WWE SmackDown Notes: Zelina Vega & LA Knight Qualify for Money in the Bank Ladder Matches

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania featured two qualifier matches for the Women’s and Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder matches at this July’s Money in the Bank 2023 event in London, England.

The first qualifier match involved Zelina Vega defeating Lacey Evans to qualify for the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match. The finish to this match involved Vega escaping a chin hold by Evans by backing up Evans into a corner and hitting her with a slingshot headlock takedown. Vega then hit Evans with a Code Red for the pinfall victory. Vega became the first woman to qualify for this year’s Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match.

This year’s #MITB Ladder match has its first female qualifier in @ZelinaVegaWWE 🪜#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/cwVj9TUnuO

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 3, 2023

The second qualifier match involved LA Knight defeating Montez Ford to qualify for the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match. The finish to this match involved Knight dodging Ford’s From The Heavens Frog Splash causing Ford to land on his feet and roll away. Ford then blocked and countered Knight’s BFT with a roll-up only for Knight to counter with a roll-up of his own and held onto the ropes for the pinfall victory. Knight joins Ricochet and Shinsuke Namakura as those who have qualified for this year’s Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match.

YEAAH! @RealLAKnight punches his ticket to #MITB 🪜#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/pnyLDnZjjq

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 3, 2023