WWE Money In The Bank 2019 early match card predictions
By Mark Justice
Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev vs. Heavy Machinery [SmackDown Tag Team Titles]🔵
The Hardy Boyz recently dethroned The Usos to become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions, but were quickly forced to vacate them due to a saddening Jeff Hardy injury. In lieu of Jeff’s injury at the hands of Lars Sullivan, the Hardy Boyz vacated the tag titles. Since their reign has been insignificant on SmackDown Live, this vacant tag title match could be tossed to the kickoff show.
The only other established tag teams on the SmackDown Roster are Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev, B-Team and Heavy Machinery. With B-Team jobbing to Roman Reigns on SmackDown, it is foreseeable that Nakamura and Rusev will battle Heavy Machinery for the vacant tag titles.
If this were to occur, it could go either way, but a babyface character in the WWE usually becomes the new champion when a former babyface champion vacates a title, similar to how babyface Daniel Bryan vacated the IC Title back in 2014 due to injury and babyface RyBack won it inside the Elimination Chamber. To maintain the tradition, a babyface tag team should replace the babyface Hardy Boyz as champions and Heavy Machinery is the only babyface tag team left on SmackDown Live.
Prediction: Heavy Machinery🔵
Tony Nese (c) vs. Ariya Daivari [Cruiserweight Championship]⚛️
Ariya Daivari recently won a #1 contender’s match against Oney Lorcan on 205 Live, thereby earning an opportunity at Tony Nese’s Cruiserweight Championship. Since Nese recently won the Cruiserweight Championship against Buddy Murphy at WrestleMania 35, it’s more sensible that he prolongs his reign with a solid retention against Ariya Daivari. It would enable him to establish himself as the next top star on 205 Live, a brand that desperately needs top stars, especially after losing Cedric Alexander and Buddy Murphy to Raw and SmackDown respectively during the Superstar Shake-Up.
Prediction: Tony Nese⚛️