that lowly squad has little weight.

Hopefully, WWE finds new cases for Breezango to take on. This one ended with an underwhelming climax but was mighty entertaining leading up to that point.

Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Dolph Ziggler vs. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin

Corbin blindsided Nakamura before the match even began.

Owens and Zayn brawled outside the ring. Corbin went after everyone. Chaos marked the bout as Owens attacked Styles and Corbin took down Ziggler.

Soon, Zayn, Styles, Corbin and Ziggler all looked to be moments away from winning, but their foes got in their way each time.

Corbin cleared the ring and was on his way to victory, but Nakamura returned. The King of Strong Style whipped him. He and Styles had a faceoff at the base of the ladder that set the crowd afire.

The Lone Wolf eventually pushed his opponents aside to claim the briefcase.

Result

Corbin wins via retrieving the briefcase.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Corbin lays out Nakamura with a video camera.
• Corbin and Ziggler team up to crack a ladder against Styles' body.
• "We have a war of attrition already."—JBL.
• Zayn throws Owens from the top rope into a ladder.
• Ziggler climbs atop Corbin to reach for the briefcase.
• Zayn hits Ziggler with a powerbomb off the top of a ladder.
• Styles uses the Phenomenal Forearm to knock Zayn off a ladder.
• Styles slams Owens onto a ladder from the ring apron.
• "How is Kevin Owens not broken in half?"—JBL.
• Styles is left hanging by the wire that holds the briefcase.

Grade

A+

Analysis

This was everything a Money in the Bank should be—electric, flush with car-crash-like moments, a star-making stage.

In many ways, Corbin was the centerpiece here. He played the destroyer for much of the match.

Owens and Zayn's rivalry added an electricity to the bout. Each man took unbelievable risks. Nasty, dangerous spots provided highlight after highlight.

WWE used Nakamura extremely well, making sure to showcase him near the climax. His return was a huge moment, and his showdown with Styles was a mini dream match.

The company now has a number of intriguing paths to take, as well, including Nakamura feuding with Corbin or Zayn and Styles having issues.