All eight members of the men’s ladder match at WWE Money in the Bank 2018 have been announced, as Samoa Joe submitted Daniel Bryan in the Coquina Clutch on the most recent episode of SmackDown Live to become the final entrant into the match.
Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Braun Strowman, Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe, The Miz, Rusev, and one member of The New Day will compete in an eight-man ladder match at WWE Money in the Bank 2018 on June 17 in Chicago, Illinois for the opportunity to win a contract that guarantees a title shot at any place and any time. Out of all eight of these men, The Miz is the only wrestler to have won an MITB ladder match before, as he successfully cashed in on Randy Orton to win his first world title.
Strowman, Roode, Joe, Rusev, and all three members of The New Day have yet to win a world championship in WWE, so nabbing that briefcase would especially be a dream come true for these men. And out of these wrestlers, Joe seems to be the favorite to use the Money in the Bank contract to pick up his first title in WWE.
So let’s rank all eight men based on their chances of capturing that briefcase in mid-June. Is The Miz indeed the favorite? Or is Balor the most likely option with the Universal Championship being held hostage by Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman?
8. Bobby Roode
Although Bobby Roode won the United States Championship within months of being called up to the main roster after a successful stint as the NXT Champion, he’s quite easily the odd man out of this group of men. Because for the other seven competitors, I can at least say that I am somewhat invested in what they are doing and care about their characters on some level. When it comes to Roode, I couldn’t give two craps whether or not he loses.
That isn’t to say Roode is a bad wrestler, a bad promo, or incapable of becoming someone I care about. It’s just that week after week, he’s embroiled in some feud that is on a road to nowhere, whether that program is with Randy Orton or Elias. Roode is dead-in-the-water as a babyface, and there’s just no reason for WWE to put the briefcase on a guy who still hasn’t hit his groove on the main roster with the right character. He was on the right track at one point before capturing the US Title, and he should be a breakout star on Raw at some point. But right now, he’s just another guy, and the turn (or change) needs to come before the marquee win.
7. Braun Strowman
“Monster in the Bank” is kind of a “you love it or you hate it” WWE nickname, but I am excited to watch Braun Strowman wreak havoc in this year’s Money in the Bank ladder match. I mean, having him and Samoa Joe in the same match is a dream come true, and if Big E ends up being The New Day’s selection, then watch out. Because we’re headed for some insane highlights that will be replayed over and over again for the next few decades.
That said, Strowman isn’t a likely candidate to win the briefcase, because he doesn’t need it. He’s a monster who beats people up face-to-face, though not necessarily one-on-one. It’s not impossible for Strowman to win because he’s such a big deal in WWE, but there are better ways for him to nab his first world title.
6. A Member Of The New Day
As much as I’d love to see Kofi Kingston, Big E, or Xavier Woods winning that briefcase and catapulting themselves to a singles run, it’s just not logical. Kofi has been waiting for a world title for years, but it sometimes feels like that ship has sailed, despite the fact that he’s producing his best work as a wrestler and promo. Woods would be a fun pick for this match, but he has absolutely no chance of winning a future world title shot as an unknown commodity who might be too small in Vince McMahon’s eyes.
Meanwhile, Big E is a legitimate sleeper candidate, because he has “big star” written all over him. The dude is beyond hilarious, with arguably the quickest whit and the dirtiest jokes in WWE. His spear to the outside is insane, his tilt-a-whirl Big Ending is almost as nuts, and he has one of the best hot tags in the business (though Woods is also pretty close).
It’s not happening, though. I mean, it’s worth hoping for and there’s a chance. But it’s not happening.
5. Rusev
I like Rusev as a sleeper pick to win the Money in the Bank briefcase this year, especially since he’s been reunited with Lana on-screen. Lana has her own opportunity to grab the contract in the women’s ladder match after shockingly upsetting Billie Kay in seconds in her qualifying match, but there’s essentially no chance of her winning. Not even on #LanaDay.
Meanwhile, Rusev is a solid wrestler, one of the most charismatic talents in WWE, and someone the crowd has been fully behind for a good six months. The “Rusev Day” chants are always thunderous, and both Aiden English and Lana add so much to his character. The promos with all three of them with the briefcase in-hand would be exceptional.
4. Kevin Owens
Initially, Kevin Owens failed his qualifying opportunity, as he was thrown around by Braun Strowman. Owens sold the hell out of Strowman’s shoulder tackles, and KO’s return to form in the month of May has been brilliant to witness. This guy is back to being one of the best in-ring talents in WWE after likely dealing with injuries throughout 2017, and his Intercontinental Championship match against Seth Rollins was yet another example of just how good KO is.
Stephanie McMahon continues to support Owens, in spite of the fact that it was KO who headbutted her father Vince McMahon last year. KO is back to being Raw’s “Prizefighter”, and Stephanie and Triple H are ready to throw their support behind him. It was Stephanie, after all, who provided Owens with a second chance at qualifying for MITB, so don’t be completely surprised if he gets a run with the briefcase (accompanied by Sami Zayn, no less).
3. Finn Balor
Lately, Finn Balor has been bringing up the fact that he’s never actually lost the Universal Championship, and it’s about damn time he started taking matters into his own hands. A heel turn doesn’t seem to be in the cards for the foreseeable future, but an MITB victory is somewhat likely.
Brock Lesnar needs to drop the title to somebody after breaking CM Punk’s record, and the easiest way to do that while still protecting him is to have him lose by cash-in. I mean, the most likely scenario is still for Roman Reigns to defeat Lesnar at SummerSlam, but perhaps a cash-in could still occur then. Regardless, Balor is in need of a big win, especially after losing multiple Intercontinental Championship bangers to Seth Rollins, and this could be it.
2. Samoa Joe
Although Samoa Joe was the last man to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match, he certainly isn’t the least likely wrestler to come away with the world title opportunity. Joe’s menacing promos and insidious finishing maneuver have carried him into this match, as he defeated Daniel Bryan without too much trouble in a Triple Threat match that also included Big Cass, who didn’t really have a chance in hell at winning.
Meanwhile, Joe has more than just a “chance” at winning the briefcase in Chicago, because a Money in the Bank briefcase could be what he needs to go on the best run of his career before capturing the WWE Championship for the first time.
1. The Miz
As appealing as Joe would be as the Money in the Bank winner, The Miz will always be my favorite to win this match. Everything about the briefcase screams “Miz”, and it just feels like the contract belongs in his hands. Nobody elevates titles or accolades quite like The Miz, who is one of the best in the business at both putting himself over and putting others over.
His promo on Talking Smack, which spawned from his own genius, is the real reason why Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz is a dream match for most WWE fans, and, by extension, it is the reason why so many people want Miz to win the MITB briefcase. I mean, we’ll hate it when he cashes in on Bryan and ruins The American Dragon’s shining moment, but we’ll love it at the same time because it’s just damn good story-tellling. And lord knows, the WWE could use more of that right now.
This is the feud everyone wants to see, and the Money in the Bank briefcase is the easiest means to get to that feud. There’s potential money on the table here with how much people respect both The Miz and Bryan and how much they are invested in both of them, so I hope we get to see a victory from The Miz come to fruition on June 17.