A full week after WWE "Backlash," "SmackDown Live" has already started planting the seeds for a potentially loaded card at "Money In The Bank" on June 18 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
Randy Orton exercised his rematch clause to stage a grudge match against reining WWE champion Jinder Mahal. The tandem of Fandango and Tyler Breeze are also expected to get another shot at the WWE SmackDown tag-team belts when they take on the Usos for a second straight PPV event.
Star-studded 'MITB' ladder match
Of course, the highlight of the whole show will be the Money in the Bank match.
On the May 23rd episode of "SmackDown," Brand commissioner Shane McMahon announced the six participants who will compete in the Money in the Bank ladder match.
United States champion Kevin Owens, AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin and Sami Zayn will all try to become the first person to climb the ladder and take the briefcase containing a contract that guarantees a match for the WWE championship. The holder of the briefcase or Mr. Money in the Bank can cash in his title shot at any time and any place of his choosing for a whole year.
Possible breakthrough for women’s evolution
What makes this year’s "Money in the Bank" PPV interesting is the possible inclusion of the first-ever Money in the Bank match for a shot at the SmackDown women’s championship.
According to Pro Wrestling Sheet's James McKenna, WWE Creative is tentatively planning to include a women’s MITB ladder match, which will likely feature SmackDown women’s division mainstays Becky Lynch, Charlotte, Natalya, Carmela and Tamina Snuka. Many wrestling pundits consider it another major step for women’s wrestling after the first ever Hell in a Cell match between Charlotte and Sasha Banks last year.
Potential winners
Predicting the winner of high-stakes WWE matches isn’t as easy as it was months ago -- just ask those who bet on Randy Orton’s domination at "Backlash." After all, anyone who has two fists has a fighting chance, and Jinder Mahal proved it in shell-shocking fashion a week ago.
Then again, this is "Money in the Bank" and it always involves long-term build up.
AJ Styles is the most logical choice among the six contenders because his Mr. Money in the Bank status will make himself relevant throughout the year without being pushed to the WWE title picture right away. Moreover, with his "Wrestlemania 34" showdown with Shinsuke Nakamura looking more and more likely, it just feels right for him to hold the briefcase until the right time comes. When is that time? Perhaps, just around Wrestlemania season when Shinsuke is just coming off his coronation as the new WWE champion.
The same could be said for Becky Lynch. Clearly the least accomplished member of NXT’s four horsewomen (Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Bayley), Lynch needs a new attitude and swag to re-energize her career.
She’s going to need that Wrestlemania moment in order to cement her place as one of the pillars of women’s evolution.
By becoming Ms. Money in the Bank, Lynch could devise a ploy that would allow her to stay within striking distance of the SmackDown women’s champ. Then, at the right moment, Lynch could cash in her MITB briefcase for a surprising heel turn -- possibly at the Royal Rumble. Many wrestling writers believe Charlotte was brought to SmackDown for the sole purpose of establishing an intriguing feud with Lynch.
