Money in the Bank Preview and Predictions

If you’ve been nodding off since WrestleMania, it’s time to snap back into lucidness. Money in the Bank is here, and according to recent history, it may be WWE‘s best bullet when it comes to pay-per-view shows.

WrestleMania nearly too long to enjoy, the Royal Rumble has provided too much heartache in recent years and Survivor Series is stuck in the 80’s, leaving SummerSlam and MITB as WWE’s healthiest shows.

Sunday is guaranteed to be interested because WWE will reveal their plans for the rest of the year. Even more, every name in the MITB matches fits as a potential briefcase winner. Toss in Rollins vs. Elias, Nakamura/Styles XLI, and Ronda Rousey’s first crack at WWE gold and you have the first must watch show of 2018.

Let’s break it down:

There’s been a lot of James Ellsworth Rumors This Week — Make a Prediction:

Ryan Droste: If he were to come back, it would be to help Carmella retain her title over Asuka. I see no other scenario other than possibly helping a different woman win the Money in the Bank match. Can you imagine the online vitriol if Ellsworth was involved in the finish of the women’s Money in the Bank match yet again?!

Connor Casey: Ellsworth tries to interfere in the Money in the Bank ladder match again, only this time he gets surrounded and beat down by the eight women in the match. He’ll get put through a table to get a big reaction from the crowd and a good laugh from the fans at home. 

Jack Snodgrass: I’ll bet he gets involved in both Carmella’s match and the Women’s MITB match. I mean, if you’re going to bring him in, why not make it count?

Is Now the Time for Seth Rollins to Drop the Intercontinental Championship?

Ryan Droste: Not unless it means he is getting the Universal Championship right away (which he absolutely deserves right now). I’d prefer to see a champion vs. champion match between he and Lesnar that results in Rollins walking out with both belts.

Connor Casey: Heck no, that shouldn’t be on the table until Dean Ambrose makes his return and (likely) turns heel. In a perfect, world, Rollins is still Intercontinental Champion at the end of 2018.

Jack Snodgrass: It’s the first realistic opportunity, but it’s a little soon. As great as Elias is, he shouldn’t beat Rollins on his first try. There’s a decent chance this runs through SummerSlam.

Sami Zayn vs. Bobby Lashley — Why Should We Care?

Ryan Droste: Because if it wasn’t for Sami Zayn’s uncanny ability to make even the worst material entertaining, this feud would be unwatchable. God bless Sami Zayn. 

Connor Casey: Because heel Sami Zayn provides endless entertainment.

Jack Snodgrass: We should care because this is Sami Zayn’s shining moment as a WWE Superstar. Sure, it’s not the sexiest of opportunities, but he’s been incredible so far. If he can close thing out with a great performance at MITB, WWE will have to reward him with a boost up the card.

Have We Reached the Point of Diminishing Returns with Styles and Nakamura?

Ryan Droste: No. I think Money in the Bank will be their best match yet (outside of NJPW, that is). All of the non-finishes have told a story in getting us to this Last Man Standing Match, and if done right, it could be an incredibly way to continue the story. I would like to see something fresh heading into SummerSlam, though, so I’m hoping we get a conclusive winner this time out. I could also see The Miz getting involved if he wins the men’s briefcase earlier in the show. 

Connor Casey: Nope, that match they had on SmackDown proved they can jump to much higher gears than what was seen at WrestleMania, Greatest Royal Rumble and Backlash. Regardless of who wins, I hope this is the end of the feud. But this final match will be their absolute best. 

Jack Snodgrass: I feel dirty for this, but YES. Last Man Standing Matches rarely hit, and while Nakamura and Styles are well equipped to give us something special, there’s something missing here. I think they’ll have bigger matches down the road, but it’s time to part fro this rivalry. 

Will We Get a Screwy Finish with Roman Reigns and Jinder Mahal?

Ryan Droste: I feel like Reigns has been involved in enough screwy-finish situations in recent months. If they actually are still planning on having him win the Universal title at SummerSlam (should have pulled the lever on the decision months ago), he needs to go over Mahal here in dominating fashion. 

Connor Casey: Mahal was brought over to Raw pretty much to be served on a silver platter to Reigns. Unless they want to stretch it out a month to Extreme Rules (please don’t!), Reigns wins clean. 

Jack Snodgrass: Early advertising has Reigns and Mahal meeting again at Extreme Rules. That, plus WWE’s crusade to get Reigns sympathy adds up to Mahal sneaking one away from The Big Dog.

WWE Seems to Be Happy Slow Playing Daniel Bryan, What Will SummerSlam Look Like for Him?

Ryan Droste: So Miz vs. Bryan is the obvious money match hanging out there on SmackDown. They could either do it in time for SummerSlam this year or drag it out until WrestleMania. Either way, it definitely needs to be your WWE championship match. SummerSlam will either see Bryan challenging a newly crowned WWE champion Miz for the title, assuming Miz would have cashed in after this weekend’s Last Man Standing Match between Styles and Nakamura to win the title, or Bryan will be challenging Styles/Nakamura for the title at SummerSlam which will end in Miz cashing in and becoming the champion, building toward a match between Bryan and Miz then at WrestleMania. Of course, a lot of this hinges on Miz becoming Mr. Money in the Bank, though I do believe Bryan needs to be involved in a title match at SummerSlam either way.

Connor Casey: By that point I think they’ll finally pull the trigger on Bryan vs. The Miz. But like with Styles and Nakamura, this will only be the first match in the feud as Miz eventually inserts the WWE Championship into the picture when he cashes in his briefcase. Whether or not Bryan actually gets to hold the gold depends on his contract status. 

Jack Snodgrass: I’m not so set on Bryan and Miz. It’s happening, but maybe not at SummerSlam. I’ll even guess that WWE doesn’t know what they’ll do. In the name of Why the Hell Not, I’ll say he meets The Undertaker in Brooklyn. 

Men’s Money in the Bank Winner:

Ryan Droste: Please God let it be The Miz. Nobody else in this match would be near as entertaining with the briefcase as this man. It makes so much sense and it would be an absolute travesty to not do it. 

Connor Casey: I’ve made arguments elsewhere for Braun Strowman to win. I’d love to see Big E take it and push The New Day up the card. Finn Balor and Kevin Owens could both use it to get back into the main event scene on Raw. But I have to agree with Droste, The Miz should and will win. 

Jack Snodgrass: I have to agree. I think WWE took the Intercontinental strap off Miz and sent him to SmackDown specifically for him to become Mr. Money in the Bank. 

But I’m not so certain. Names like Samoa Joe and Rusev stick to my mind. While we’ve all picked The Miz, this one seems wide open. 

Women’s Money in the Bank Winner

Ryan Droste: Alexa Bliss. It keeps her in the spotlight without holding the RAW women’s title. Plus, the threat of a surprise cash-in would provide a legitimate means of having the smaller stature star beat someone like Jax or Rousey down the line. 

Connor Casey: Natalya. I think turning her face and aligning her with Ronda Rousey was all one big ruse. She’ll win the contract, Rousey will win the Raw Women’s Championship later in the night only for her “friend” to cash in and steal the title. It’ll give Rousey a nice little feud leading into SummerSlam.

Jack Snodgrass: Becky Lynch. As much as I dig the Natalya/ Rousey conspiracy, she won’t need the MITB briefcase to do Ronda dirty. Becky Lynch, though, has been propped up in recent weeks and it’s time she returns to relevance. 

True or False: Ronda Rousey Will Become RAW Women’s Champion at MITB

Ryan Droste: Absolutely true. Jax’s title run has been underwhelming and putting the belt on Rousey would give WWE all kinds of mainstream attention this summer heading into SummerSlam (and her UFC Hall of Fame induction). Spare me your tears about how she’s a newcomer and “doesn’t deserve it.” The wrestling business is about making money and garnering eyeballs. That’s exactly what Rousey does. 

Connor Casey: True. All signs point to an eventual match with between Charlotte Flair and Rousey, so they’re going to keep the latter from losing clean until then. And for all the people complaining about her winning a title in her first match, don’t worry. As I just said in the last slide, she won’t have it for long. 

Jack Snodgrass: I’m pretty torn on this one. With this reportedly closing the show, that lends itself to Connor’s theory. However, there is an abundance of moving parts on this—Stephanie McMahon being the most notable. I’ll say false.

Pick One Surprise

Ryan Droste: I liked the question earlier, so I am going to go with Carmella walks out still SmackDown women’s champion.

Connor Casey: Nobody will like it, but Big Cass will steal a win over Bryan. 

Jack Snodgrass: My one surprise is that Money in the Bank as a whole will be full of surprises. WWE has been jogging in place since ‘Mania. Sunday will be the first real pay-per-view since the Superstar Shake-Up and it’s a great opportunity to kickoff some storylines. I think MITB will be packed with eyebrow raising moments from start to finish.