I usually hate making predictions and a lot of people know that wrestling obviously has predetermined outcomes but I'm not Vince McMahon or Triple H so I don't know the outcome of the matches this coming Sunday. That being said I do actually want to make to predictions this year with Money In The Bank 2017 on Sunday. That is for the namesake of the PPV the Money In The Bank ladder match for the briefcases.
For those that don't know, but you probably do if you're reading my wrestling section, winning the Money In The Bank match gets you a briefcase for a guaranteed shot at the World Championship WHENEVER you feel like it. The past few years the brands were together which meant one briefcase for SmackDown and one for RAW but this year it is a SmackDown exclusive PPV but there are still two ladder matches. This year will feature the first Women's Division MITB Ladder Match.
I won't be predicting the other matches just these two, the ladder matches, and what I'll be doing is formatting it this way. First, I'll rank each competitor in the match from 6 through 1 of how I see them ranked to win (least likely to most likely) on a personal level. Then next I will finish with who I figure will actually win the match and the briefcase.
So let's kick this off.
MEN'S MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
AJ STYLES vs DOLPH ZIGGLER vs KEVIN OWENS vs SAMI ZAYN vs BARON CORBIN vs SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
For those that don't know, but you probably do if you're reading my wrestling section, winning the Money In The Bank match gets you a briefcase for a guaranteed shot at the World Championship WHENEVER you feel like it. The past few years the brands were together which meant one briefcase for SmackDown and one for RAW but this year it is a SmackDown exclusive PPV but there are still two ladder matches. This year will feature the first Women's Division MITB Ladder Match.
I won't be predicting the other matches just these two, the ladder matches, and what I'll be doing is formatting it this way. First, I'll rank each competitor in the match from 6 through 1 of how I see them ranked to win (least likely to most likely) on a personal level. Then next I will finish with who I figure will actually win the match and the briefcase.
So let's kick this off.
MEN'S MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
AJ STYLES vs DOLPH ZIGGLER vs KEVIN OWENS vs SAMI ZAYN vs BARON CORBIN vs SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
To kick things off are my own rankings of who I feel will win it least to most and why.
6) DOLPH ZIGGLER
6) DOLPH ZIGGLER
This ranking hurts me the most because as far as who I think will win the least it has to be Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler is a tremendous worker, has great charisma, just a general workhorse and great asset to WWE. Just ever since his Intercontinental Championship feud where his career was on the line against The Miz and he came out on top with the title only to lose it to Miz shortly afterwards he has done nothing at all. Dolph even turned heel to see if that would change things in his favour but all he did was beat up Apollo Crews and Kallisto, nothing of merit to note. To top it all off he recently and clearly botched a match finish against AJ Styles and Nakamura may have spilled the idea Ziggler is considering a move to Japan for wrestling. It seems highly unlikely Dolp will come out with the briefcase even though he has in the past, it is unfortunate because I really am a fan of Ziggler.
Moving onto my next choice is
5) KEVIN OWENS
Moving onto my next choice is
5) KEVIN OWENS
Here is another pick I feel has nothing to do with talent because like Ziggler, Kevin Owens is extremely talented, he was recently the Universal Champion on RAW and is the current United States Champion. That being said, being the current United States Champion is why I feel he won't win the briefcase. Kevin Owens is doing something with that title right now which is more than I can say for most US Title holders besides maybe John Cena; it is a prestigious title that always gets pushed to the side and is treated even worse than the Intercontinental Championship. However, a Canadian holding the belt and calling himself the True Face of America creates a buzz for that title and with how good a heel he is it helps make that a championship to strive for to take it away from the Canadian. Not that a US Champ can't win I just don't feel he will with his current gimmick and angle going.
4) AJ STYLES
4) AJ STYLES
One of the most talented wrestlers of all time, not just currently, a champion in leagues all over the world and future Hall of Famer. AJ Styles has done it all, legitimately, including already having won and held the WWE Championship once. The reason I see him being this far down on my briefcase list is this, AJ is a generous veteran of the business and is always willing to put others over. He's been champ already and though I know for sure he will be WWE Champ again one day (hopefully soon to get the belt away from Jinder) I don't imagine it necessary he wins the MITB briefcase to get a chance at that belt again. I also firmly believe it is so they can set up a feud between two former New Japan rivals so they can put on several 5 star matches for WWE, Styles and the next man on my list:
3) SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
3) SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
I want him to succeed in WWE but I don't think the briefcase will be his first step, I see him doing those awesome matches in a feud with AJ Styles or going after the United States Championship and having amazing matches with Kevin Owens. Cashing in the briefcase on a defenseless opponent doesn't seem to really suit "The King of Strong Style", he seems like his first title shot will be as a strong face against a strong heel, hence the Owens feud being a possibility with Styles down the road. I still have him at #3 on my list as middle of the road option of how I feel things should be ranked ahead of the others because unlike Owens & Styles, Nakamura needs to gain success in the main event, and unlike Ziggler the company hasn't given up on him yet.
2) BARON CORBIN
2) BARON CORBIN
I have him pretty up here on my list for people I'd like to win because surprisingly I feel that Corbin is or should be the top heel on SmackDown, say what you want about Jinder being the top heel, but he is a business decision and a jobber nothing more. The best heel will be Baron Corbin. He is slowly progressing through promos and has had several main event matches against top guys like Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, AJ Styles, etc. He's had matches for the Intercontinental Championship and come just short, if they did something similar for Jinder I would have bought his sudden rise because if they thrust Corbin into the spotlight without having him had successful matches against several top guys (not injuring them either). Corbin's Lone Wolf gimmick and sheer size can make him an unstoppable force as a heel on SmackDown. He's my number 2 guy but the person I'd like to see most is
1) SAMI ZAYN
1) SAMI ZAYN
If there is ever someone I feel should win the MITB briefcase to get themselves going in the direction they should be going it's Sami Zayn. Here is another tremendously hardworking individual who has always had the "underdog" gimmick going for himself and he always keeps bouncing back. Zayn is the kind of person I eventually want to see holding the WWE Championship the same way he held the NXT Championship, he is a crowd favourite and everyone loves him, he has a very similar story to that of Daniel Bryan. If he were to win the briefcase it would be odd because it tends to be a very heel decision to cash in the briefcase on a tired opponent. That being said with the nice guy Zayn is I don't see him being a heel briefcase holder so if he said "I'm going to use my MITB briefcase at such and such a time" whoever knew that would be prepared even after a match and he wouldn't come out looking bad. All that said Sami Zayn won't win unfortunately.
Who I believe is going to win the Men's MITB match is the guy who I have at my personal #2 spot. Baron Corbin.
Who I believe is going to win the Men's MITB match is the guy who I have at my personal #2 spot. Baron Corbin.
WOMEN'S MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
TAMINA vs CARMELLA vs CHARLOTTE vs BECKY LYNCH vs NATALYA
TAMINA vs CARMELLA vs CHARLOTTE vs BECKY LYNCH vs NATALYA
Well for the inaugural Women's MITB match I am ranking everyone the same from 5 to 1 of who I'd like and then saying who I think will actually win.
5) NATALYA
5) NATALYA
The problem with Natalya and the reason I don't buy her winning the briefcase, let alone the SmackDown Women's Title, is that Natalya is a veteran in the division of much younger women and that isn't to say she can't win because of it but I can't see her win anything important at this point in her career. I also, for the life of me, CAN'T buy her as a heel. She's the daughter of Jim Neidhart, Bret Hart's niece, she is a member of the Hart Dynasty and I can't buy a member of Canadian Wrestling Royalty being a good heel.....at least not Natalya. She was always too nice and never really had a good reason to turn heel.
4) TAMINA
4) TAMINA
Another member of a famous wrestling family, Tamina Snuka, just came over to SmackDown from RAW and she has been misused for years but like Natalya is a veteran in a group of younger and more talented wrestlers. I don't think she will be in the running for the briefcase or the title title for the next while but having just come over I see her with a higher chance than Natalya.
3) CHARLOTTE
3) CHARLOTTE
I could see her winning the match because she is Charlotte Flair but at the same time I think she'll be the next one to challenge for the title regardless and therefore that she won't need to win the briefcase. I may not be a huge fan, but Charlotte is an excellent wrestler and that's why I see her as the next champ on SmackDown before anyone cashes in Money In The Bank. Charlotte is a charismatic wrestler with talent and always carries herself as a champ, she's a Flair, so I do see her taking on Naomi next and winning soon.
2) CARMELLA
2) CARMELLA
Of all people how could I have Carmella at #2 you ask ?? I think that she has grown as a wrestler, she is a great heel, good promos, surprisingly her little thing with James Ellsworth is actually funny and I kind of dig it. She needs some work but as a heel briefcase holder I can see her easily cashing in on someone like Charlotte who is now a babyface very easily when she is tired after a long title match. Carmella is also the kind of heel briefcase holder and character in general, her whole Jersey Shore thing, to like "bling up" and customize the briefcase.
1) BECKY LYNCH
1) BECKY LYNCH
Becky Lynch is the woman who can carry this VERY THIN SmackDown women's division right now but there is a special way she can do it. Whether Naomi is the champ or if face Charlotte wins the title soon, Becky could cash in right away on that tired girl, lock in the Dis-Arm-Her, and win in a non-Becky fashion. Becky Lynch has never been a heel and this is her perfect opportunity, win that title by cashing in that case, and be the troublesome tired of taking shit fighting Irish girl. Live by her motto. 100% Bad-Lass.
That being said not only is she my personal choice to win but she's my prediction to ACTUALLY win as well. So I do believe she will come out on top on Sunday night.
That being said not only is she my personal choice to win but she's my prediction to ACTUALLY win as well. So I do believe she will come out on top on Sunday night.