WWE is returning to London for WWE Money in the Bank 2023; the show will mark WWE’s first major event in England since 2003. Fans got a taste of the renowned London crowd with the June 30 episode of WWE SmackDown, and Saturday’s star-studded show promises to deliver plenty of excitement for what should be a hot crowd. In a number of ways, WWE Money in the Bank is hard to predict this year, as a few major questions surround the show.
- Will WWE Roll With LA Knight or Choose Logan Paul’s Mainstream Appeal?
The Men’s Money in the Bank Match is tough to call, as it feels like a toss-up between LA Knight and Logan Paul. In recent weeks, Knight has become one of the hottest stars on the WWE roster. Night in and night out, he gets arguably the loudest pop on the show.
His momentum and his surging popularity are undeniable at this point; listen to the crowd’s reaction when he came out on the June 30 episode of WWE SmackDown. WWE has a real chance to strap the rocket to Knight and make a new star by giving him the Money in Bank briefcase, which typically serves as a springboard to the main event scene.
However, Logan Paul is standing firmly in his way. There’s no doubt that Paul has plenty of mainstream appeal, as he can reach a large audience outside of WWE with his popular IMPAULSIVE podcast, among other projects. WWE re-signed Paul to a new contract earlier this year, and it’s fair to wonder whether a potential world title win was part of the negotiations.
Paul has made it clear that he wants the gold, and he thinks he can get it. The Money in the Bank briefcase would be the easiest road to the destination at this point, and even with Knight’s impressive crowd reactions, it’s easy to see WWE going with the seemingly smart “business” move by having Paul win the case.
2. Who Will Win The Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match?
On paper, there’s a fairly obvious choice for the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. If nothing else, the process of elimination makes the outcome somewhat clear. On one hand, it could be an easy way to heat Becky Lynch up for a title match at WWE SummerSlam, but because both Trish Stratus and Zoey Stark are in the bout, the duo costing Lynch the match somehow feels like a safe bet. Likewise, they might essentially take themselves out of the running by trying to stop Lynch.
Zelina Vega recently got a high-profile title match, as she challenged Rhea Ripley for the gold at WWE Backlash, so WWE might not be quick to run it back with her, as she hasn’t built up a lot of momentum since that loss.
Otherwise, that leaves Bayley and IYO SKY. The gradual implosion of Damage CTRL has been simmering for a while now, and either member winning the Money in the Bank match could be the final straw, as the loser may be overcome with jealousy. Fans have rallied around SKY in recent weeks, and while she also had a title match at WWE Backlash, many fans want to see a buzzworthy clash between “The Genius of the Sky” and WWE Women’s Champion Asuka.
3. How Will The Opening Battle in The Bloodline Civil War Go?
The Bloodline storyline has been brewing for years at this point, and this portion of it has been picking up speed in recent months. Jimmy Uso turning on Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WWE Night of Champions, followed by Jey Uso siding with his brother in June, were both electric highlights of what has been an incredible story up to this point.
The first major battle of the civil war within the faction will be a major turning point, one way or the other. A win for Reigns and Solo Sikoa would be a crushing blow to The Usos, as it wouldn’t leave them much of a leg to stand on in their quest to prove that they don’t need “The Tribal Chief” in order to succeed. However, WWE has protected Sikoa from losses fairly well, and Reigns hasn’t been pinned in what seems like ages at this point. Sikoa took the fall at WWE Night of Champions, and other high-profile loss would hurt his momentum.
That being said, it feels like The Usos have to win this match. At this point, Jey seems like a likely candidate for Reigns’ opponent at WWE SummerSlam, and scoring a big win over “The Head of the Table”, albeit in tag team action, would help continue the process of restoring “Main Event Jey” to his 2020 levels.
With all these questions (and more) in mind, WWE Money in the Bank is a must-see show that will shape the road to WWE SummerSlam and beyond. It’ll be fascinating to see which steps forward WWE takes and how those play out in the coming months.
WrestleZone will have coverage of WWE Money in the Bank as it airs on July 1.
