WWE Money in the Bank Preview

This Sunday is Money in the Bank. The last two years it has been the B-Show PPV that I've looked forward to most. First of all, there are ladder matches. Ladder Matches are probably my favorite gimmick match in the WWE. Sure it is tough to come up with innovative spots after so many, but every ladder match the last few years has been entertaining. Second, Money in the Bank is usually the time when the WWE pegs its next breakout star or two that will be the next WWE or World Champion.

Well, even though I'm still looking forward to the PPV, my excitement level isn't the same that its been the last couple years. First off, the WWE Title MITB Match is full of guys that the briefcase wouldn't benefit one bit. It is simply a way to get John Cena on a PPV. Second, it pretty much seems like the WWE is already looking past this PPV. There has been more hype for the 1000th episode of RAW. One could argue that more time is being spent on SummerSlam than Money in the Bank. If the WWE wants to go right to SummerSlam or the 1000th episode of RAW, then why not just skip this PPV? Have Money in the Bank at SummerSlam with only one ladder match and give it more of a special meaning.

There's only 4 matches announced so far for the PPV. I'm assuming something gets added. But what is the question considering much of the card is in the MITB match. We are probably looking at a Brodus Clay, divas or random tag team match. The fact that the WWE can't even make a full PPV card before hand is a sign to how much they just disregard the lower portion of the card nowadays. But with that said, lets take a look at the Money in the Bank card this Sunday.

R-Truth & Kofi Kingston vs Hunico & Camacho

Why this match is happening I don't know. When do the Prime Time Players get their Tag Title shot. Could the WWE actually be building up to a Tag Title match at SummerSlam? That would be shocking to say the least. It'll be weird to not have Kofi Kingston in a MITB Ladder match doing some crazy stunt. But Kofi's time has come and gone for a shot at any top title. The WWE blew that chance a few years ago. The only thing cool about Hunico and Camacho is their bicycle entrance. Outside of that, there's nothing. The tag champs win this non-title match.

WINNERS: R-Truth & Kofi Kingston

World Title Money in the Bank Ladder Match

This is the ladder match I'm looking forward to the most. At least here there will be some normal ladder spots that we are used to with these matches. Plus, there are guys with potential to be future stars in this match. It is exactly what the MITB Ladder match is for. As I did last year, I will break down each participants chance of winning.

Tyson Kidd: Yeah it is nice to finally see Tyson Kidd get a chance to shine on PPV. And maybe if he steals the show, he will get a chance to be on RAW or Smackdown more. But for the purposes of this match, Tyson Kidd is nothing more than a spot monkey. Odds of Winning- 50:1

Tensai: I'm sure the WWE had big plans for Tensai when he debuted, but any of those plans are now scrapped. Its a bad idea to try and re-debut a former WWE guy under a new gimmick, no matter how long he has been away. Tensai just isn't entertaining as a character and his matches aren't fun to watch. They are very slow and plodding. He received almost no reaction to his two beatdowns of Sakamoto, pretty much because the fans don't care about him. They're more concerned about chanting Albert at him. Tensai is not winning this match. Odds of Winning- 45:1

Damien Sandow: I like Sandow's gimmick. He does a good job of playing the pompous, smart intellectual heel that thinks he's better than you. His promo work is pretty good and I think he has potential to move up the card. Problem is, there are too many guys ahead of him on the card to move up right now. In a year from now, Sandow may be in position to win a briefcase, but he still has some time. I think a program with Santino for the United States Championship would be something good for him. Odds of Winning- 40:1

Sin Cara: Does the WWE even know what they are doing with Sin Cara? Two weeks ago he was beat down by Alberto del Rio and there were questions of his release pending. Similar to Tensai, Sin Cara has failed to get over with the WWE audience. While Sin Cara may be appealing to the young demographic, he isn't getting over with the older crowd. While his move set is unique, its often the same match over and over again. And he has that dumb lighting for all of his matches. The audience likes guys who are able to cut promos too, and Sin Cara can't do that. The future is bleak for Sin Cara, so I doubt the Money in the Bank briefcase is in his future. Odds of Winning- 35:1

Santino Marella: There's a small part of me that is really worried that Santino is winning this. Even though Santino has barely been a part of the build to the match, its still possible. All the WWE cares about is that he is over with the crowd. Who cares if he was a part of that stupid Anonymous GM angle on RAW. The WWE doesn't care about that. They could just as easily let Santino win the match. Ultimately, I think the WWE comes to their senses and doesn't let Santino walk out with the briefcase, but hey, the WWE has done stupider things. Odds of Winning- 30:1

Christian: Christian is a ladder match veteran. He knows what he is doing. He's also a guy who, if needed, could step into a main event program and be able to fill in for a month or two. But Christian isn't a guy who needs to win the MITB briefcase. He's a solid worker who is good in his spot in the mid card. But does he need a MITB win to help his career? No. Odds of Winning- 25:1

Dolph Ziggler: Now we are getting to the serious contenders. The next two candidates have an equal opportunity to win this match. I think it is a flip of the coin. Ziggler has been one of the "future" stars of the WWE for quite some time. We thought his time was coming at the start of 2011 but it wasn't. Then he was being jobbed out for almost all of the spring this year and it looked like the WWE had given up on him. He kind of lucked in to a World Title Match at No Way Out, but the WWE has been giving him some more credibility and air time recently. After C.M. Punk and Daniel Bryan, I would say Ziggler is the best in ring worker in the WWE. As much as I want to see Ziggler win MITB, I really think he is the type of guy that should have his first Title win come in a real match. We know he can work a long match and I really think that is how Ziggler should win. Money in the Bank would be an okay way for him to win, but for some reason, I want to see Ziggler win his first Title in a real match. But I could just as easily see him winning here. Like I said, its a toss up. Odds of Winning- 10:1

Cody Rhodes: Rhodes is in just as good of a position to win this thing a Dolph Ziggler is. Rhodes has cooled off a bit recently, but there is still potential for Rhodes to be a top guy. He can work in the ring and I think he is a better promo than Dolph. It helps that Cody has his dad to learn from. Cody doesn't have the typical main event look, but neither do Daniel Bryan or C.M. Punk. Rhodes took a character that I thought had no legs as a long term act and transformed it into a serious character with an edge. I would like to see Cody and Dolph on separate brands because I think they are almost in the same spots on the card. They both have the talent to be at the top but they are stuck in the same spot in the pecking order. I would like to see a Cody Rhodes/C.M. Punk promo. I doubt the WWE would do it, but it hasn't been done. Like I said, Cody and Dolph are in the same spot on the card, and there odds of winning are pretty much the same. Odds of Winning- 10:1

Prediction: If somebody else other than Dolph Ziggler or Cody Rhodes wins this match than I have no idea what the WWE is doing. The booking just wouldn't make sense. Its time for the WWE to get serious about pushing new talent. As I said, I would much rather have Ziggler win in an actual match. Cody kind of has the sneaky character that would make sense cashing in the MITB briefcase to win his first Title, that is why I would pick him to win this match. I'm going Cody.

WINNER: Cody Rhodes

World Title Match: Sheamus (c) vs Alberto del Rio

I would say that this is a World Title Match with two guys that have not lived up to potential. First there is Sheamus. The WWE decided to turn him face and push him up the card. It started off well, but the WWE dropped the ball with his Wrestlemania match. I think his World Title run has been disappointing as Champ. Yes he is over with the crowd, but there's just something lacking for me. Sheamus lacks that edge that he first had when he was rising to the top as a face. Sheamus can definitely work in the ring and he might be the best big man that the WWE has, but there's just something lacking. It hasn't been a bad Title run, but there's just something missing for me.

Then there's Alberto del Rio. Del Rio's character was fun at first, but its been the same thing for a while now. I always ask for something different every once and a while from a character but Del Rio has been the same guy until recently. The WWE has wanted to add an edge to Del Rio's character for some time and it appears to finally be happening. Del Rio beat down Sin Cara last week and also attacked Sheamus by beating him down with his car a few weeks ago. If Del Rio is finally getting an added edge to his character then I am all for it. He's been too much of a pansy for quite some time. All wrestlers need to adapt and change their characters every once in a while.

That's not saying this match won't be good. Both of these guys are solid workers and can put on a decent match. Its just a matter of what direction the WWE wants to go. Do they want to stick with Sheamus and save a potential Sheamus/Randy Orton feud when he returns? That was the plan before Orton was suspended. Or does Del Rio win and do they build to a rematch at SummerSlam? I think Sheamus wins here and they continue to a match at SummerSlam, maybe a triple threat match with Randy Orton at SummerSlam. I don't believe the WWE is ready to take the World Title off Sheamus yet.

WINNER: Sheamus

WWE Championship MITB Ladder Match

This may be the worst combination of wrestlers in a Ladder Match here. Unless, of course, Big Show does a Shooting Star Press and Kane does a 450 splash off a ladder. Then I will take that statement back. I understand that the WWE wanted to make this match unique by only allowing former WWE Champions in the match, but its s sad state when these are the only guys they can put in this match. They could've brought Rey Mysterio in but I understand them not risking injury. So this is what we get. I guess we can take a look at everyone's odds at winning.

Kane: So is Kane a face again? Or is he still a heel? He was actually getting cheers on RAW this past Monday, but most people do when they team with John Cena. Kane is at a point right now where he doesn't need to be anywhere near the WWE Title scene. He was a viable "third man" in his feud with Punk and Bryan, but that's it. I don't want to see Kane as a Champion holder ever again. He's won a MITB match before, but he doesn't need to win it again. Odds of Winning: 40:1

Big Show: Big Show main evented last month's PPV, but he shouldn't be main eventing any more in the near future. I think by now my thoughts on Big Show are pretty clear. I think he is a decent promo and does a good job of drawing heat, but I just hate it every time he is near the top of the card. He doesn't need to be there any more. His time at the top is over. His matches are not fun to watch. At least Kane can work a bit of a faster pace in the ring. But Big Show matches just seem so slow and plodding. It would be interesting "karma" to have Show win and cash in on Bryan, but it should not happen. Odds of Winning: 30:1

Chris Jericho: Jericho is an interesting case to me. He's a guy that if given the opportunity would still be a good WWE Champion. He knows how to work and play a crowd. He obviously can still bring it in the ring. If there is one more way for Jericho to win a Title, then this is it. Jericho always likes to lay claim that he was the inventor of the MITB match. But so what? He hasn't won any of the matches he's been in. A case could be made that giving Jericho the briefcase would be an added dimension to his character that could be needed. Jericho is always about evolving and growing his character and walking around with the MITB briefcase could do just that. Odds of Winning: 20:1

John Cena: I talked a couple weeks ago about how long its been since John Cena was in the WWE Title picture. I knew the time was coming, and I actually would have been alright with it. Except that it is happening this way. Money in the Bank is about building new stars. But instead, we get John Cena coming and more than likely winning the MITB Briefcase. There's absolutely no need for it. John Cena winning the MITB contract does absolutely nothing for anyone. It doesn't benefit anyone, even John Cena. Why does he need the briefcase to win the WWE Title? Sadly, the WWE feels like it is necessary. It looks like the most likely outcome, even though Cena ended RAW on top. Odds of Winning: 10:1

Prediction: I just don't see how John Cena doesn't win this thing. Everyone else in the match either shouldn't have it or is not around full time to win it. Cena wins this and we start the return of Cena at the top and dominating the WWE Main Event scene, even though that never really ended.

WINNER: John Cena

WWE Championship: C.M. Punk (c) vs Daniel Bryan w/A.J. as Special Guest Referee

Raise your hand if you saw A.J. being the center piece of WWE storylines and the top Diva in the WWE at anytime in her career? A.J. has launched her self to the top of the card and she deserves to be where she is. She's played her role perfectly. She has that perfect combination of sexy, crazy and adorable all rolled in to one. Normally I don't like when a woman gets involved in a storyline, especially one surrounding the WWE Title, but I enjoy this one because things have played out well, so far.

The best part about this thing is that we get another Daniel Bryan/C.M. Punk match. Any time these two wrestle we know we are going to get something good. There match at Over the Limit was great. As long as we don't get too much A.J. interaction during the match. Let Punk and Bryan wrestle for the majority of the time with very little A.J. stuff until the end. I really think these two should get the main event spot for this PPV. There storyline has been the best thing in the WWE over the last month  or so. A MITB Ladder Match has never main evented one of these PPVs before, so why start now. So what if John Cena is in it.

There are still apparently big plans for C.M. Punk this year. He's getting close to a year with the WWE Title, except that he's only main evented one PPV since he's held the Title. Eve may have gotten to Punk when he said how much he's been over looked as WWE Champion. Punk is still the best worker in the WWE and he's done a great job during his time as Champion. And Daniel Bryan's ascension up the card has been just as good as well. I really hope when this program ends, which is more than likely this Sunday or the 1000th RAW at the latest, that Daniel Bryan is not shoved back down the card. He still deserves a spot at the top, and a John Cena/Daniel Bryan program would be good for the WWE as long as Bryan doesn't get jobbed out during the entire feud.

Now as I said, this program has been good, so far. The problem I have is that I don't think the WWE knows where exactly they are going with it. This past week's RAW kind of gave me that idea. I think we might have gotten a little bit more of a hint from A.J. on what she is doing. But she's done the same thing for two weeks now. Does she really just only care about being at the top? Or is A.J. really already in one of these guys pockets and is just playing the other one. My guess is that we find out this Sunday A.J.'s true intentions. I'm not sure what is going to happen. I do think that C.M. Punk retains the WWE Title here. There have been talks of Punk/Cena at SummerSlam. Now there are some rumblings of a potential Punk/Rock match down the line, which I think would be awesome. Punk retains after A.J. "misses" a Bryan roll up pin that would have gained him a 3 count.

WINNER: C.M. Punk

I would say its still 50/50 on me doing a live review of the show. I may be going to a Buffalo Wild Wings to watch this show. If that's the case, I will be tweeting during the show.

Until Next Time,

Justin C

Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka