By Jason Powell, Prowrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
These predictions were made with no help from the betting lines because I’m not a dirty, rotten, filthy, stinking, cheater. In other words, I’m guessing just like you are. Join me for live coverage of WWE Money in the Bank beginning with the Kickoff Show at 5CT/6ET. Dot Net Members will have exclusive access to the audio review that Jake Barnett and I will record after the show. Join us on our ad-free website via PWMembership.net.
Braun Strowman vs. Finn Balor vs. The Miz vs. Rusev vs. Bobby Roode vs. Kevin Owens vs. Samoa Joe vs. a member of New Day in a Money in the Bank ladder match: There are six different directions that WWE could go with this. Sure, some options seem more likely than others, but in this situation I’m going to pick with my heart rather than my head. Joe gets the win, but he’s not finished yet.
Samoa Joe wins the MITB contract.
AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship: Let’s go all the way with my fantasy booking fun. After a strong battle, both men are down (from anything other than double ball shots, please). Styles pulls himself up at the last moment for the Rocky II finish to win the match, then falls back to the ground. Samoa Joe hits the ring, cashes in, and chokes him out with the Coquina Clutch. Obviously, this scenario goes out the window if this match takes place before the men’s MITB match.
AJ Styles wins, but Samoa Joe cashes in his MITB contract to win the WWE Championship.
Nia Jax vs. Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women’s Championship: I’m not sure why WWE would put Rousey in this title match if they don’t intend to give her the title. Rousey enters the UFC Hall of Fame as a WWE champion.
Ronda Rousey wins the Raw Women’s Championship.
Ember Moon vs. Charlotte vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Naomi vs. Lana vs. Sasha Banks in a Money in the Bank ladder match: Originally, I thought Natalya would win this match and then turn on Rousey and successfully cash in on her. And that scenario is a possibility if they don’t have Joe win MITB and cash in. Natalya has been playing up a knee injury over the last couple weeks and I’m guessing that plays some part in her coming up short. I’ve been waiting for WWE to turn Banks. She would be a fun threat to new Raw Women’s Champion Rousey. Yep, I’m once again picking with my heart rather than my head.
Sasha Banks wins the MITB contract.
Carmella vs. Asuka for the Smackdown Women’s Championship: I don’t expect both women’s titles to change hands so let’s go with Carmella retaining with a little help from a friend.
Carmella retains the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
Seth Rollins vs. Elias for the Intercontinental Championship: The build to Money in the Bank peaked during the first few weeks while the men’s MITB qualifying matches were taking place. The only exception to this was the quick yet strong build to this match. I hope my fear of this match setting up a guitar match at Extreme Rules is irrational. More importantly, I hope Elias takes advantage of working with Rollins and shows that he can hang in the ring. Elias is an excellent personality, but we’re still waiting for that first standout in-ring performance.
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental Championship.
Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal: Does Chicago cheer Reigns over a foreign menace? Stop laughing. Does Chicago cheer the foreign menace over Reigns?
Reigns wins to boos and C.M. Punk chants galore, something happens to set up a Reigns vs. Mahal rematch at Extreme Rules.
Bobby Lashley vs. Sami Zayn: We could a cheap finish to this match to set up an Extreme Rules rematch. That type of finish could also go to Reigns vs. Mahal. The build to this match was atrocious and Vince McMahon still views Lashley as a smiling babyface. The only positive reaction they’ve been able to generate for Lashley has come from playing up his military background. Will Chicago play along or with they get behind Sami’s heel antics?
Bobby Lashley wins.
Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass: Cass spent the last few weeks telling us that a good big man always beats a good little match. It’s as if those writing his promos think fans have already forgotten that Bryan beat him at WWE Backlash. Even more irritating is that the issues between Bryan and The Miz were thrown aside without any explanation beyond Miz banning Bryan from his talkshow. I don’t mind that the company is saving their televised showdown match for a later date, but why not come up with a storyline that prevents Bryan from getting his hands on Miz for a certain amount of time? Imagine the anticipation there would be if Bryan couldn’t go after Miz, yet Miz was ultra cocky to start and then slowly started being less cocky as the deadline approached. That said, I don’t think we’re getting that match until SummerSlam at the earliest. I have a bad feeling that we’re going to get a third match between these two with the rubber match coming at Extreme Rules. I hope I’m wrong about this prediction.
Big Cass wins.
Bludgeon Brothers vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson for the Smackdown Tag Titles (Kickoff Show): Gallows and Anderson have been treated better on Smackdown than they were for all but perhaps the first month of their disappointing run on Raw. Still, it’s hard to believe that the Bludgeon Brothers have been pushed so dominantly only to drop the tag titles on a Kickoff Show.
Bludgeon Brothers retain the Smackdown Tag Titles.
Check below for a free audio preview of WWE Money in the Bank preview edition of the Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Brian Fritz of BetweenTheRopes.com.
I’ll be rooting for Strowman and Bliss in their respective MiTB matches. If at least one of them doesn’t win, I may be done with RAW for the summer. It’s so bad, I don’t know if much else will hold my interest- unless Ambrose returns.
Assuming Bliss won her match, and my interest in RAW is restored- I don’t hate your fantasy booking scenario surrounding the Smackdown World Title.
I do NOT want to see Sasha Banks with the MiTB case for the women, though. Ugh. No. Just no. I’m not into it.
Seth has to win, right? Bryan SHOULD win, but probably won’t. The rest of the undercard feels like it lacks suspense.