WWE Money in the Bank 2016
T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada
June 19, 2016
Alex, Rob, and Jeff combine their efforts to preview and predict this Sunday’s WWE Money In The Bank 2016 PPV! From dream matches like Cena vs Styles and Titus vs Rusev (huh?) to the clusterchaos extravaganza that is the Money in the Bank ladder match – we’ve got you covered with what to look for, what’s important, and most importantly … what we think will happen (and then inevitably doesn’t).
- Alex Wendland (@AlexWendland): Alex is VOW’s lead NXT columnist, in addition to being an associate editor of the website.
- Rob McCarron (@ShakeThemRopes): Rob hosts the world-famous Shake Them Ropes podcast, as well as functioning as an associate editor of the website.
- Jeff Hawkins (@crapgame13): Jeff acts as comic relief on Shake Them Ropes, is VOW’s lead Raw columnist, and is not an associate editor of the website.
Catch the Shake Them Ropes MITB PPV Preview Podcast here for Rob & Jeff’s thoughts on the show in audio form, plus a special appearance by Chris Harrington talking the upcoming brand split. Rich & Joe have their Money in the Bank 2016 thoughts, as well as a preview of NJPW Dominion, on an all new Voices of Wrestling Podcast as well.
UPDATE: Friday, June 17 – 4:30pm EDT
Two new Kickoff show matches have been announced since we posted this preview on Friday morning. Ziggler vs Corbin and Sheamus vs Crews have both been moved to the main card. In their place, two new Kickoff show matches have been added: Golden Truth vs Breezango and Dudley Boyz vs Lucha Dragons.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin
Alex Wendland: These to are going ‘round again, huh? Eventually Baron Corbin has to win a couple in a row to put an end to this nonsense. June 19 is as good a day as any to do it. Prediction: Baron Corbin
Rob McCarron: For the third straight WWE PPV, new talent Baron Corbin takes on veteran Dolph Ziggler. Can anyone out there remember one specific thing from the previous two matches outside of the fact that they ended at some point? Anyone? Anything? I struggle to make a prediction if only for the fact that it doesn’t matter at all. Prediction: Baron Corbin
Jeff Hawkins: Please be Baron Corbin by murder-death. Anything else and it’s meh. So this will probably be Corbin beat down, Dolph hope spot, Corbin with End of Days…and meh. Prediction: Baron Corbin
Apollo Crews vs. Sheamus
Alex Wendland: This match is interesting because of the “why.” As in, “why are these guys wrestling in this match?” Apollo Crews is far too green to get one over on Sheamus, but this could be the replacement opener for the next few months following the dramatic conclusion of the Ziggler-Corbin saga. Even so, Crews isn’t winning on a PPV against a guy who has both held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the past year AND been featured in the box office smash hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Prediction: Sheamus
Rob McCarron: Vince likes Sheamus. Vince gives wins to Sheamus. Especially in matches that don’t seem to be all-to-important… like this one. Apollo is the new kid on the block; he probably should be elevated to a more prominent level, which, at this rate, just means being on Raw regularly. In good news for Crews, Vince does have his eyeballs on Sheamus. So this may be Apollo’s best chance yet to prove to the boss what he’s capable of. He probably won’t win, but career wise it could be an important match. Prediction: Sheamus
Jeff Hawkins: Everything about this screams that Apollo Crews is about to get the most tepid form of winner ever in the same pushes as Kalisto and even Sami Zayn of late in some respects. That’s right, it’s time for the David vs. Goliath program. Sheamus gets the upper hand and Crews gets a roll up while commentary overplays it as a big deal. Sheamus then gives Crews a Brogue Kick to continue things. Prediction: Apollo Crews
Charlotte & Dana Brooke vs. Natalya & Becky Lynch
Alex Wendland: I’m not wild about the WWE Women’s Championship not being defended on a PPV just three months after it’s debut, but here we are. Not even the WWE tag team division has ebbs and flows in momentum the way the women’s division does. They’ll be on fire for a month and then stone cold (pun intended) for the next two. This is one of those ice water stretches for me.
Dana Brooke should be challenging the top of the division in NXT, not the main roster and there just isn’t much interesting about Natalya if she can’t win a match, or stay focused on what’s going on in the ring long enough to finish the job. This is WWE so obviously the champion is going to lose the match if they won’t lose the title as a result (for exemptions see: Reigns, Roman). Prediction: Natalya & Becky Lynch
Rob McCarron: I never know what to believe could be coming next in the Women’s division. Back to the Royal Rumble, where Sasha Banks made her extravagant, surprising appearance to seemingly challenge Charlotte only to be swept under a Becky-Charlotte program… nothing makes sense now. Paige beats Charlotte on Raw, and she’s nowhere to be found. Sasha is hanging out with Summer Rae on Superstars and Main Event, so a Raw return may be coming soon… but I wouldn’t assume anything anymore. I think Becky taps or pins Charlotte at the fault of Dana, and we’ll see what chaos happens next. Prediction: Natalya & Becky Lynch
Jeff Hawkins: Oh ye of too much faith. When the triple threat match was a big deal, the rebirth was on and it was a time of much rejoicing. Then, Emma got hurt. Sasha Banks also was injured and purposefully kept away lest the “We Want Sasha” chants fall on tone deaf booking. Bayley was persona non grata post WrestleMania. Natalya and Becky are great mechanics good for cat humor and bad puns. Enter Dana Brooke.
I tend to lean towards something happening that makes these four have a Fatal Four Way next month, but ultimately in the end, after teasing dissension, it was all a ruse and Dana and Charlotte get the win. I don’t put it past them to rush the Dana/Charlotte program either or possibly give Becky the win to try and help rebuild her, but the former seems too soon and the latter seems like old territory right now. Becky is still not beyond a breakout in my opinion, but this program needs to fade first. Prediction: Dana Brooke & Charlotte
WWE United States Championship
Rusev (c) vs. Titus O’Neil
Alex Wendland: Vince McMahon is living vicariously through Rusev in this. Titus O’Neil had the audacity to touch a multi-millionaire in public and now he gets to be kicked in the head by a Bulgarian Brute. Even if this was a more evenly-handed feud, I selfishly hope Rusev wins because I don’t like typing last names with apostrophes in them. Prediction: Rusev
Jeff Hawkins: I’m still surprised Jack Swagger isn’t in this. Titus was killed on Monday Night Raw, where’s the interest? Is a Titus win by disqualification in the making, a “kicking too much ass” disqualification by Rusev? It may be, but I can’t, as a betting man, count on it. Prediction: Rusev
WWE Tag Team Championship
Fatal 4-Way Match
The New Day (c) vs. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows vs. Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. The Vaudevillains
Alex Wendland: Now’s the time to do something new with The New Day (pun intended, again). I know Big E and Xavier Woods have said their goal was to make Kofi Kingston the WWE World Heavyweight Champion someday, but Big E is the guy to make a run at the big belt. Still, New Day is going to break the record before they drop the belts. I think they’ll hang onto them until Summerslam and then move into a singles title chase – hopefully together. Prediction: The New Day
Jeff Hawkins: Well my thoughts have changed since this past episode of Shake Them Ropes, as I was unaware they had mentioned the record of Kendrick/London. Had that not been mentioned, it’s pretty easy to call this for Enzo/Cass getting a run to see if Cass is championship material. As it stands, New Day is getting the record then dropping it. The only thing for certain is the Vaudevillains are taking the loss. Prediction: The New Day
AJ Styles vs. John Cena
Alex Wendland: The head versus the heart. John Cena just came back. He’s John Cena. AJ Styles has been hot fire since WrestleMania. He’s AJ Styles. The obvious outcome is a clean Cena victory. Styles doesn’t win on PPV and this is Big Match John’s first big match back from injury. Then again, Kevin Owens wasn’t supposed to win either. In matters of Head v. Heart, follow the heart, especially when there’s literally nothing at stake. Prediction: AJ Styles
Rob McCarron: This is a legitimate dream match in WWE – John Cena, the face of WWE for ten years, up against AJ Styles, the face of anti-WWE for ten years. On one hand, WWE has shown us before that a rising new guy can take out John Cena in the first try (Kevin Owens most recently). On the other, it’s John Cena. It’s also his return match to WWE after a lengthy absence, as well. I’m sticking to my usual stance of not picking against John Cena on PPV. Prediction: John Cena
Jeff Hawkins: A big match build. A big time build. AJ Styles may be hot fire, but he hasn’t won a big match in a program yet. This will be the ceremonial loss. John Cena, did he come back too soon from injury? Is AJ Styles truly better? I also expect the Club to somehow be involved. Can’t make it too clean. But this program must continue, and AJ must get the first fall. The Kevin Owens blueprint works. Prediction: AJ Styles
Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Alberto Del Rio
Alex Wendland: Speaking of Kevin Owens, he seems like a no brainer pick, right? He’s pretty convincingly the most dangerous of this lot. Cesaro is great and does great things, but he’s a loser with no brass rings. Owens has Sami Zayn’s number for a while yet. Dean Ambrose is too zany and wacky to win the briefcase, or any title in WWE. Alberto Del Rio is thankfully as uninterested in his wrestling as I am in watching it. And then there’s Chris Jericho who inexplicably wins all of these giant matches he’s in like it’s 1999 or something. Prediction: Chris Jericho
Rob McCarron: I could see any one of these guys winning, except Chris Jericho. Honestly, he’s the only one I’d throw out of contention. Alberto Del Rio is a an interesting participant, as he could be ripe for a rebuild on TV. If so, this would be one of their top ways of doing it. He’s also a heel going into a match that is practically built for heels to win. Kevin Owens is a top choice amongst many, and he’s probably a top 3 choice in my eyes. Rounding out the top 3 is Dean Ambrose. If a babyface is going to win, he’d be the one. It also adds to a potentially interesting dynamic with Roman Reigns as champion, and Seth Rollins in the top tier mix as well. If a heel wins, it’ll be Del Rio. However, my choice is… Prediction: Dean Ambrose
Jeff Hawkins: Mr. Wendland is correct, Kevin Owens is a no brainer; he’s also the most logical. He’s the only one of the six that did not get a pinfall or a moment with the briefcase throughout the entire build. That also means this is the match that Vince looks at and says “everyone’s expecting this, let’s change it.” If that happens, I can see Chris Jericho or even Rob’s pick of Dean Ambrose getting this. But I can see the briefcase becoming a de facto title, and Owens getting challenged by Sami Zayn for it to get to a one on one program. I can see Owens’ cash in being ruined by Zayn as soon as the same night. But I’m going to stick with Owens in that I think it’s the right call, which makes it absolutely the furthest thing from the WWE’s minds. Prediction: Kevin Owens
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Rob McCarron: Seth Rollins’ return has been bungled. It isn’t a disaster, but it could have been so much better. Without trying too much to get into the fantasy booking aspect, Rollins didn’t even have to come back as a babyface, although that was probably the best option. He could have been a heel, but instead of a strong, returning threat… he’s again a little bit of a mixed bag, part weasel and part crybaby. He’ll bring it on Sunday, though, up against a champion who also has a reputation of delivering on PPV… even if some choose to ignore that naively. Prediction: Roman Reigns
Alex Wendland: This is a match involving Roman Reigns. Prediction: Roman Reigns
Jeff Hawkins: What’s the worst scenario you can think of? Mine: Seth Rollins wins, Roman Reigns challenges Kevin Owens for the briefcase on Monday and wins and then the quest for three is underway. So many things could happen here: a cash-in for a three way, HHH, Stephanie, Brock, Goldberg, Hodor (Hodor), but the only constant is, Roman Reigns will retain the title. I think by pin, but wouldn’t put past a disqualification here. Prediction: Roman Reigns
