Enhancement Talent

As the current possessor of the Money in the Bank world-title-shot-whenever-you-want-it contract Seth Rollins is guaranteed to be in at least one world title match over the next eight months. The smart money is on him using that match against a newly crowned Roman Reigns at WrestleMania (or the night after). Whenever he cashes in the likelihood is that he'll win the championship. It's not a certainty but the statistics of previous cash-ins and his standing indicate he'll be successful.

With this in mind WWE have in Rollins someone ideally positioned and suited to help in the rebuilding process of the Intercontinental championship. Years ago the IC title was something WWE protected. It was the championship the younger guys moving up the card would win. It was the championship contested in faster, more athletic matches that weren’t like the slower, more brawling-heavy bouts that went on last. Winning the Intercontinental title was something that generally marked a guy out as either a future big name or a workhorse who’d put on great matches. Or both, of course.

Increasing the prestige of the Intercontinental championship is clearly something the promotion currently wants to do. Having Dolph Ziggler hold the title is part of their plan. He's popular and he matches all the criteria above. Getting rid of the World Heavyweight championship was also done in part to increase the relevance of the IC strap. Over the years the WHC had become the rising star's title. Look no further than the reigns Daniel Bryan and CM Punk enjoyed with it for proof of that: they were textbook second tier reigns, designed to highlight guys who weren’t deemed ready for the main event but were ready for a prominently featured spot just below it.

Whack a belt in his other hand and he's away.

Rollins is currently at the ideal level for a “traditional” Intercontinental title reign. Guys destined for the top of the card would get the title at the stage Rollins is as now to give them a final bit of polish before they won a world title. This was done to show that they were progressing but also to keep the title looking important for the mid-card guys that held it. Not everyone holding the IC can or should go on to be a world champion, but by holding the same title that a world champion once held the guys getting left behind (a less than ideal term, but it’s essentially what happens) look like they’re holding something of greater value.

WWE could do far worse than having Rollins defeat Ziggler for the title between Hell in a Cell and Survivor Series. Leaving it on him until the New Year and letting him make lengthy defences against guys who can work a fast match would enhance the title. And let’s be clear, there’s plenty of TV time for Rollins to have those lengthy matches. It would also give Rollins something fresh to do and further cement him as The Authority's anointed one.

 

It would be a boon for someone like Ziggler or Bad News Barrett to win the title from Rollins, particularly if it were a clean victory. It would do even more for the title's perception if it was won by Dean Ambrose. The championship would come off of Rollins looking more important, potentially lifting it back to its former glory, and giving WWE another useful tool for making some of those desperately needed new stars.

The Intellectual Cosplayer

When Damien Sandow first appeared in WWE he was, by modern standards, a wonder. He was a solid wrestler with an understandable and distinct character that acted consistently. Plus he did cartwheels. I thought he signalled the beginning of a mid-card rebuilding project.

Sadly that’s not been the case. During his two years in WWE Sandow has never been treated exactly right. His pushes have faltered. He’s been shunted up and down the card. The company never seem quite sure whether to position him as a man on the rise or a piece of enhancement furniture used to get other, newer stars over.

Damien Sandow's better than this. So's Ian McKellen for that matter.

His treatment in the last year demonstrates this perfectly. He’s recently abandoned his intellectual roots, the thing that set him apart from every other heel on the books, and taken to cosplaying. We’ve seen him as Magneto, Davey Crockett and some basketball player I’ve never heard of, all for entirely unexplained reasons. It’s a move that may or may not be linked to the bizarre and ill-conceived decision to have him attempt worked shoot promos about being underutilised just a week or two before he decided to reveal this previously unhinted at aspect of his personality.

Under a year ago things were different. At last July’s Money in the Bank ‘The Intellectual Saviour’ won the titular ladder bash at the expense of his then-best friend (not forever) Cody Rhodes. That not only gave Sandow a guaranteed World Heavyweight championship match but also slotted him into one of the few mid-card feuds bothered booking all year. Rhodes versus Sandow happened at SummerSlam and actually had a worthwhile backstory to it!

That Sandow lost his cash-in match against WHC John Cena wasn’t a problem in itself. It could have led to Sandow going away and proving himself worthy of a rematch by winning a string of matches against significant members of the roster. It could have led to him entering a lopsided (perhaps even one-sided) feud with Mr Cena. It could have seen him refocus and promise fans he’d have gold by the end of the year, leading to a two month story culminating with him winning the Intercontinental or US strap on the last RAW or SmackDown of the year.

The second option was hinted at but never really went anywhere. That may be because of the probably last minute decision to unify the World Heavyweight title with the WWE title in December but it’s more likely that WWE just couldn’t be bothered dedicating time to Sandow. In their minds they had, and have, bigger names to concentrate on.

While it’s true that there are bigger established names and newcomers with more potential to strike it big than Sandow that shouldn’t mean he gets overlooked. In Sandow WWE has a near perfect mid-card heel. He’s a decent wrestler, is easy to dislike, gives a great promo, and understands his character. Not making the most of how different his character is is, as Sandow himself might say, incontrovertibly imbecilic.

Sandow v Rhodes

He may have guaranteed himself a future World Heavyweight title match at Money in the Bank but Damien Sandow is far from ready for a title reign. As things stand right now he is a prominent member of the roster, deemed good enough to have televised matches with the likes of Sheamus and Randy Orton but not high up enough on the pecking order to actually defeat them. You only need to check his win-loss record since MITB to see that his status has not changed. Briefcase and new feud aside little has changed for ‘The Lord of Literacy’.

Luckily for him there’s no rush for things to change. Winning the Money in the Bank briefcase is as much a guarantee that WWE’S creative team are going to spend time on him as it is of a future world title shot.

 

Damien Sandow, the preeniest 'Mr Money in the Bank' ever?

 

WWE have until next July at the latest to prep Sandow for a run as the World Heavyweight champion. I don’t think they’ll take that long. His current rivalry with former best friend and Rhodes Scholar tag team partner Cody Rhodes should help there. Having a memorable feud opposite Rhodes should help ‘The Intellectual Saviour’ stand out as a man on the ascent. Winning or losing the feud isn’t that important, what matters is that the two men have memorable moments while they’re working opposite each other.

The real key to getting Sandow over as a headliner will be moving him away from his current TV filler enhancement talent role. That shouldn’t be a problem for WWE. They have other guys that can and do fill the role. ‘The Duke of Decency’ can pick up a few more wins here and there to ensure he’s seen as a winner by the time he challenges for the strap.

Sandow could go from the Rhodes feud to another before taking his title match, but that’s not a necessity. In fact WWE have hinted at a potential storyline that I think could work very well that would see Sandow becoming HC while still involved with Rhodes. Rhodes has stated on commentary that he wants to become the World Heavyweight champion before Sandow. And really, there’s nothing to stop this happening. Sandow has a briefcase but that doesn’t mean nobody else on the roster can challenge for the big gold belt. Cody could quite easily enter into and win a number one contenders match, the traditional route to the top.

ADR would be the ideal opponent for Rhodes as he’s a heel and someone ‘The Moustachioed One’ hasn’t ever faced in a significant match (or, possibly, at all). That he’s expected to head into a programme with Ricardo Rodriguez would even allow WWE to present what could be an interesting Alberto and Damien v Cody and Ricardo match. Rhodes could be booked to defeat Del Rio for the title only to have Sandow cash-in and take the gold away from him.

This would instantly get heat on Sandow, give their feud a shot in the arm, and cast Rhodes in a sympathetic light. That’s not going to do a babyface any harm at all.

 

A deliciously emotive performance from Cody Rhodes

 

I suggested an idea similar (or identical, depending on your point of view) idea last year with Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes. You can remind yourselves of that here. It would work better with Rhodes and Sandow as the issue between Sandow and Rhodes is far more personal. There’s a feud already in place rather than one being manufactured.

Switching the belt onto Rhodes and then Sandow would trial two men who deserve it at the top of the card. It would create compelling television and be a sensible, logical story to follow. Even if only one of them did well enough to rise up the card on a permanent basis it would be worthwhile. Whether or not these facts will count for or against it with WWE is anyone’s guess, but I’m not going to hold my breath.

Making Money

On July 14^th WWE will present their fourth annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view, the focal point of which will be the titular ladder match or matches. It’s not yet been stated whether there’ll be one or two of them but if the last three years are anything to go by we’ll see two, each one linked to one of WWE’s two world titles.

Considering the state of the roster WWE should really just be planning on the one. There just aren’t enough guys to present the traditional two worthwhile matches at this year’s show. As Money in the Bank is a star making tool regular main eventers always feel like peculiar inclusions in these bouts. It’s a match designed to elevate mid-carders, and because the mid-card has been neglected for so long WWE only has enough guys to put together one decent match.

Promoting two would dilute the quality. Presenting one would allow WWE to use only the best talent and avoid sticking guys in just to keep the numbers up. I’d rather watch one very good match than two average ones. It would also allow a fresh scenario to be presented: the winner being allowed to cash-in their case against either of the company’s two world champions. It would make things far more unpredictable and give the company more for booking the cash-in.

What’s interesting now, over a month before the show, is how there aren’t any obvious candidates to win. Someone could still be plucked from the pack and given a push before the event but that’s probably not going to happen. The last few years have shown that WWE is much happier using a Money in the Bank victory as a starting point for a push to the top than as the culmination of months of work.

There are several guys who could be picked to win the match (or one of the matches). Kofi Kingston is not amongst them. ‘The Wildcat’ has been given time off to get elbow surgery and is expected to return in early August, weeks after the Money show. He’s used every year to make up the numbers so he would certainly have competed in a ladder match this year had he been healthy. WWE having exhausted most of their other options for new stars he would have stood a slight chance of winning too.

Cody Rhodes is someone who could be pushed to the top. He’s a reliable member of the roster and has enjoyed a couple of reigns with a mid-card championship. That’s the established background of several previous MITB inners, including Dolph Ziggler, Edge and Daniel Bryan. Also in Rhodes’ favour is that he can work as either a heel or a face. He’s been a bad guy for years now but he was effective as a fan favourite when he was first introduced. A face turn could be what he needs to help him make the leap to main events.

 

Is this Cody's year to grab a case?

 

The other half of The Rhodes Scholars, Damien Sandow, is also a possible winner. ‘The Duke of Decency’ has a solid gimmick and, like Rhodes, the ability to wrestle lengthy, enjoyable matches with most members of the roster. His chances of winning are not great though: his character is incredibly enjoyable but it’s not the sort that WWE would slap a world championship on. He’s not the worst choice you could make though, which says a lot about the options WWE have left themselves with.

Sticking with heels who could win (because there aren’t really very many credible faces outside of the main event in WWE) there’s Wade Barrett. The former king of bare knuckle boxing (or whatever his gimmick is) has seemed on the cusp of getting a tryout as a headliner for a while. He may be saddled with the IC strap right now but his feud with The Miz and Fandango (and no Curtis Axel) could see him free himself of the mid-card trinket before heading on to bigger things with a briefcase.

Barrett has the promo skills, look and ring ability to work as a main event wrestler in WWE. If the company can bring themselves to keep a push going for more than a few weeks he’d prove he’s ready for better things.

If WWE wanted to create a new face star they could have Big E Langston win a briefcase at this year’s show. He’s the sort of wrestler they like to have as a lead babyface (basically, he’s a strong dude). That’s in his favour, as is his affiliation with current World Heavyweight champion Dolph Ziggler. Big E could win the MITB case and then tease turning on ‘The Show Off’. If planned and timed correctly that could be an enjoyable story that turns Langston into a huge face when he finally flattens Ziggy.

Of course it could also backfire and result in Langston being booed in favour of the already over and far more tenured World champ. That’d be fine too: the feud could continue with ‘The Heel’ in the babyface role, perhaps with AJ turning on her man to side with Langston.

The only current babyface that strikes me as having a realistic chance of being entered into a Money in the Bank match and winning is Daniel Bryan. ‘The Dazzler’ has been one of the company’s most popular wrestlers since the yes and no craze took off at the beginning of last year, despite WWE trying to bury him at times. The weak link storyline he’s heading into at the moment could culminate with him winning Money in the Bank for the second time, thus “proving” to everyone that he’s a credible wrestler.

 

Could he be a two time 'Mr Money in the Bank'? Yes! Yes! Yes!

 

Curtis Axel isn’t the most ridiculous guy to suggest as a winner either. The company seems to be behind his push and it could be used as a way of launching him further up the card. I personally think this year would be too early for him to be a world champion, but this time next year he could be ready if he remains protected and affiliated with Paul Heyman. Of course, he could lose his cash-in too. That could harm him but it could also be used to tell a new and interesting story that MITB’s not been used for yet: a mid-card guy being too cocky on his cash-in and failing due to that overconfidence.

The final guy I think has a reasonable chance at becoming ‘Mr Money in the Bank’ is Antonio Cesaro. He’s been on a well-documented losing spree since the start of the year, falling to fellow mid-carders and high card talent alike, having to satisfy himself with wins on weekend shows and NXT.

That’s part of WWE’s standard approach when using someone who was popular in the indies. The same thing happened to both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. They’re both doing okay now. By the time Money in the Bank comes around WWE may have stopped the nonsense with ‘The Swiss Sensation’ and be prepared to start positioning him for a top spot.

Even if that doesn’t happen I’m confident Cesaro will be in Money in the Bank as a reliable hand to make up the numbers. And he won’t be the only one. We can also expect the likes of Sin Cara, R-Truth and Christian to flesh out the Money matches (especially if WWE goes ahead with two). It’s possible we’ll see former champs like Jack Swagger, The Miz and Alberto Del Rio getting in on the act too. The former champs could win I suppose, but it would be a bad decision on WWE’s part. As I said above, Money in the Bank is a star-making tool. Former world champions winning just helps to maintain the status quo. And that’s the last thing WWE should be doing.

Backing it Up

Three months and still no cash-in from Money in the Bank winner Dolph Ziggler. While it took John Cena all of eight days to trade in his briefcase for a chance to take the WWE championship from CM Punk 'The Show Off' is being made to wait for his moment in the spotlight.
 
Not rushing Ziggler's cash-in is a smart move. It allows speculation and anticipation to build up for the moment, and allows the booking team to seed 'The Heel' into main event storylines so that he doesn't look out of place when he captures the WHC.
 
A lack of preparation is something that has harmed a number of MITB victors upon cashing in. The Miz has slipped back down the card since his five month championship reign ended last May. A lack of credible opponents resulted in him having a less-than-memorable run. Jack Swagger had an even worse experience in 2010 and has an even worse position in the company now than does 'The Awesome One' (he's currently off TV while the booking team come up with something worthwhile for him to do).
 
CM Punk, now WWE's most over performer, was also short-changed by the writing team during his first Money in the Bank-induced World Heavyweight title reign in 2008. He was presented as a fluke champion and given no status enhancing victories over any existing headline talent. At the time (and in hindsight for that matter) it felt like a token attempt to create a new headline star, but one the company weren't willing to commit to seriously because they didn't think Punk would catch on.
 
Daniel Bryan very nearly had a disastrous first World Heavyweight title reign too. He was added to the feud between cumbersome lumps Mark Henry and Big Show after he won the title at TLC last December. Such a pronounced size difference would have ruined a lesser performer's prospects but 'D-Bryan' pulled through thanks to his ability to work convincing bouts with larger foes and the emergence of his "Yes!" catchphrase.
 
Ziggler's recent pay-per-view losses to Randy Orton and Chris Jericho may have felt like setbacks at the time but in the long run they're good moves. When (not if) 'The Heel' takes the World championship he will have two established and talented opponents to return the favour and put him over.
 
This of course raises the question of when Ziggler will cash in his case. The likelihood is that Ziggler will beat Sheamus for the title. Switching the belt to a heel only to have another heel beat them would seem counterproductive as it would instigate a heel versus heel programme, not something WWE is likely to want.

Is that a teal...?

 
Ziggler seems the safest bet to beat Sheamus for the title and it also seems reasonable to assume he'll do it soon. Sheamus has held on to the gold for well over six months and he has been booked so strongly it's impossible to imagine him losing the title clean. If Ziggler were to defeat Sheamus after he's been through a gruelling match with 'The World's Largest Athlete' it would create heat for the incoming champion and keep the Irishman strong.
 
Unfortunately the former Spirit Squad member's immediate prospects as champion don't look particularly rosy. Assuming (again) that he gets the WHC relatively soon there aren't that many challengers ready for him. Rematches with 'The Viper' and 'Y2J' would, as noted above, be a boon to a man enjoying his first proper world title reign but it's possible neither will come to pass: Jericho is not expected back in WWE until sometime next year and Orton will apparently be turning heel before the end of 2012.
 
Ziggler is guaranteed a memorable moment thanks to the Money in the Bank briefcase. I'm confident it will lead to a title victory. Good work has been done preparing him for the top of the card and the man himself has proven that he's ready for the promotion. I hope the writing team will be able to say the same when they have to write for a heel champion that isn't CM Punk.

Preparing a Heel

Judging by what happened at the conclusion of Friday’s SmackDown it would appear that a Ziggler versus Orton feud is in the works. This is just about the best thing that could happen to ‘The Show Off’. 

Orton is one of the best in WWE at helping others advance. He seems happy to lose cleanly to anybody, no matter their place in the company pecking order, and knows how to beat people without making them look inferior to him. This is the sort of opponent Ziggler needs if he is to establish himself as WWE’s newest headline star.

Orton’s programme with Wade Barrett earlier in the year helped the Mancunian get that little bit closer to the top, and his feud with Cody Rhodes last autumn made it seem as though the former ‘Dashing One’ was going somewhere too. Meanwhile Friday’s SmackDown saw him lose clean via submission to Alberto Del Rio and he famously lost the World Heavyweight championship clean to Mark Henry (yes, that Mark Henry) last October. ‘The Viper’ isn’t afraid of going under.

Dolph Ziggler has just finished a very short programme with Chris Jericho. While he was booked to lose at SummerSlam he did manage to pick up a win over ‘Y2J’ on RAW that has seen the rock star “fired” (in reality he’s on tour with Fozzy). Moving straight into a rivalry with another established star will help to lend credibility to ‘The Heel’ and keep him firmly at the top of the card.

That’s a good move. Instead of simply putting the belt onto him and expecting him to be accepted as a new main eventer Ziggler is being promoted as a main eventer before winning the gold.  Fans will view Ziggler as a headliner by the time he becomes champion, not a glorified mid-carder who got lucky with a briefcase. Very few people are elevated in this fashion by WWE these days. It should be done more often.

Of course it doesn’t hurt that Ziggler has developed an on-and-off rivalry with World Heavyweight champion Sheamus over the last several months. Challenging ‘Great White’ for the gold at No Way Out and on SmackDown has helped to present Ziggler as a headline star.

 

Dolph should really take better care of that briefcase

 

Working with Orton doesn’t just provide Ziggler with the opportunity to pick up wins, it helps him to appear as a top guy. Only established names or people WWE want to become established names get to work with Orton on pay-per-view. This feud will keep Ziggler around the top of the card and further advance his burgeoning headline career.

A match between the two at Night of Champions is a possibility. ‘The Apex Predator’ is set to leave WWE television after that show to film a movie for WWE Studios. ‘The Heel’ could be used as a way of writing Orton off of TV as he was with ‘Y2J’.

If Ziggler were to lose to Orton and then become World Heavyweight champion during his absence then the two would have a reason to be rematched against one another. This is already the case for Chris Jericho. Giving Ziggler feuds with big names like those at the start of his title reign would give him a good chance of having a memorable run.

That said a match between Ziggler and Orton at Night of Champions is by no means definite. Recent booking of the former Evolution member could indicate that he will be added to the Sheamus v Del Rio match on the show. Ziggler would then be left to cash-in, or at least tease a cash-in. Either scenario would work: ‘The Show Off’ could be used to get rid of Orton at the show whether he wrestles him or not and they could continue their feud upon Orton’s return.

In an ideal world I’d like to see him wait until December or early next year to cash in the briefcase but the fact that he’s tried using it several times in the last month makes me think WWE are keen to get the belt onto Ziggler sooner than that. He seems the likeliest candidate to take the belt from Sheamus. If someone else happens to beat ‘The Celtic Warrior’ then their immediate loss to Ziggler seems a safe bet (and that would give Ziggler yet another person to clash with).

It’s encouraging that WWE seem to be taking a longer approach than usual with promoting Dolph Ziggler. There’s less immediate gratification but a greater chance that ‘The Show Off’ will stick at the top when he finally wins a world title.

Two Birds, One Briefcase

One of Sunday's Money in the Bank matches sees Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes battling it out (along with some other guys) for a MITB briefcase. Both men are ready for a run at the very top of the company, but only one can scale the ladder and leave victorious.
 
That doesn't mean only one of them can benefit from the case though.
 
'The Show Off' has recently clashed with Sheamus over the World Heavyweight championship, provoking mixed reactions in the process. He is beginning to be accepted as a prospective world champion, and he doesn’t need the briefcase to make the transition. What’s more, I think if handled and timed correctly WWE could turn him face and create a new bankable star. He has a marketable look, delivers in the ring, is one of the best promos on the roster, and routinely hears a few cheers mixed in with even the most hostile crowds.
 
Meanwhile Cody Rhodes, despite being plagued this year with tedious feuds and short Intercontinental title reigns which have done more harm than good, remains a great prospect for advancement to the top bracket of the promotion. He too has the WWE look and is reliable in every area a pro wrestler needs to be. He just hasn’t had the exposure afforded to Ziggler recently.
 
Here's a scenario that would capitalise on the talent and ability of both men that would create a fresh feud for WWE's stale TV programmes.
 
Have Rhodes win the Money in the Bank battle after a match stuffed with near misses from Christian, Tyson Kidd, and, of course, Dolph Ziggler. The writing team need to decide on a time for Rhodes to cash-in and work towards that. Personally I would go with Survivor Series: it's a flagship event and gives the company four months to prepare Rhodes for a run at the top.
 
To ensure the former 'Dashing One' is ready to headline he should be placed into feuds with established babyface opponents, such as CM Punk, Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton, and allowed to look competitive and gain some wins. Cena is not an option here: he will derail any momentum Rhodes has at any point in the foreseeable future.

A perfect first opponent in the post-MITB era is Kane: the two clashed for the first time at the most recent NXT tapings (in a dark match main event) and so viewers would not only be seeing a new feud but one that can help elevate a rising star and give a seasoned veteran something new to do.
 
Coming out of the Bank event and until Survivor Series Dolph Ziggler should be booked in his current upper mid-card position and get air time on as many shows as possible. Around late September or early October he should begin a feud with the WHC, culminating in him getting a match for the big gold belt at Survivor Series.
 
Heading into the event Ziggler should be booked as a tweener. Fans should want to see him capture the title and it should be clear that SS marks the beginning of his time as a babyface. Fans should be able to sense this and support ‘The Show Off’ as the star of a new era.
 
Ziggler would win the match and the title, clean and in the centre of the ring. While celebrating and posing with his newly won trinket Rhodes' music would play and he would come to the ring, battle back-and-forth with the new champ, and then KO him with a briefcase shot and a Cross Rhodes.
 
The case is traded in. One, two, three. New champion.
 
This scenario would be designed to get heat on Rhodes for ruining a special moment and spoiling the coronation of the new champ, as well as reinforcing Ziggler’s new status as a good guy by portraying him as the wronged underdog.

With a bit of planning this sight could be met with cheers at Survivor Series

 
Officially ditching Vickie Guerrero on the following evening's RAW would complete ‘The Heel’s’ face turn. He and Rhodes could then embark on a fresh feud over the World Heavyweight title. Having the gold on Rhodes means that he gets the opportunity to headline and the pressure on Ziggler is decreased: wanting him to get over as a world champion and a newly turned babyface at the same time would be too much.
 
If the feud went well 'The Show Off' could regain the strap at the Royal Rumble. If it didn't he could be tried out against some other top heels before reverting to the bad guy role.
 
This scenario wouldn't be a guaranteed hit, but if it did work then it would create two new main event stars and bring something fresh to RAW and SmackDown. Surely it's worth a try for that?

Room For Improvement

When Mark Henry confronted Daniel Bryan a few weeks ago on SmackDown, because he thought he’d been “looked at funny”, it felt like the setup for a typical throwaway main event. But it wasn't. It was the first step in adding SmackDown's resident 'Mr Money in the Bank' into the tiresome Big Show v Mark Henry feud.
 
It was a move welcomed by fans. Matches between the two behemoths had been an unattractive prospect to begin with, and once they'd had their first battle there was little interest in a repeat performance. Simply put, big man versus big man matches are not as popular as they were two decades ago.

Daniel Bryan, meanwhile, had done nothing of note since winning Money in the Bank in July, vowing to take his guaranteed championship match at WrestleMania XXVIII. Involving him in the World Heavyweight title scene is a good decision for several reasons. Most obviously it ups the match quality of SmackDown's lead feud. It also makes you wonder about Show's motives: does he want to help 'D-Bryan' simply to deprive Henry of the gold or does ‘The World’s Largest Athelete’ want the smaller man to be champ because he thinks it’ll be an easier victory for him?
 
Of course the biggest reason the move works is a certain blue briefcase. Bryan having access to a title shot whenever he likes allows for some interesting twists to the feud. The SmackDown writing team (who typically produce a more balanced, logical show than their RAW counterparts) have predictably used this fact to good effect. The reaction Bryan's cash-in-that-wasn't received on last week's show was incredible. The decision to reverse the result may have been a frustrating one but it did at least happen for a reason that made sense within the context of the storyline. They couldn't do that every week (or with every MITB winner for that matter) but once in a while it works. 

Will Daniel Bryan be the man to end Mark Henry's reign as World Heavyweight champion?

That "failed" cash-in is part of what has made the story so enjoyable. Nothing about the three man program has conformed to the regular WWE approach to booking. It's refreshing and unpredictable and all the more enjoying for it.
 
Tomorrow night’s live SmackDown will be headlined by a World Heavyweight championship defence by Mark Henry against Daniel Bryan in a steel cage. Can ‘D-Bryan’ get the job done, toppling 'The World's Strongest Man' for the big gold belt? It could go either way, but I think he may just do it.It’s all too easy to imagine Henry winning only to be clobbered by Big Show immediately afterwards, allowing Bryan to successfully cash-in on the weakened champ.
 
If we don’t see a new champion crowned it won't be catastrophic. The company can still hold off on a Daniel Bryan title challenge until WrestleMania or add him to the inevitable Show v Henry clash at TLC. But a title switch tomorrow would be a great way to create a new main event star.

Next Step

There’s a reason the Royal Rumble tends to be WWE’s second most successful pay-per-view every year. It’s because it sets up several months of storylines in one night: world champions for the WrestleMania season are usually decided upon at the Rumble, and the winner of the titular match goes on to headline (or at least feature in a prominent match at) WrestleMania.

Money in the Bank has the potential to perform the same function for SummerSlam and beyond. Being held in July means it’s the last big stage to set up world champions for the big summer show, and the Money in the Bank matches themselves are natural starting points for main event pushes and fresh storylines.

This year’s Money in the Bank show will once again feature two eight man matches with the winner of each being the first man to grab a briefcase suspended above the ring, entitling them to challenge for their brand’s world championship at any point within the next twelve months. The scope this gives WWE’s writing teams is huge, but it’s not without its drawbacks. Firstly, the fact that everyone who’s cashe din the briefcase has gone on to become champion indicates that WWE sees it as a match guaranteed to make a headliner, which limits the number of potential winners to those WWE thinks would work well in the main event (a small number). This can make narrowing down the winners a little too easy for audiences. Secondly, having two men walking around with guaranteed title matches lessens the gimmick and means that one of them will need to be cashed in within a few weeks of the show.

This year’s two ladder matches look pretty good on paper. RAW’s bout will pit Jack Swagger, Evan Bourne, R-Truth, The Miz, Alex Riley, Alberto Del Rio, Kofi Kingston and Rey Mysterio against one another while SmackDown will offer up Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Wade Barrett, Kane, Sin Cara, Daniel Bryan, Cody Rhodes and Sheamus in their its ladder spectacular. There’s a pleasing lack of Mark Henry and Big Show in those matches. Both men were involved in ladder bouts last year. Neither should have been.

Let’s look at the SmackDown match first:

I think there are three potential winners in this match. The five likely losers are Kane, Sin Cara, Daniel Bryan, Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel. I wrote Kane off last year and he surprised practically everyone by winning, but how likely is it that that would happen two years in a row? Slater and Gabriel seem to be featuring in an attempt at re-establishing tag team wresting in WWE which makes it unlikely either one of them will suddenly be handed a heavy singles push. Of the two I think Gabriel could make it quite far as a singles wrestler sometime in the future, but Slater has no chance. Daniel Bryan is clearly seen as a mid-carder for the moment, there to make others look good. Sooner or later WWE will find itself so light on talent that they’ll have to elevate him but for now they’re trying out others. As for Sin Cara, he’s being protected by the booking team (because he was handpicked by Triple H as a replacement for the aging Rey Mysterio) but is still far away from being booked as a world champion. Before he reaches that level he’s going to have to stop the sloppy performances and learn some English so he can cut promos.

Cody strikes me as a potential winner because he has been the recipient of a steady push all year. It petered out a little after Extreme Rules (when the Mysterio feud ended) but has been resumed successfully since. With his above average ring skills, a unique gimmick, and strong verbal ability Cody is clearly a man WWE have earmarked for progression into the main event. If his push continues at its current rate I think Cody could be ready for a world title run by the end of the year. Winning Money in the Bank would help to show the company’s serious about his future.

The other most likely contender is Wade Barrett. He’s got a bit of a head start on Cody thanks to his involvement in various high profile feuds pay-per-view mina events last year (against Randy Orton and John Cena no less). He’s got the height, build and verbal skills WWE (and Vince McMahon in particular) are known to prefer and has lost quite a few matches in the last two months (which is often a sign of a big push being planned). Should he win Money in the Bank I think he’d be quickly accepted by fans as a credible top of the card performer.

Sheamus has a chance because of the way he’s been used in the Christian and Orton feud. Bearing in mind one of the briefcases has to be used fairly quickly it would make sense for Sheamus to win the ladder match and then cash in after the Orton versus Christian match. Assuming ‘Captain Charisma’ is booked to win the title, immediately losing it to Sheamus would give him something more to whinge about and help set up a three-way match at SummerSlam, keeping the feud fresh.

Of the three I think Sheamus is the most likely to win, with something along the lines of what I’ve suggested above happening later in the night or possibly at the SmackDown taping two nights later. I had originally thought that Alberto Del Rio would be the man cashing in the briefcase quickly but I no longer think that’s necessarily the case.

The RAW Money in the Bank match:

I originally made two assumptions about this show, both of them pertaining to the RAW ladder match. The first was that Dolph Ziggler would be involved. Surely with all the hard work he’s put in improving himself over the last few years he’s earned a slot in a match such as this? And he’s young enough to be able to take some impressive bumps too. His omission from the match means it won’t fulfil its full potential in my view.

The second assumption was that Alberto Del Rio win and get involved in the aftermath of the WWE title match should Punk win or simply go on to challenge Cena for the title at SummerSlam. Cena v Del Rio has been rumoured as the SummerSlam main event for months. Considering how little has been done with ADR since he arrived on RAW I would imagine a match with Cena is the sole reason SmackDown lost him.

I think that match will happen and happen at SummerSlam. But a proverbial spanner was thrown into the works last week on RAW when Del Rio became number one contender in a triple threat match (during the period Punk had been stripped of his shot in Chicago). WWE hasn’t yet clarified whether Del Rio’s victory still entitles him to a championship match. If he is the number one contender then they could promote the SummerSlam match without needing him to win Money in the Bank. If he isn’t the number one contender then he has to be considered the favourite to win as having him announce on RAW that he will cash in his title shot at “the biggest pay-per-view of the summer” is the simplest way of establishing the match.

But there are so few viable alternatives to ADR though. For that reason I am picking him to win. My assumption is that he’ll win and get a title match at SummerSlam based on his victory on the July 4^th RAW. He could lose the match, only to gain the victory in an immediate rematch by cashing in his briefcase. It’s something that’s not really been done before and could work very well.

What other options are there? Mysterio is winding down his career and has become such a liability (he is injury prone and has been known to refuse to put people over in the past) that I can’t imagine WWE would want to book him into a position where they’ll feel compelled to make him champion. For the record I think Mysterio could actually have a pretty enjoyable ten minute match with Cena, but we’re not likely to see it as WWE seem to be against promoting that match.

The other options are Miz and Kofi Kingston. Miz did very well with the will-he-won’t-he gimmick of being a Money in the Bank winner and still seems a favourite with management despite losing the strap to Cena in fairly unceremonious style at Extreme Rules. It would be a nice way of getting him back into the title picture, and could be used to turn him face to feud with Del Rio after SummerSlam (presuming ADR is champion then).

Kofi is a real outside chance. I think he’s a possibility mainly because he dropped the US title a month ago, which could be taken as a sign that he’s headed for a promotion. He certainly has the ability (though his promos could do with a little work) and is over by today’s WWE standards. The promotion could do worse in looking for a new headliner but is this the right way to advance him up the card? People cashing in their Money in the Bank matches tend to appear callous and uncaring. These are desired traits in a heel, but not in a babyface. If they are planning to try Kofi out at the top of the card they’d be better off giving him a title shot against ADR at the September pay-per-view and booking him to lose. That way they can stuff the match with near falls for Kingston and see how the crowd react, then plan a title chase if he’s deemed a success.

As for Riley, Truth, Bourne and Swagger, I don’t think any of them have much of a chance. Sadly, it looks as though R-Truth’s main event stint has been discontinued. He’d done a lot of good work in his two months at the top, but right now I think they’re just killing time with him until John Morrison returns. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens at this event, giving WWE ample time to set up a singles match between the two for SummerSlam. Bourne has been included to perform some impressive bumps and add to future highlight packages. He’d make a good mid-card champion, but his smiley-happy-babyface routine is not the stuff that WWE champions are made of. Swagger seems to be involved just to make up the numbers. Ziggler would have been a better choice for the spot but maybe a title defence will be announced this evening on RAW. As for Riley, I think WWE are pleased with the progress he’s making and want to keep things slow with him. He’s not ready to be rushed to the top and I think WWE (and Miz) deserve credit for protecting him. Riley himself deserves some credit for doing everything asked of him well. I hope his development continues.

I’ll be previewing the rest of the show later in the week. These matches are so big and there’s so much else lined up for the show that I thought it would be best to do two Money in the Bank entries. Just to make things nice and clear my predictions to win the ladder bouts are Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus.

Now stay tuned for victories from Evan Bourne and Kane!

Moving On Up

The Money in the Bank match has become a good indicator of what WWE’s plans for the future are. In fact the only bigger indicator is the Royal Rumble match, which traditionally reveals who will be in one of the company’s two world title matches at WrestleMania. While the Rumble tells you who will be involved in a big WrestleMania match Money in the Bank is far more sporadic in its revelations: you don’t know when or where the winner (or winners, since the gimmick bout received its own event last year) will take their championship opportunity.

For those who don’t know the idea is a simple one: a multi-man ladder match is held with a briefcase hanging above the ring. The winner is the man who climbs a ladder and retrieves the briefcase, with their prize being a match for any WWE championship within the following calendar year, at the time and place of their choosing.

Since they first came up with the idea in 2005 (the match was first held at WrestleMania 21 and featured six combatants) it has been used to launch main event careers (Edge, CM Punk, The Miz) and create surprising moments on pay-per-views and television shows. Edge cashing in the very first Money in the Bank briefcase against John Cena after an Elimination Chamber bout set the tone for future cash-ins: it created a big surprise and was the realistic thing to do. Every subsequent cash-in with the exception of Rob Van Dam’s defeat of John Cena at One Night Stand 2006 has broadly followed the pattern established then.

At last year’s inaugural Money in the Bank pay-per-view it was decided that two of the titular matches would be promoted. It could easily have been overkill (as it has been with events hosting two Elimination Chamber or Hell in a Cell matches in the past) but both contests were laid out differently enough to make the event enjoyable rather than repetitive. I expect they’ll try to do the same this year.

Where they’ll find it difficult to emulate last year’s success is in the fallout of the event. Two men walking around with guaranteed title shots devalues the prestige of the victory. The writing team realised that last year, which is why Kane won the SmackDown ladder-fest and cashed in his title shot later on in the evening. This allowed for a shock on the MITB show itself and also meant the Miz’s victory in the RAW brand ladder match wasn’t overshadowed.

That was an effective way of skipping around having two ‘Mr Money in the Bank’s, but will WWE do the same again this year? It’s possible but I don’t think it’s too likely. I would say the likelier chain of events will be that one MITB winner will announce on the July 18^th RAW or the July 19^th SmackDown taping that they intend to take their shot at SummerSlam. That way WWE immediately sets up a SummerSlam main event and leaves just one briefcase holder to push as a future champion.

Will the trend of every person cashing in the briefcase winning their match continue? It’s too early to say, not knowing who’s doing the cashing in, but I think there’s a good chance this year that one of the winners will lose their match. Last year there was talk of Miz cashing in and losing against Randy Orton, then putting the title on him in a rematch. Luckily that didn’t happen: I don’t think Miz as a performer was perceived strongly enough by fans to be able to survive such a booking decision. But the fact that it was discussed shows that the writing team are considering fresh ways of using Money in the Bank winners.

This is all assuming that two bouts are promoted again. WWE could easily decide they don’t have enough people to promote two credible ladder bouts (because they don’t). They will want to crown two victors though: doing so makes the job of the writing team easier in terms of creating surprising moments and building future stars. I imagine they’ll end up doing two matches to get the two winners they want, but that they will at least consider decreasing the number of participants in each match.

The announcement regarding the number of ladder matches will probably come this evening on RAW so we won’t be left wondering for long.

Assuming they do have two ladder matches, who is likely to win? That’s the big question. With four weeks of TV between now and the Money in the Bank pay-per-view they could very easily select someone who currently looks like they don’t have a chance and build them up into a legitimate contender. Ted Dibiase for example. I don’t think many people would think much of his chances if the show was this weekend, but with four weeks of build he could be a potential winner (please note I don’t actually expect Dibiase to win, with or without a four week push).

From RAW I’d say the biggest contenders are Alberto Del Rio, Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler. They are the men who’d benefit most from the win. A Del Rio victory would fit nicely into the proposed idea of announcing a SummerSlam match on the July 18^th RAW, whereas both Kofi and Dolph are competent workers who could and should be promoted to the thinning main event ranks to help the company prepare for the future. Of the three I’d say ADR is the most likely victor, based on the rumours of him facing Cena at SummerSlam and the strong push he’s had since debuting for the company last year (although that push has slowed considerably since he was senselessly moved to RAW). Kofi strikes me as a strong possibility too: his loss of the US title could be seen as a way of freeing him up for a top level run in a few months time.

Men like John Morrison and R-truth are possibilities for being in the match itself but I can’t see them winning. Truth has just been involved in a WWE title feud while Morrison has been the recipient of so many stop-start pushes that I think he’d only be booked to win if he was going to become the first ever person to cash-in the briefcase and lose. 

The Christian v Orton feud has been so well received that I expect WWE will want to keep it going for at least another month, possibly longer. There are multiple ways they could do that but one that I like is Orton facing somebody other than Christian at the MITB pay-per-view as Christian competes in, and wins, the SmackDown ladder match. Christian could then come out and challenge Orton either at the Money in the Bank show (yes, like Kane, but I’m not entirely convinced WWE won’t repeat that booking decision) or at the SmackDown taping a few days later. Or he could announce a SummerSlam match. Or tease it out for a while to keep the feud alive. A Christian win provides a lot of possibilities.

The rest of the SmackDown roster is fairly thin for potential winners. The only other realistic choice at the moment is Sheamus. If anyone else were to win they would have to build them up throughout the rest of this year and first part of next year to turn them into a credible opponent for the champion. If that’s the case then I think the likeliest winners are Daniel Bryan, Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett and Ezekiel Jackson. Bryan and Rhodes are talented enough but would need a strong push to establish them as top guys. Barrett and Jackson may not be the best workers but they’re both big, and that’s what Vince McMahon likes (plus Barrett has above average promo skills to help him). 

It should all become clearer in the next few weeks, as matches and Money in the Bank participants are announced. There’s potential for a lot of twists and changes with this event, and hopefully WWE will use that to their advantage and fill the ladder matches (or match) with people who could genuinely win, rather than two candidates and a bunch of nobodies. Right now I’m hoping for Christian and Del Rio wins (or just a Christian win if there’s just one ladder match). Both men should be featuring heavily in the company’s future plans and MITB victories would create short and long term storylines.