No, I’m not ill, the title of this column is correct – Money In The Bank (after only one instance) is my second favourite pay-per-view on the WWE calendar. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, 8 man ladder matches are great to watch. On the show last year they both delivered, and contributed to my favourite PPV of 2010.
The big reason, is to take look at both Raw and Smackdown over the last twelve months. Smackdown in the last six months of last year was dominated by Kane – who won the Smackdown Money in the Bank contract. And Raw, since December, up until last month was headlined by The Miz – the winner of the Raw Money in the Bank contract.
Money In The Bank has the potential to become the beginning of the road to Wrestlemania. Sure, Kane’s stock faded fast after he dropped the World Title to Edge at TLC, but Kane was given the contract to fill a gap on Smackdown. Just by winning the contract any talent is elevated for one simple reason – it shows fans who the company is getting behind over the course of the coming year. The Miz went from the mid card to bona-fide main-eventer in a year.
So here’s where I’m getting exited – who is it going to be this year? It’s a bit difficult to predict before the superstars have been announced, but I’ll have a go :).
Raw: The main event will likely be either a Cena/R-Truth rematch, or Cena vs CM Punk. So whichever isn’t in the main-event will be a lock. Add The Miz, Evan Bourne, Kofi Kingston, John Morrison, Jack Swagger, Alberto Del Rio & The Big Show. Dolph Ziggler could easily make the mix, and (to help my argument!) The Miz will beat Alex Riley in a Capitol Punishment rematch for one spot.
Of that list, I get the feeling we could easily see a baby face winner here. I’d rule out The Big Show, The Miz, Kofi Kingston, Evan Bourne and Jack Swagger out. Leaves me with R-Truth, John Morrison and Alberto Del Rio. Three guys in the trap waiting to break out. I don’t think Del Rio needs it, and R-Truth is a heel. So I’m going for WWE finally pulling the trigger on John Morrison. If WWE needs to give John Cena a break for a few months, a baby face makes sense given that the heel side of the roster is completely stacked.
Smackdown’s main event is likewise. I get the feeling that they’ll hold off Orton vs Christian until Summerslam. So Sheamus faces Orton in the World Title match, and Christian ends up in the Smackdown MITB match with Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan, Ezekiel Jackson, Sin Cara, Kane and maybe a wild card like Justin Gabriel.
Knock off Gabriel, Kane, Bryan, Sin Cara and Big Zeke. That leaves Christian, Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett. Christian won’t win it, Money In The Bank will likely start a new feud off, so a few more months of him and Orton is unlikely. I really can’t pick a winner out of the other two. There’s reason to pull the trigger on both of them. Purely on the basis of British national pride I’m going to go with Barrett.
So there we have it. Wade Barrett and John Morrison are the two people to back going forward. Barrett could easily hold up an end at Wrestlemania against Orton. And Morrison will make a nice transitional champion between Night of Champions and Royal Rumble sandwiched between to separate John Cena title reigns.
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