Following his return to Monday Night RAW after WrestleMania 40, Seth Rollins announced his intention to participate in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match to try and regain the World Heavyweight Championship. However, Damian Priest, determined to prove himself as a champion, granted him the opportunity to face him directly. And finally, the match between the two took place at Money in the Bank 2024 tonight.

Although it became a ‘3-Way Match’ with the inclusion of Drew McIntyre as he cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, Damian Priest managed to retain the title. All thanks to CM Punk, who interfered in time. Thwarting McIntyre’s plans by choking him with a cable and hitting him with the World Heavyweight Championship. Thus allowing Priest to retain the title via pinfall. However, there was a moment that saw Seth Rollins almost win the Heavyweight Championship back again as he hit the Falcon Arrow on Damian Priest.

But to his dismay, Priest kicked out. Or did he? Well, it seems like the 2024 edition of the Money in the Bank has been cursed by the deity of botches. As it featured a major botch that saw Seth Rollins not being crowned the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Despite the referee almost counting three on his pin against Damian Priest. ‘Almost’ because the referee stopped the pin by himself. Something that even led Triple H to talk about it on the post-event media show and reveal the culprit behind it. As we revealed earlier, the match seemed to be on the verge of being spectacular before it took a controversial turn as it turned into a 3-way contest when Drew McIntyre decided to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase he had won a couple of hours earlier. However, another major moment took place before McIntyre’s arrival. As there was a very serious mistake by the leader of Judgment Day. Priest, after being hit by Seth Rollins with the devastating Superplex/Falcon Arrow combo, He was pinned because he forgot to raise his shoulder at the right time.

A major botch leads to a missed early finish

The referee of the contest was forced to stop the pin. Despite the fact that the World Heavyweight Champion had done nothing to avoid defeat. So was it a conspiracy? We have often seen guest referees do the same, so was it a team-up between the ref and Priest? Well, Triple H did reveal that the referee is the one who has to answer the question. As he would be looking for the ref to reveal the reason behind not counting three. HHH said, “Referee’s decision is final. I would—I’m looking forward to having a conversation with the referee. To see what he saw that I didn’t see, you didn’t see, that no one saw.” 

The botch most likely occurred due to Priest expecting McIntyre’s music to hit on time. However, that did not happen. But The Game has asked Priest not to worry about the botch too much. And it is unfortunate that, despite his best performance, the Heavyweight Champion will keep on getting blamed for the botch. He said, “Human beings in a ring, mistakes happen. Things happen. It is what it is.” and “To me it’s a shame that that’s what people will talk about. And that’s all people will hit Damian Priest with while he had a phenomenal performance here tonight.”

With this victory, Damian Priest adds his third successful defense of the World Heavyweight Championship in 91 days of reign. And now, he surely would like to forget tonight’s botch and move on to his next challenge. And he will be defending his title against Gunther at SummerSlam. What did you think of the botch? Who was to be blamed? Let us know in the comments.