WWE Money in the Bank: 5 Things that must happen

It’s that time of year when two superstars can earn a lotto ticket en route to a title opportunity anytime. Money in the Bank is taking center stage in Sin City and is sure to deliver a surprise or two. Only four title defenses will take place as opposed to last year’s five, Roman Reigns will have the night off as he prepares for a date with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.

5 Things That Need To Happen At Money in The Bank

That leaves both Women’s titles that will be on high alert for a same-night cash-in. There still could be a couple of late additions to the card, and a possible appearance from recently returned John Cena, to set up a program for Summerslam. However, there are a few things that absolutely need to happen that we’ll dive into here.

Shayna turns on Ronda

There have been loud critiques of Ronda Rousey’s current title run. Notably putting a spotlight on her lack of mic skills. Even still Ronda is a draw in search of the perfect dance partner. While her feud with Natalya is being billed as a battle of submissions, tea leaves were dropped off of a potential rivalry.

Shayna Baszler and Ronda have a long backstory of friendship being the four horsewomen of MMA. Fans won’t get the long-rumored horsewomen matchup of WWE vs MMA, but perhaps something better can replace it.  Money in the Bank should set the stage for a major match end of the summer between Baszler and Rousey. After a package recently showed a visibly upset Rousey that her friend decided to be impartial to her rivalry. Baszler and Natalya had a forgettable tag team run, and this shouldn’t be about picking sides. Baszler is noticeable absent from the Women’s Money in the Bank and should stake her claim for the division’s top prize, despite friendship. This will lead to Rousey’s best rivalry to date and possibly her best character work by feuding with Baszler.

No Same Night Cash-In

Here to double down against a same-night cash-ins. The Money in the Bank briefcase is a way to build a character and tell a story over time. Carmella and Dolph Ziggler’s tenure with the briefcase comes to mind as superstars who held onto their opportunity for long periods. That waiting game helps build the reaction the company desires once the contract is used.

Last year Nikki A.S.H cashed in the very next night but was a very forgettable champion with a short stint on top. It would be wise for whomever the eventual winners are to use the briefcase to define their characters for the rest of the year. All the current world champions seem entrenched in their roles, and hitting the reset button so early is never a good sign.

Liv in the Bank

Going to bang the table again on Morgan winning the MITB briefcase. The long-term storytelling is there as Liv has become the poster child for coming up short. With all the turnover in the Women’s division lately, there’s a huge void of top superstars. On one hand, it forces the creative’s hand to think outside the box, on the other hand, the absence of three of the four horsewomen is glaring.

Becky Lynch’s character work has been excellent, but she cannot carry this division forever. Allow Liv to win the briefcase and wait in the background for her moment. To really give her a boost, Morgan should eventually cash in on Ronda Rousey. It was a bold move to go with Nikki A.S.H as a MITB winner last year, but the company failed to build off her title win. This year’s winner has to redeem the value of winning the briefcase.

Barbershop Window Moment

A reluctant moment that can and may happen. The Universal Tag Titles are being defended and the champion Usos have had the Street Profits number historically. There’s been a tug of war with the character teases of the Street Profits as well. At times there are moments of a heel turn which is chalked up to added aggression. If the Street Profits come up short again, a split may be on the horizon.

It’s worth noting that Montez Ford looks in excellent shape, noticeably putting on more muscle. Rumors of a solo run are swirling just based on the new physique tied in with the excitement of Ford’s in-ring skill. While this wouldn’t be the smartest decision, with an already thin tag team division, the company has always turned a blind eye to the division. While the obvious choice is Ford going on a singles run, the curveball should be Dawkins being the one who causes the split of the Street Profits.

Rollins does it two times

Seth Rollins has been arguably the best superstar in the company over the past few years. Putting on absolute classics in his matches, though he’s often on the losing end. His excellent character work keeps him relevant and atop the card despite the losing streak. Taking three straight losses to Cody Rhodes has done nothing to stop the momentum of Rollins. In fact, Rollins has been a part of some of the most memorable moments of the year with his superb trolling of his foes.

Fans are already being reminded of the previous cash-in as “the greatest of all time.” This is certainly debatable, but a great moment nonetheless. The men’s MITB is a stacked field and picking Riddle or Drew Mcintyre as winners would make a ton of sense given the backstory with Roman. However, the storytelling done with Reigns and Rollins at the Royal Rumble earlier this year needs a definitive ending after the disqualification. The Visionary taking captive over the mind of the Tribal Chief should absolutely be built upon for an extended period of time. Reigns constantly having to look over his shoulder would be a necessary wrinkle to this historic title run of Roman Reigns. In the instance that Seth is the one to dethrone Reigns, it sets up perfectly for a returning Cody Rhodes in the future.