One of the biggest selling points of the Money in The Bank pay-per-view, which will take place tomorrow night in New Orleans, the city where this year's Wrestlemania was originally scheduled to take place before it was moved to Las Vegas, is that the results of the ladder matches have often play a big role in some of the most memorable moments of the modern era. Those MITB cash-ins are scenarios that become pivotal points in the careers, and sometimes even the direction of the promotion itself. As I wrote in an article earlier this week about the LA Knight/Roman Reigns title bout, the MITB PPV doesn't have the same cache as the traditional "big four" events since there's not the same amount of history behind it, but the gimmick, with the implications that it can have, puts Money in The Bank just one rung under the early PPV concepts.
Of course, the reason that the gimmick gained so much stream is the debate about who is going to win, as well as who should win to earn a future title shot. With the men's and women's ladder matches on the card, it brings two fields of competitors to take into account for a potential winner. One of the wrinkles into the fabric of the current WWE landscape is that the MITB PPV usually takes place in July, but was shuffled around this year so with the event closer to the Royal Rumble, will that effect the planning of the ladder matches?
The men's ladder match will be Bron Breakker vs. Je'Von Evans vs. Trick Williams vs. Penta vs. CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens for a title shot. This one looks like it will be a toss up since there's a case to be made for each of them to be possible winners, depending on both the short and long-term plans of the office. Granted, there's more of a case to be made for some to be positioned for a path to the title picture in 2026 than others, but it's not as though any of the names listed are just there to take a spot. It goes without saying that Bron Breakker is a guy with all the tools to be a main event star, assuming that he can stay healthy as times goes on. That's not to say that he's necessarily injury prone, but rather to point out that we've seen injuries derail plans before. Outside of the athletic skills that he brings to the table, Breakker seems to be a guy that "gets it" in terms of the scope of modern WWE, the company is there to entertain the fans. Even if the business still should be about getting heat as far as the overall health of the business, the reality is that the heat of the industry is contained within the context of the show. We've seen occasional clips from live events where Bron will "sneak" a high five from a young fan at ringside. It's nothing that he's going to do on the wide scale of international television on Raw since it would dilute his on-screen character, but that small moment to break character gave the fan a memorable experience. That mindset can be applied to the bigger picture as his role within the company gets bigger, specifically that he appears to understand the assignment as far as a representative of the company, which is key to the overall business plan with the importance of media appearances to promote the brand. Plus, Breakker is only 28 years old and has a poise well beyond his experience level. If the office stacks their chips on Bron Breakker, they could potentially have a major star for the next 15 years. That being said, given the nature of his character, Breakker is someone that isn't going to use a surprise cash-in, but rather smash his way through The Royal Rumble to get a title shot.. Obviously, it's anyone's guess if he wins the Rumble this year, but he simply doesn't need the MITB briefcase to get over as a title contender.
While Je'Von Evans is still painfully thin, he has time to fill out his physique as time goes on. At 22, there's no need to rush him, which is why I'd rule him out of winning the contract. Let's be honest here, Evans winning would be a surprise, but he was probably booked for this segment to provide the social media moment with the ladders. In the social media age, that's not a bad position to be in, as it's something that can get his name out there to the more causal viewer that is aware of WWE but only watches sporadically. Some of the same can be said for Trick Williams, the guy looks like a star and carries himself on television as if he's someone to pay attention to. You can see how he became more comfortable and confident in his persona on the main roster compared to his run as TNA champion. The possibility of Trick Williams as a main eventer is definitely valid, but given his status as the US champion, there's no reason for him to win the title shot since he still has more to do in his current role.
Initially, my guess for who was going to be victorious in the ladder match would've been Kevin Owens, based off of his momentum from his recent return from neck surgery. I've said it before and I will say it again, management knows the valuable commodity that they have with Kevin Owens on the roster. He can make the best of anything that they ask him to do, and there's a reason that he was chosen as Steve Austin's opponent for his one-off return to the ring years after his retirement from full-time action. Owens is a performer that probably still hasn't gotten the type of title reign that he deserves as far as his ability to excel as a top star in the organization so the MITB pay-per-view opens the door for that. However, as his feud with CM Punk has developed on television, I'm going to say that I don't see Owens winning the match for the same reason that I don't see Punk winning it, their feud will keep them busy for an extended period of time. The championship wouldn't necessarily add anything to their storyline because it's based on a personal grudge, not the pursuit of the belt. If anything, the two of them preventing each other from winning the contract might be used to further their angle.
That leaves Penta as the competitor that will win the briefcase, and I think he's the grappler that should win it. After his match with Roman Reigns in Mexico City, the fan base wants to see him win the championship, and a cash-in moment could give the audience that payoff, while keeping Reigns strong since it would be a surprise situation, allowing for a trilogy bout. The ability to give a reason for a rematch maximizes the buzz that was around the Mexico City contest. Penta cashes in to win the championship so a third match would decide the series. As I mentioned before, Penta is such a marketable character and his authenticity, even through the promos in broken English connect with the audience. Penta has a charismatic "it factor" that overcomes any language barrier. The office would be missing the boat if Penta doesn't get some type of title reign relatively soon so that's why I'd pick him to win the ladder match.
The women's Money in The Bank ladder match is Sol Ruca vs. Lola Vice vs. Jacy Jayne vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Lash Legend vs. Tiffany Stratton for the same type of contract. First, I'd say that the women's field of competitors is much more cut and dry in terms of possible winners, mostly because most of the characters are already involved with other issues the brand. When they have a direction on television already, sometimes its best for that angle to conclude before, "when will she cash in" becomes the biggest focus of their role in the company. That's why I think Sol Ruca should be the one to win the contract, and I'd say that's also who the office is going to book to get the briefcase. Sol Ruca has a unique look with the beach attire and has a character that lends itself to fan support. She seems to have done well so far during her time on the main roster, and all things considered, if the office wants to invest more stock into her persona as a marketable star going forward, the MITB gimmick is a way to do that. Tiffany doesn't need it again, Jayne already as a title, Lola Vice is too new to the scene, and Lash Legend is mostly working as a part of a tag team. Roxanne Perez has done very well as a part of The Judgment day faction so she'd be the other possible winner.
The biggest takeaway from the Money in The Bank pay-per-view tomorrow night in New Orleans might be that while the ladder matches have star power to add the sizzle to the segment, this event might be a key piece of the puzzle for making bigger stars in the grand scheme of things.
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