WWE Raw: Sami Zayn replacing Braun Strowman is a great decision

The May 13 edition of WWE Raw was the final Raw before Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view and with just days before the event, the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match underwent one major personnel change.

Last night’s WWE Raw was the go-home show before Money in the Bank and just when it looked like things were set in stone for the pay-per-view, the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match went through a big change courtesy of the issues between Braun Strowman and Sami Zayn.

Ever since Zayn’s return from injury following WrestleMania 35, he has been the critic of the critics and someone that voices his displeasure with the WWE Universe on a weekly basis.  This has been some of the most entertaining TV in the WWE since it began, but one man wasn’t entertained in the slightest when The Monster Among Men had heard enough last week.

After Zayn’s latest rant, Strowman began to chase him and after Zayn retreated to the backstage area, Strowman finally got his hands on him.  Not only did Strowman make his presence felt, but he also managed to dump Zayn into a dumpster, which got taken out by a garbage truck.  This led to last night’s encounter in which Zayn was vying for Strowman’s place in the Money in the Bank ladder match.

Shane McMahon agreed and Strowman vs. Zayn in a Falls Count Anywhere match with the final spot in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match on the line.  The match went all throughout the 02 Arena in London, but the turning points started when two fellow Money in the Bank ladder match participants Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre got involved to try and keep Strowman out of the match.

He fought through Corbin, McIntyre, and Zayn as long as possible, but the numbers game was too much to overcome and after more gang attacks, Zayn pinned Strowman with Corbin and McIntyre helping him hold the pin and Zayn will now be in the ladder match on Sunday.  Just for good measure, Corbin tossed Zayn back to Strowman after the match, just so Strowman could chokeslam Zayn through the announce table.

When the Men’s Money in the Bank field was announced, it felt a bit weak to include Strowman in the match given the circumstances.  Think about it, he was just in it last year and he won it before unsuccessfully cashing in via Brock Lesnar interfering in his Universal Championship match with Roman Reigns inside Hell in a Cell.  It would have been the same, tired storyline this year in which Strowman is the odds-on favorite to win and how nobody could keep him from winning it.

But now, with Zayn replacing Strowman, everything changes for the better for a multitude of reasons.  Zayn has been hot in recent weeks with some of the best promos of his entire career, so it just makes more sense to have him in this match rather than Strowman.  The Monster Among Men hasn’t been in a prominent position in months, so having him in this match would have felt a bit underwhelming and recycled.

The fans don’t need to see the same “immovable object” storyline that dominated the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match last year.  Striking while the iron is hot is always a good idea, and the iron is hot with Zayn given his recent momentum as a heel.  Not to mention, Zayn could be a darkhorse to win the whole thing.  Fans have wondered for years if or when Zayn would ever break through the glass ceiling and reach a main event level.

Money in the Bank has helped launch countless main event careers over the years, so if the WWE decides to go this route, Zayn could be the latest superstar to reach that level via this match.  He probably isn’t the favorite, but it seems to be conceivable that Zayn could win this ladder match, especially since he just entered the match and could have something up his sleeve.

WWE Raw’s four participants in the ladder match felt a bit bland when they were announced, but now with the inclusion of Zayn replacing Strowman, things feel fresher than they did just 24 hours earlier and a new dark horse to win the briefcase has risen.