Analyzing Value of Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho to Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho will be at the heart of the WWE Money in the Bank 2016 ladder match. 

The two braggarts' excellence as heels, as well as their parts in the bout's subplots, will assure fans a fun ride during the chase to become the next Mr. Money in the Bank. Count on Owens and Jericho being the highlights of the match's build, even with such a stacked field of competitors.

The villains' obvious role is to be antagonists in their ongoing rivalries.

Last week, when five qualifying matches decided the first entrants to the upcoming MITB ladder match, it was clear that two existing feuds were set to continue. Jericho wasn't done with Dean Ambrose. Sami Zayn and Owens would keep making good on their promise to fight forever.

The Jericho-Ambrose feud has largely been a disappointment, as it has too often veered into silly territory. But after Extreme Rules, it appears that WWE is done inserting potted plants and scarf jokes into this storyline. Jericho has emerged from his loss at the pay-per-view enraged, focused and vengeful.

That will be a major improvement over their dynamic during the past few weeks.

As for Zayn and Owens, their rivalry has long been personal. It's one that has traveled from Ring of Honor to NXT to the WWE main stage.

And the crowded nature of the Money in the Bank narrative will allow WWE to keep these two apart some, helping build anticipation. Their bad blood is sure to be one of the bout's biggest assets—a subplot strong enough to stand on its own.

Beyond Owens' and Jericho's issues with their foils, though, there is compelling tension between the two of them.

Credit: WWE.com

Backstage on Monday's Raw, Alberto Del Rio, Owens and Jericho prepped for a six-man tag match against the other Money in the Bank competitors. Y2J and his sometime tag team partner bickered. 

When Jericho said he didn't like either of his teammates for the night, Owens chimed in, "I thought we had a good thing going." Jericho said the powerhouse had begun to annoy him. In that brief moment, some electric chemistry was on display.

Owens and Jericho clicked. Kyle Fowle of the A.V. Club is among those who want to see more from these two:

The two heels' tension escalated during the match itself. 

Jericho hit Ambrose with the Codebreaker, seemingly locking up the win. Owens, though, tagged himself in, going for the pin himself. That delay led to only a two-count on The Lunatic Fringe, a result that inspired Jericho to shove his partner. 

That interaction and their previous encounters all shared that same spark. They have an incendiary relationship, which WWE is surely set to exploit ahead of Money in the Bank. Count on it being one of the match's most compelling elements.

It helps too that both men are thriving in their current roles as heels.

Jericho has been masterfully indignant, a whining narcissist who believes everyone else is an idiot. Owens, meanwhile, has been an irritant and a predator. He has flourished as an in-ring trash-talker and has managed to keep his momentum regardless if he wins or loses.

Miami Herald columnist Scott Fishman praised Owens' work after Payback:

More of that is on its way ahead of Money in the Bank. Look for Owens to antagonize Cesaro, Ambrose and Zayn, as well as Del Rio and Jericho. He is the kind of heel everyone hates and will create added animosity to the bout.

And the chemistry between Owens and Jericho as reluctant allies and quarreling rivals will be one of the most entertaining parts of the road to Money in the Bank. The man who invented the match's concept and the favorite to win it come June 19 promise to be its biggest stars.