WWE: Does Mojo Rawley’s Loss Open Door for a Rusev Title Run?

On last week’s episode of SmackDown Live, Commissioner Shane McMahon granted Mojo Rawley a chance to be inserted into the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Could Rusev be next?

Since winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, we haven’t heard much from Mojo Rawley. His victory at Wrestlemania implied big things for the Hype Man in the coming weeks. He continued his momentum by defeating now WWE World Champion Jinder Mahal. Since then, we haven’t seen much from Rawley, except an awkward backstage promo with some kids.

Last week, Mojo gave an impassioned speech to Commissioner Shane McMahon about his disappointment since winning the A.R.M.B.A.R. He reminded McMahon that he was the last person to beat Mahal. The promo was like nothing we’ve ever seen from Rawley before. He was subdued, intense, and focused. It’s the most I’ve enjoyed him since his call-up.

After mulling it over, Shane McMahon granted Mojo an opportunity. If he could beat Mahal for a third time, he would be the seventh entrant into the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. As can be expected, the match was a bit of a clunker. Rawley dominated the early part of the match, before Mahal landed the Khallas.

Despite the loss, what does the match’s implication mean?

The segment showed that Shane McMahon was willing to include another superstar in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. The match normally highlights at least 6 superstars, with many of the matches including 7 or more. So, it’s possible, and very likely, a seventh superstar will be inserted into this year’s match.

Who Will Be the Seventh Man?

My money’s on Rusev. And, not only do I think he’ll be included, I think he’ll win it.

We haven’t seen much of the Bulgarian Brute since Fastlane, where he was beaten by the Big Show. The loss wrote him off TV due to a legitimate shoulder injury.

After being moved to Smackdown Live, WWE creative began working on a main-event push for Rusev. Vignettes aired of him demanding a WWE World Championship opportunity, specifically at Money in the Bank. Unfortunately, those plans were scrapped when they decided to put the title on Mahal.

Including him in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match now would make sense. He represents one of the best competitors SmackDown Live has on its roster. This would also allow WWE to have the best of both worlds; a Mahal title run and a Rusev push.

Why Rusev Should Win Money in the Bank

As mentioned earlier, at Fastlane, Rusev was defeated by the Big Show. Well, who was he feuding with at the time? None other than the current WWE World Champion, Mahal. The Modern Day Maharaja and the Bulgarian Brute formed an impromptu and short-lived tag-team before eventually splitting up. Setting up Rusev as Mahal’s next challenger would work seamlessly and help bring closure to that storyline.

But aren’t both Mahal and Rusev heels? We can’t have a heel vs heel feud, can we? The answer is, we don’t have to! Rusev gained traction as a fan-favorite when feuding with Roman Reigns for the United States Championship, and superstars returning from injury always have the opportunity to turn face. If WWE creative handles this match correctly, we could see a scorching hot face against a hated heel.

Then again, Rusev might not have to cash in against Mahal. That’s the beauty of the Money in the Bank briefcase, it allows WWE to plug holes when needed.

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Rusev is a great competitor and could make a great champion. With WWE creative obviously willing to take risks on superstars, Rusev absolutely deserves a chance to shine, and I think he will.

You can watch Money in the Bank exclusively on the WWE Network, live on June 18 at 8 pm.