WWE Money in the Bank 2016: Best Feuds for Returning Superstars Heading into PPV

WWE is gearing up for its annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view on June 19, and the 2016 edition may be more hotly anticipated than previous editions.

The company is loaded with top-tier talent right now, a fact that WWE CEO Vince McMahon echoed during the May earnings call, stating that WWE "will have more talent on the roster in the next 30 days than [it has] ever had before," per Wrestling Inc.

One major reason for McMahon's proclamation: the forthcoming return of main event Superstars Seth Rollins, John Cena, Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton from various injuries. On that May call, McMahon noted that all four men would be "coming back soon."

True to his word, the returns have begun. At Extreme Rules, Rollins immediately reinserted himself into the main event picture. The next night on Raw, it was announced that he would challenge current WWE heavyweight champion Roman Reigns for the title at Money in the Bank 2016. 

What does WWE have in store for the rest of these returning Superstars, as well as others who have been off-camera for some time, heading into WWE Money in the Bank 2016?

Let's take a look at the best possible feuds for each wrestler. 

John Cena

John Cena's return to WWE programming has seen an all-out PR blitz by the company.

Last month, The Face That Runs The Place announced on Twitter that he'd make his return on the Memorial Day edition of Raw. Since then, speculation has run rampant as to what's in store for the 15-time world champion. 

With Seth Rollins already staking claim to the WWE championship, its unlikely Cena will get an immediate main event push. It's also unlikely that Cena will be part of the Money in the Bank match at the next pay-per-view, as qualifying matches are expected to wrap up prior to his return. 

With the heavyweight championship seemingly not in the cards, one of WWE's secondary titles could be prime for the taking. Rusev recently reclaimed the United States Championship at Extreme Rules from Kalisto and would be a logical (if uninspired) choice for Cena. 

He could also take aim at the Intercontinental Championship currently held by The Miz, although The Miz and Cesaro have been entrenched in a very entertaining feud. Inserting Cena into that mix is likely to turn off fans who have enjoyed the recent spotlight on the IC belt. 

The likelihood is that Cena will win any feud he's entered into immediately. Pitting him against a current champion, Rusev or The Miz, would kill any momentum either Superstar has gained over the last few weeks.

Instead of throwing Cena immediately into a title scene, WWE should give him an opponent who both can endure a loss to the former champion and make sense in a storyline. That person is none other than Alberto Del Rio. 

The story pretty much writes itself: It was Del Rio who took the U.S. title from Cena at Hell in a Cell, an angle WWE could easily use to get these two in the ring together. Cena could take aim at Rusev, only to be met by Del Rio first. 

Since the breakup of The League of Nations, Del Rio has been floating around the roster with no clear direction. Facing Cena would immediately put him back on the map. A couple of back-and-forth matches at Money in the Bank and Battleground could set up both men moving forward. 

Randy Orton

Credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton has been on the shelf since October following shoulder surgery but could be in line for "a ring return as soon as mid-June," according to Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t SEScoops). 

That timeline aligns perfectly with Money in the Bank 2016's June 19 date. Orton's appearance at the Las Vegas event would more than likely be similar to Rollins' at Extreme Rules: a quick run-in to start a feud or cost someone a match. 

That's a very Viper-like thing to do and would be an excellent use for the returning Superstar. The question is: Who would Orton target?

According to Wrestling Inc. (h/t SportsWorldNews), The Apex Predator might already have someone in mind: "While making a Middle East Film and Comic Con appearance along with his wife and kids in Dubai over the weekend, Orton participated in a Q&A. The WWE Superstar revealed he is hoping to wrestle Sami Zayn and Finn Balor down the line when he returns."

Balor remains in NXT for the time being, which means Zayn could be the potential target. That would be an excellent choice for a number of reasons. 

Since debuting in January at the Royal Rumble, Zayn has been exclusively tied to Kevin Owens, and rightfully so. The two have immense history and are among the top in-ring workers the company has. It's natural to pair them again and again. 

However, at some point WWE will have to separate them, even if only to keep their rivalry fresh. Money in the Bank could be a perfect breaking point, as both men have qualified for the contract ladder match. Having Orton interfere, costing Zayn a chance to hold the Money in the Bank briefcase, could be a welcome distraction for WWE fans, especially if that interference allows Owens to claim the contract.

A feud with Orton would give Zayn a great matchup with a meaningful opponent. It could also play into WWE's ever-increasing rift between the old guard and the New Era Superstars, which has played out in small doses, most recently through Sheamus' attack on Apollo Crews on Raw following Extreme Rules. 

Bray Wyatt

It's been more than a month since Wyatt was sidelined with a calf injury, and in that time the entire Wyatt Family has been MIA. Luke Harper was dealing with his own recovery from a serious knee injury suffered in March, while Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman have been kept off WWE programming in the interim. 

Recently, though, there have been rumblings that Wyatt and his crew were preparing their comeback. Vince McMahon's earnings call comments were followed by a cryptic Twitter post from Wyatt just prior to Extreme Rules, touting "The Return."

PW Insider (h/t SEScoops) reported that Wyatt "likely won’t be wrestling for some time after he’s back on TV." The hope, though, is that The Wyatt Family will begin appearing on WWE programming sooner rather than later, meaning an appearance at Money in the Bank 2016 isn't off the table. 

An apparent face turn on the post-WrestleMania Raw was short-lived once Wyatt was injured but would be the best booking decision once he returns, Forbes' Blake Ostriecher wrote: 

"

[It] became quite clear when his babyface turn began prior to his injury that he was on the cusp of breaking out as a fan favorite and would be welcomed with open arms as a babyface challenger for the company’s top title ... The WWE is sitting on a potential goldmine with a babyface Wyatt.

"

As for his best opponent in the short term: If Wyatt remains a babyface, battling someone like Baron Corbin would be a fresh idea. Both men would help each other immensely, as Corbin is a strong heel character who can help put over Wyatt's run as a good guy. 

The feud would help Wyatt get back on his feet and earn some quality wins over a growing force on the roster. The only drawback would be making Corbin look weak so early in his WWE run, especially after the uneven booking he's experienced in his feud with Dolph Ziggler.  

Triple H

Credit: WWE.com

Finally, WWE fans have not seen nor heard from Triple H since his loss to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 32. 

The Game has been on the sidelines with his wife Stephanie McMahon and brother-in-law Shane McMahon running things on Raw. The apparent civility between the siblings could be just the story element needed to bring Triple H back into the fold. 

That could happen as soon as Money in the Bank, with Triple H getting involved in the world championship main event now that Seth Rollins has returned. 

Such a development would draw the ire of Shane and could begin to drive a wedge into the cordial relationship he's had with Stephanie over the last few weeks. Eventually, Stephanie would have to take sides, as would Vince. 

WWE subtly teased this on Monday in Stephanie's backstage exchange with Rollins:

"

"Things have changed around here ... that includes our business relationship. Welcome back." - @StephMcMahon #RAW pic.twitter.com/fFaUEdc0xB

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) May 24, 2016"

WWE could also use recent events to propel the feud. WWE legend Bret Hart described tension between Shane, Stephanie and Triple H as legitimate on his radio show (h/t Wrestle Zone), a topic broached again with Shane on his tell-all podcast with Mick Foley following Raw on Monday night. 

Shane's answer was effusive, to say the least:

"

"As long as they're happy, that's all I care about." - @ShaneMcMahon, on @TripleH-@StephMcMahon's marriage. pic.twitter.com/CXvlJvK7Oo

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) May 24, 2016"

It wouldn't be surprising for WWE to use that type of real-life strife in a storyline, one that could lead to a final battle between Shane and Triple H at SummerSlam.