WWE Books Money in the Bank Show-Stealer, Carmelo Hayes' Grand Debut, More Raw Takes

The June 26 edition of WWE Raw was the final stop for the red brand on the road to Money in the Bank and emanated from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia.

It was a loaded night that included Cody Rhodes vs. Damian Priest, the Raw debut of Carmelo Hayes against Finn Bálor, and Gunther vs. Sami Zayn.

The Ring General survived the challenge of the WWE undisputed tag team champion only because of the return of Giovanni Vinci. He will next face Matt Riddle in a certain show-stealer at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday.

Becky Lynch made a statement, standing tall at the end of the women's Money in the Bank summit. She also made an impact by calling out Rhea Ripley for failing to defend the WWE Women's World Championship regularly.

It was a big show and a memorable night of action that set the stage for the weekend pay-per-view.

WWE Nails Raw Go-Home Show Build for Money in the Bank

Money in the Bank is one of the biggest events of the year for WWE. The company made it even more important in 2023 by returning to the United Kingdom for Saturday's show.

Monday night's go-home Raw carried that weight, and it was loaded with talented wrestlers fighting hard for their minutes.

Cody Rhodes and Dominik Mysterio both competed in quality encounters before they face each other at the O2 Arena in London. Finn Bálor proved himself as a dangerous challenger for Seth Rollins by taking down NXT champion Carmelo Hayes.

Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura put on a show, and The One and Only got a huge victory to set himself up as a potential dark-horse contender in the men's MITB ladder match.

Those competing in the women's Money in the Bank ladder match all got a chance to say their piece before the weekend. Becky Lynch even teased what could come after by facing down Rhea Ripley.

It was a very good night of action that promised even better for the premium live event on the horizon. This is the blueprint that WWE should follow for future go-home shows.

Gunther vs. Matt Riddle Will Steal the Show at MITB

Gunther and Matt Riddle have been teasing a match for over a month, setting the stage for something special. Now that it's official, it has all the trappings of a classic show-stealer.

The Ring General has worked top matches with everyone recently, especially when fighting Kevin Owens or Sami Zayn.

He has yet to face Riddle one-on-one, but they have tested the water in tag team action. The two have unique wrestling styles that will mesh well together.

Gunther is a dangerous powerhouse who can overwhelm his opponents with pure power, while The Original Bro is a scrappy striker who can take out any opponent with a well-timed kick.

They will get physical from the opening bell on Saturday. Fans will see The Original Bro struggle more than he ever has against an opponent, and by the end, he will have everyone convinced he can take the Intercontinental Championship.

Who knows? Riddle might even pull off the upset.

Rhea Ripley vs. Becky Lynch is Money Match Raw Needs This Summer

The Raw women's division has fallen into a lull recently, relying upon the charisma of Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus while Rhea Ripley focuses too much on Dominik Mysterio's career rather than her own.

That can change by putting together the biggest story the red brand can produce. The Man remains the biggest star in the women's division, and The Nightmare is the only one on the roster who can touch her in the ring.

While they have fought before, it was never on a major stage and certainly not with both in their current roles. Ripley has evolved significantly since they clashed on an episode of NXT in November 2019.

This is a women's match prestigious enough to main-event a major PPV with the right build. The summer will be host to multiple big contests, including the final meeting of Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar.

However, no bout is more important to the future of the Raw roster than Lynch vs. Ripley. It will help truly push the Australian as champion and prove she is more than just another young star getting her turn with the gold.

Ripley can be the future of women's wrestling, and she and The Man can put on one of the best feuds of the year to prove that.

Carmelo Hayes Proves He's a Future WWE Main Event Player

WWE is hyping up the future of the business by promoting key names from NXT to big matches.

Bron Breakker got his shot against Seth "Freakin" Rollins last week, and it was Carmelo Hayes' turn on Monday night. Before he defends the NXT Championship against Baron Corbin on Tuesday, he fought Finn Bálor in a memorable battle of the future versus the present.

The Prince pushed Melo to compete while also leaving plenty of room for a rematch down the line. While Hayes lost, he held his own against the Irishman in a way few others can on the main roster.

Breakker and Melo are the future of the business, but the latter clearly got the more pronounced spotlight for a reason.

The A Champion is a future main event act, and he does not need to change anything to get there. He has the presence and charisma to match his growing reputation.

Next time he faces Bálor, it could easily be Melo with his hand raised at the end of the bout.