WWE Backstage (April 14th, 2020): 5 Takeaways from this week's episode
CM Punk rejoined the panel alongside Renee Young, Booker T and Christian on this week's episode of WWE Backstage. Christian's best friend, Edge, participated remotely as the special guest of the week. With WrestleMania 36 in the rear-view, sights have now turned to the next PPV, Money in the Bank. Qualifying matches started on this week's RAW with Asuka, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler all picking up spots in their ladder match.
The new feuds for both Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman were also discussed as were the controversial comments made over the last week by Ronda Rousey. Becky Lynch had another therapy session with Rachel Bonnetta and ended it by ripping the head of a Rousey action figure.
Edge's return to the ring was also a big topic of the episode as his process to return was analyzed. He also revealed that his WWE 24 documentary wasn't supposed to be about an in-ring return but that's what ended up happening. Here are five takeaways from WWE Backstage for April 14th, 2020.
#5 Cinematic matches and Money in the Bank
The panel has already tackled matches like the Firefly Funhouse and Boneyard matches last week but revisited those bouts with Punk returning to the show. The former star felt that with those types of matches "it's good and it's bad" but that the Boneyard match was his favorite.
He liked it because "The Undertaker has the currency with the fans where he can do some hokey stuff and if you do that with the guys who don't have that currency with the fans, it exposes them." Punk also felt that with those matches "don't beat it (constantly utilizing cinematic matches) into the ground."
With MITB next on the schedule, Punk and Captain Charisma chimed in with their memories from when they were a part of the ladder match. Punk revealed that "there's always somebody that is like the general in these matches" and that "Christian was in most of them to direct traffic." The Voice of the Voiceless also claimed that his "first WrestleManias were three consecutive MITB matches" and that he "did a lot of stupid stuff because I was young and hungry and ready to put my body on the line."
Christian jokingly said that "the only reason I was in these matches was to put them together." An experienced competitor was essential in those matches as "you have to be aware of not only what your'e doing but what everyone else is doing." As should be the case, Christian reiterated that "these types of matches change the trajectory of a career for that individual that gets the contract."