It’s time once again for a briefcase to be put on a run as WWE’s Money in the Bank event is upon us!
The big story over the last month? Well, six guys are having a ladder match, and the winner gets the briefcase. That’s essentially the story. Meanwhile, Stephanie and Shane McMahon are bickering over the upcoming brand split and have no real idea what they’re doing or what they are going to do when the time comes. But hey, John Cena and AJ Styles have had a hot start to their feud! After turning on Cena in a swerve, Styles looks to bring his A-game against Cena, who considers himself the measuring stick of WWE. Will Styles prevail in this first-ever encounter, or will Cena overcome the odds as usual?
We also have a big main event as a returning Seth Rollins looks to take the title he never lost when he faces champion Roman Reigns. Rollins won’t go down without a fight, and neither will Regins. Will we see a decisive conclusion, or is this just the begining of a long program?
Current Scoreboard
Kyle S. Johnson (Wrestling columnist) (27 points)
Steve Khan (WWE Smackdown reporter) (26 points)
Alan O’Brien (WWE RAW Hits & Misses columnist) (26 points)
Bryan Rose (New Japan Pro Wrestling reporter) (23 points)
James Cox (WWE Superstars reporter & WWE DVD reviewer) (22 points)
Gary Mehaffy (Interviewer/Columnist) (16 points)
Karl Stern (DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show) (13 points)
Dan “Peach Machine” Velten (Astronaut Florist) (10 points)
Brian Hoops (Daily Pro Wrestling History) (9 points)
Jeremy Peeples (Lucha Underground reporter) (7 points)
Ryan Frederick (UFC reporter) (new to contest)
Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin
Bryan Rose: Is there even one person out there who remotely cares about this match? The blow off should have been two months ago but we’re still getting matches. Why? What did we do to deserve this?
Winner: Baron Corbin
Alan O’Brien: As Bryan says above, there is no rationale whatsoever for this match’s existence. None. One meaningless pre-show match is enough, thanks. Corbin to win by non-Roshambo means.
Winner: Baron Corbin
James Cox: There is very little to be excited about here. Ziggler won last month at Extreme Rules, so 50/50 booking says Corbin goes over.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Jeremy Peeples: This is a feud over basically nothing and it refuses to end. Dolph got the better of Baron via a low-blow on Raw, so I’ll give Baron the win here since he should get revenge and he’s taller.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Peach Machine: Corbin by second round submission. Head and arm choke.
Winner Corbin
Steve Khan: I could see Ziggler winning since both Rusev and Miz could need opponents soon, but the last thing that happened with these two was Ziggler kicking Corbin in the nuts, so…
Winner: Baron Corbin
Kyle S. Johnson: Hey, this match is happening! It really, really should not be happening, but it is. Corbin would probably have been better off to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, disappear back to NXT for a few months with the trophy, and then reemerge during the draft with some actual purpose. Instead, he’ll get another somehow-even-more meaningless win over Ziggler, and hopefully (HOPEFULLY) get shuffled off into another feud.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Ryan Frederick: I’m probably in the minority in liking Baron Corbin but this feud has done nothing for him. He should get the win in a blow off to the feud as Dolph’s role should be to put him over.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Brian Hoops: If they ever plan on doing anything with Corbin, he absolutely has to win and move on to another feud. He needs a clean and decisive win.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Apollo Crews vs. Sheamus
Bryan Rose: Crews is another example of being called up because you have a good look, but beyond that creative has nothing for you. I think this should be fine, as Sheamus is a good worker and Crews has tons of potential as a worker, but who knows if they will even be given enough time to showcase that. Let’s give Crews the first win just because.
Winner: Apollo Crews
Alan O’Brien: Crews has schlepped around on the C-shows since Wrestlemania, spinning his smiley wheels against the flotsam and jetsam of the WWE roster. I seriously doubt that Vince will allow this guy, looking the way he does, to lose his first serious (-ish) match. Especially on the pre-show, where babyfaces usually go over.
Winner: Apollo Crews
James Cox: Although Crews ought to win here and Sheamus in mid-card hell, I think they’ll go with Crews. But Crew needs to extend his move-set and they need to do something with him fast.
Winner: Apollo Crews
Jeremy Peeples: It’s another feud that hasn’t really been built up well. They’ve done a bit on Raw with Sheamus as a bully who is afraid of Crews, but haven’t made anything personal. Sheamus began the year as WWE Champion and now he’s in what feels like a pre-show feud – so he should win this to regain something resembling momentum, but Crews also shouldn’t be losing programs right now.
Winner: Sheamus
Peach Machine: I just recently watched the first four Rocky movies, and as I recall, Apollo Creed never lost a match and nothing bad ever happened to him, which makes this a no brainer.
WInner: Apollo Crews
Steve Khan: This could go the way of Ziggler/Corbin, with Sheamus getting the first win for no reason. Crews humiliated Sheamus last time they were on TV, but I’ll still go with Crews.
Winner: Apollo Crews
Kyle S. Johnson: The only reason for this feud seems to be realizing the idea that throwing these two together for a bit showcases Apollo on a PPV (or before it, anyway) with a guy who is pretty well established and gives him a win over a former world champion. I don’t really have much of an expectation for the quality of this match, but I expect Apollo to win clean and hope that this feud is more of a launching pad for Apollo and less the seemingly endless mid-card nothing crawl that Ziggler vs. Corbin has become.
Winner: Apollo Crews
Ryan Frederick: They’re finally doing something with Apollo Crews and Sheamus is a good place to start. Sheamus is in a place of going nowhere and Crews should be built up for something bigger. Here’s hoping they can have a solid match, and Crews shouldn’t be losing right now.
Winner: Apollo Crews
Brian Hoops: Sheamus’ best days are past and Crews is getting his first major feud on the main roster. It would be complete insanity to beat him now, which may happen, but shouldn’t.
Winner Apollo Crews
United States Championship: Rusev (c) vs. Titus O’Neil
Bryan Rose: I like O’Neal as a talker, and he’s always doing good things in public which is nice. I’m really sure he is father of the year, for all I know. But in the ring, he’s not much, and that is putting it lightly. There might be some chemistry here I’m unaware of, but beyond that I’m not expecting much, and since Rusev has more upside as a wrestling talent, he should probably get the win here.
Winner: Rusev
Alan O’Brien: This is just a title defence for Rusev. The build up has been so paint-by-numbers that it’s plainly obvious how little they care about Titus. That makes two of us.
Winner: Rusev
James Cox: Rusev to win in what is a very weak match for a ppv. If they really wanted to pull the trigger on Titus O’Neil they would have done it by now – he’s 39.
Winner: Rusev
Jeremy Peeples: It’s good to see Titus involved in a title program right after his suspension. However, he doesn’t have any momentum as a singles act and his limitations stand out more in one on one matches. This should be a short powerhouse vs. powerhouse match, and Rusev should go over clearly.
Winner: Rusev
Peach Machine: You don’t take the steam off of Rusev right now, and certainly not with the Real Deal Dad of the Year.
Winner: Rusev
Steve Khan: I really doubt O’Neil wins the title. I could see Rusev getting himself DQ’d and they do this again later.
Winner: Titus O’Neil (Rusev retains)
Kyle S. Johnson: Rusev is probably one of the three or four best things going on the main roster right now, and taking the belt off of him a month after winning it to put it on dead-in-the-water Titus O’Neil makes no sense — even if they think they’ll get some kind of pub for putting it on the Mega Dad of the Year. Of course, they could do it, if only because it’s been shown for the past several months that WWE really has no idea what to do with the U.S. Championship when it is around the waist of anyone not named John Cena. I’m just really going to hope that they do not, because with the brand split imminent, building Rusev up as a monster and having him rejuvenate that title sure sounds like a ball to run with.
Winner: Rusev
Ryan Frederick: Rusev is entertaining and should be hot for the brand split as he can be an effective top heel if creative plays their cards right. Nice to see Titus getting some TV and PPV time but he really shouldn’t have a title around his waist. Keep this short and put Rusev over strong.
Winner: Rusev
Brian Hoops: How cool of a story would it be to have the “father of the year” win the title on Father’s Day? For that reason, Rusev retains the title. WWE would never do that simple and awesome storyline, they have to be cute and creative.
Winner: Rusev
WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Natalya and Becky Lynch
Bryan Rose: I dunno. They’re already teasing dissention between Brooke and Charlotte about a month into their partnership. I mean, yeah, this might be a case of bait and switch, but can you save that angle a few months down the road? I think this is all placeholder until they start the Banks stuff, but in the meantime I guess Natty and Lynch should get the win, and maybe build to a Lynch/Charlotte match at the July PPV? I dunno, wishful thinking.
Winner: Natalya and Becky Lynch
Alan O’Brien: Very difficult to call. I think the likeliest outcome is a heel victory with Charlotte nipping in to take the pinfall from Dana. Hard to see the babyfaces go over, as neither is being heated up for a Summerslam tilt at the belt.
Winner: Charlotte and Dana Brooke
James Cox: Honestly, I haven’t been following this one. They can beat Charlotte and it won’t matter because she’s in a tag match, but I think She and Dana aren’t breaking up, despite the tease on Monday.
Winner: Charlotte and Dana Brooke
Jeremy Peeples: Three weeks into the partnership, they’re teasing issues between Dana and Charlotte – so I think the faces win here when Charlotte is either distracted or has plausible deniability for an injury and Dana drops the fall.
Winners: Natalya and Becky Lynch
Peach Machine: Charlotte has won a match in the last 11 PPV’s and they pointed that out last time. I think they want that to be Charlotte’s “16 time…”.
Winner Char-dawg & Dana
Steve Khan: I’m guessing this is leading to a 3-way at the next PPV, whatever that is, so the babyface team should win.
Winner: Natalya & Becky Lynch
Kyle S. Johnson: Why they are angling to build tension between Dana and Charlotte just a month into their alliance, one can only guess. (I would blame ineptitude, first and foremost.) If the plan is to slot in Becky as a holdover challenger until Summerslam (where one can only presume Sasha will be rolled out as the top contender), it would make sense for her to get the pin here over Charlotte after Dana makes some match-ending mistake. Still,
Ryan Frederick: Unfortunately it seems like this match is to build up a split between Charlotte and Dana, and that is a wrong move to make if there ever was one. Dana doesn’t deserve the spot opposite Charlotte but it seems we are going that direction. I sense issues will be teased but they will end up getting the win.
Winners: Charlotte and Dana Brooke
Brian Hoops: Way too early to break up Charlotte and Dana Brooke and they just teased this same storyline with Styles and the Club. It would be perfect since to have the champion pinned in a tag match to build up a singles challenger. Probably why it won’t happen.
Winners: Natalya and Becky Lynch
WWE Tag Team Championship: The New Day (c) vs. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. The Vaudevillans
Bryan Rose: I think New Day retains and breaks the tag team title record. They’ve been the most popular tag team in years here in the WWE so it only makes since. I don’t see Vaudevillans winning and while eventually Amore and Cass should get the titles, I don’t see it happening. They could put them on Anderson and Gallows, but I think that’s the next tag team title program for New Day anyway so it should last another month at least.
Winner: New Day
Alan O’Brien: Vaudevillains are not going over, and they’ll want to save Enzo and Cass’ big title win for a singles feud. I can easily see New Day retaining, but I think it’s more likely that The Club will succeed with their first shot at the gold.
Winner: Anderson and Gallows
James Cox: Feels like we should have a shake up here, but I still The New Day win here. A babyface win is important looking at this card.
Winner: The New Day
Jeremy Peeples: They’ve been pushing the near record-setting reign of the New Day on commentary, which is usually a bad sign. They have three teams in this that probably shouldn’t lose, and the Vaudevillains. The New Day should win just to keep things stable until the draft, but I could see The Club winning just to go them some momentum. If they make a second set of tag titles, they can just give The Club one of them – so I’ll go with New Day retaining here.
Winners: The New Day
Peach Machine: I think the New Day has long since jumped the shark. Get the belts off those clowns.
Winner: The New Day, because that’s how they book.
Steve Khan: New Day have had the titles so long, losing in a 4-way would be lame. Gallows & Anderson can certainly win to build momentum for the Club, but I see New Day getting the fall over the Vaudevillains.
Winner: The New Day
Kyle S. Johnson: A four-team match that includes an obvious fall team seems like a great opportunity to make a title switch. The New Day do not need the belts to stay over, and I can’t help but shake the feeling that Cass is going to wind up going to singles well before he and Enzo reach their shelf life as a tag team. Anderson and Gallows, on the other hand, could probably really use a dominant championship run to prove the mettle of The Club as a force to be reckoned with. I’ll go with Guns and Gallows getting the belts after stealing a pin away from one of the babyface teams.
Winner: Anderson and Gallows
Ryan Frederick: I would like to see them switch the belts and have New Day chase to freshen up the act just a little, give them something to fight for. The fact they’ve been pushing the length of the reign isn’t a good sign. The question is who to give it to if they are switching. Enzo & Cass is a great act and the titles could benefit them, but I think putting them around Anderson and Gallows would be the right move in getting them over with AJ as the top heel act. I expect a fun match.
Winners: Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
Brian Hoops: The New Day act has run its course. Lots of ways they could go here with a 4 way, but I look for Anderson & Gallows to win the belts with Vaudevillians getting pinned. Would freshen things up if Anderson and Gallows take the titles with programs with New Day and Usos, who can claim previous victories over the new champions.
Winners: Anderson & Gallows
AJ Styles vs. John Cena
Bryan Rose: Hmm, very interesting. Cena shouldn’t win the first bout. I mean if we’re going to have the usual Cena feud, he should at least lose the first match and win the other two. As far as the match goes, Styles is one of the best in the planet and Cena works his butt off. Should be great.
Winner: AJ Styles
Alan O’Brien: AJ’s self-inflicted banning of his buddies from ringside is a red herring. He needs a big win, and getting it on his own will make it all the more significant. Sure, Cena will win the next two, a la the Owens feud, but hey, I’ll take it.
Winner: AJ Styles
James Cox: This will be match of the night. Despite all the rhetoric about AJ Styles being a big deal in the company, he’s clearly only a big deal when it suits them, otherwise they wouldn’t have had him lose so much. Cena to win; they’re not in the habit of beating him on ppv.
Winner: John Cena
Jeremy Peeples: This has been the best-built program of the entire PPV. AJ has been cutting the best promos of his career and is seemingly getting out any bitterness he might have had over the years at the same time. Cena has been putting AJ over huge as well, and I can see AJ winning this one to set up a bigger match at Summerslam that Cena wins.
Winner: AJ Styles
Peach Machine: Gotta be Cena. Vince isn’t gonna put his top guy under while his supposed top guy is floundering at best.
Winner: Cena
Steve Khan: The Club might not be there, but Styles can still cheat to win. I can see John Cena winning because he’s John Cena, but Styles badly needs a big win.
Winner: AJ Styles
Kyle S. Johnson: AJ has lost three straight PPV matches, and with so much of the (excellent, excellent) build for this match being about him needing to get it done here, I cannot fathom an outcome that does not see him beating John Cena. Cena can get his win back down the line (probably even as soon as next month, given the way things tend to go), but AJ needs to win here to make him a credible main-event-caliber guy for one of the two shows moving forward. This should be a superb match, and I expect that AJ gets it done — whether it is cleanly, by nefarious means, or with the help of a former ally not named Doc or Karl.
Winner: AJ Styles
Ryan Frederick: Anything other than a win by Styles here is the wrong move. Cena doesn’t need it and Styles is arguably the biggest star in the company at this moment. He is also arguably the best wrestler in the world. I am looking forward to this one as Styles always shows up and Cena is great with top workers. This could be a classic if given time and the crowd should be hot.
Winner: AJ Styles
Brian Hoops: For the sake of AJ Styles career, he has to win over Cena here. He lost in the Rumble (Cena promo), got beat by Kevin Owens and lost last PPV matches to Jericho and Reigns twice. Another loss here makes him just like everyone else in the WWE. A loss for Cena wont hurt him and they can build the feud to culminate later this summer.
Winner: AJ Styles
Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro vs. Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Alberto del Rio vs. Kevin Owens
Bryan Rose: This could go to anyone. If I had to pick who would benefit more with the briefcase, probably Owens as he’s the guy with the most potential as a future WWE champion. Ambrose is also another possibility, anyone else I just don’t see it happening (Cesaro, Zayn) or sounds lame (Jericho, del Rio). Should be a great match regardless of who wins.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Alan O’Brien: Owens is the guy. The briefcase is a heel gimmick, and who better to attach it to than the best on the roster.
Winner: Kevin Owens
James Cox: Everything says it ought to be Owens, but it really is a match anyone could win. I’m sticking my neck out, but ultimately it should go to heel and I think we might be about to see them re-launch Alberto Del Rio. Orton could return, take a seventh spot and win, but I don’t know if he’s ready.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
Jeremy Peeples: Owens has been dropping a lot of falls, but would make a fantastic challenger for Roman Reigns – so I’ll go with him winning here.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Peach Machine: Owens. No doubt.
Winner: Vin Owens
Steve Khan: They could throw us a curveball like they have in ths most, but this match is far too important. It comes down to Ambrose and Owens, and given the way they’ve booked the past few weeks, Owens looks like the leading candidate. I’ll play it safe and go with Owens, who’s perfect for this gimmick.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Kyle S. Johnson: This is Owens’ match to win. Cesaro, Sami, or Dean would be reasonable dark horse picks, and putting the briefcase with Del Rio or Jericho would be a mistake. Owens will win and, one can only hope, be treated as one of the company’s top heels thereafter.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Ryan Frederick: Kevin Owens is ready to be the top heel in the company, and he should get the briefcase. I can only really see Jericho as the only other option as they’ve pushed him as the creator of the match but him having never won it. Owens has been losing too much lately and logic says that means he’s winning.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Brian Hoops: Owens is the one that benefits the most from winning the briefcase and eventually cashing it in to win the world title. No one else makes sense, which makes the Owens pick shaky.
Winner: Kevin Owens
WWE Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Bryan Rose: Reigns isn’t losing the title anytime soon, and I already feel a rematch is set for Battleground regardless of who wins. I think it’ll be a great match as Regions has improved tremendously, and Rollins should be aching to have a killer match. Fun stuff ahead!
Winner: Roman Reigns
Alan O’Brien: What a disaster this has been. It’s unlikely that they will switch the title at this juncture, with Roman likely to be the figurehead of RAW. Rollins could win by DQ, but I imagine Reigns will pin him after some kind of schmoz finish.
Winner: Roman Reigns
James Cox: I can’t see them about to play hot potato with the title this close to the brand split. The story ought to be Seth taking back what he never lost, but they chose Roman Reigns and they’re sticking with him.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Jeremy Peeples: This feud has been built up very strangely. In theory, Seth should be coming in as a really hot act. Instead, he had one great night and has been pretty cold since then. They’ve teased Dean winning in cashing in – so he’s probably doomed. Seth has no momentum and shouldn’t be winning with this character as it is now.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Peach Machine: Some schmoz. Disputed finish. Reigns retains.
Winner: Reigns
Steve Khan: I’m not sure what to expect. Reigns won’t lose the title yet, and Rollins can’t lose clean in his return. I also don’t see a cash-in, and they’ve built this too big for a screwy finish. So, I’ll go with Reigns barely squeaking out a win.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Kyle S. Johnson: This angle has been outclassed by the build for AJ and Cena at every turn, and while the match itself is probably going to be great, it feels very much like an afterthought on this show. I imagine that this is going to have some kind of inconclusive finish since I cannot see either guy taking a pinfall at this stage — perhaps even something as far-fetched as Lesnar showing up and wrecking both guys to stake his claim as the true champion. Either way, the title won’t change hands, and this feud will continue in some form or fashion.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Ryan Frederick: This feels like the first match of a program, and probably one with Dean Ambrose getting involved, possibly leading to the long-anticipated Shield three-way at Summerslam. That means a likely BS finish. I think Rollins gets the win but Reigns retains due to a DQ. The crowd reactions for this will be fun.
Winner: Seth Rollins but Roman Reigns retains the championship
Brian Hoops: Another feud they have totally botched. Rollins should be the returning babyface to challenge and reclaim the title he never lost. It was a perfect storyline they have completely pissed down their leg. Now, they have their hottest potential babyface turned back heel and no one wants to boo him and their champion babyface, no one cares about and wants to cheer. Beating Rollins clean would make any remaining fans disgruntled so that makes no sense. Taking the title off Reigns and putting it on the heel also makes no sense after shoving Reigns down everyone’s throats.
Winner: Rollins by DQ
Live coverage from Dave Meltzer begins later tonight with the pre-show!