WWE Money in the Bank 2014: Stars Under the Most Pressure at PPV

The tagline for WWE's Money in the Bank pay-per-view, which takes place on June 29, should be "Stars Under Pressure to Perform."

With significant plot twists to top storylines, Money in the Bank will serve as the first chance for a few Superstars to establish themselves on pay-per-view in a new role. And as the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding Daniel Bryan’s status unfolds, “pressure to perform” suddenly takes on a very important meaning. 

Monday on Raw, Stephanie McMahon announced that Daniel Bryan is tentatively scheduled to compete in a Stretcher match against Kane. McMahon followed up with a contingency plan—if Bryan is unable to compete, the annual Money in the Bank Ladder match will be contested for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. 

This is the most fan-friendly announcement regarding the WWE World Heavyweight Championship that has been made by McMahon since Bryan’s injury. The crowd-pleasing contingency hints at a real-life situation where Bryan’s status for Money in the Bank will come down to a photo finish. 

Per PWInsider (via WrestlingInc), early reports indicated Bryan could be back within two to three months. The latest reports have been less hopeful, with the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (via WrestlingInc) reporting Bryan’s rehab from surgery is currently behind schedule. 

In the here-today, gone-tomorrow world of professional wrestling—a nonstop brand of sports entertainment with no offseason—forfeiting the WWE World Heavyweight Championship could be Bryan’s death knell. 

Following a memorable WWE World Heavyweight Championship win that was similar to Bryan’s, Dolph Ziggler was felled by an injury of his own when he suffered a concussion at the hands foot of Jack Swagger.

Ziggler would drop the championship to Alberto Del Rio at the inaugural WWE Payback shortly thereafter. His head trauma was the focal point of their match. 

Almost one year to the date of their 2013 double-turn, Ziggler lost again to Del Rio in a Money in the Bank qualifying match on Raw to the accompaniment of social media sorrow. Needless to say, Ziggler’s career has remained stagnant.

Should Bryan’s injury cause him to forfeit the WWE World Heavyweight Championship with little to no storyline reasoning behind it, there is no guarantee he will get back to the top of the WWE. At Payback, not only will Bryan be under pressure to perform in terms of matching his high in-ring standards, he’ll have career-altering pressure to perform at all. Period. 

The pressure currently on Seth Rollins is also career-altering but for entirely different reasons. Money in the Bank will likely see Rollins working his first pay-per-view match since breaking away from The Shield.

Rollins no longer has the talents of Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns to complement his finesse babyface wrestling style. Now, he’ll have to make changes to his offense as well as his character in order to effectively work as a villain.

Should Rollins’ run as a heel fall flat, he’ll quickly miss out on future opportunities to work top programs. NXT Superstars and surging young talents on the main roster are waiting in the wings to make the best of an opportunity like the one Rollins is receiving.

If Rollins does not deliver on pay-per-view for any reason, he’ll be in danger of losing the delicate trust of the WWE front office. 

The same could be said about Dean Ambrose (who will have less room for error) and Roman Reigns (who will have more room for error). They too are entering crucial points in their respective rises up the WWE rankings. 

The post-Shield feud must resonate with WWE fans before Rollins, Reigns or Ambrose can move forward as a bona fide star. After spending their first two years together in the main event, it’s realistic that each individual Shield alumnus could be one bad feud away from becoming pre-show material. 

No pressure. 

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