WWE Money in the Bank 2016: Undercard Matches Fans Deserve to See

WWE Money in the Bank 2016 is shaping up to be an explosive pay-per-view, with five matches already set.

All that’s left to do at this point for WWE is fill out the undercard, which is where WWE faces its biggest problem concerning the June 19 event.

The namesake Money in the Bank ladder match features many Superstars who, while deserving of a shot at the WWE title contract, are midcard regulars WWE could drop in any match and keep fans satisfied. The same is true in the tag team division, as a Fatal 4-Way for the titles leaves WWE very little left in the cupboard for another sought-after tag team match on the card.

The company’s intercontinental champion, The Miz, is off shooting The Marine 5: Battleground and hasn’t been on WWE programming since successfully defending said title on the May 24 episode of SmackDown. The lack of direction for that title, only a month after it was a major storyline, is quite disappointing.

WWE is also still waiting for numerous Superstars to return to the ring from injury. WWE CEO Vince McMahon has stated that Superstars Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt will be returning to action this month, while Wyatt Family member Luke Harper told Qwality TV (h/t Wrestling Inc) that he "is looking at being back in August at the earliest, October at the latest."

Also, Sasha Banks, a presumptive No. 1 contender for the Women's Championship, has been on the sidelines with a concussion, as the Superstar confirmed to fans during a panel discussion at Wizard World Comic Con in Philadelphia (h/t WrestlingNews.co).

Finally, WWE Creative has spent so much time devoted to Roman Reigns, the MITB contenders and John Cena vs. AJ Styles that it has failed to properly develop any undercard feuds for fans to care about. One would think that Apollo Crews or Baron Corbin would have benefited from more screen time, instead of WWE pushing Golden Truth and BreezeDango as heavily as it has.

So where will WWE turn to fill out the Money in the Bank card? Which Superstars will step up and deliver hot matches that the fans will be excited to see?

Here’s a look at the undercard matches fans deserve to see on June 19.

Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Natalya and Becky Lynch

While the story hasn’t exactly connected with fans, Charlotte’s split from her father, 16-time world champion Ric Flair, needs to play out and come to a conclusion.

Seeing as how the other three women have inserted themselves into this angle, it’s only natural to put these four in the ring together for a women’s tag team match, with one caveat: The story needs to end here, and WWE needs to move beyond the father-daughter story after Money in the Bank.

Charlotte and Dana need to come out on top in this one in as dominant a performance as possible without making Becky or Natalya look weak. WWE should give them 12 minutes to hit their spots and move on.

After that, it’s time to put the focus of the women’s division back on the title and off the Flair drama. WWE should bring back Paige and Sasha. It should give Summer Rae more screen time, as she was having very good matches prior to the Flair soap opera. And if she’s ready, Lana should get more ring action. Soon enough, Bayley, Asuka and a returning Emma are waiting in the wings to add more depth than ever before.

With a brand split coming, women’s wrestling should receive more attention. Whether that’s on Raw, SmackDown or both, WWE needs to get back to making the story about what these women do when the bell rings, not their extracurricular activities.

A decisive finish to this mini-feud will allow the women’s division to begin to take shape, with Charlotte on top and a number of hungry women, led by Banks, champing at the bit to get a piece of her.

Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler

Not again, you say. Why these two?

Simply put: WWE hasn’t closed the book on this feud yet and needs to do so before either man can move forward.

Yes, it should have happened at Extreme Rules. It didn’t, and one low blow later, Corbin is boycotting WWE arenas until he gets another shot at Ziggler.

When this feud first started the night after WrestleMania 32, it made a lot of sense. The veteran Ziggler could help build Corbin up over a short time and eventually succumb to the powerhouse. Unfortunately, WWE has misplayed this feud, extending it too long (more than two months now) and giving The Showoff an inexplicable win at Payback.

That match remains The Lone Wolf’s lone loss via pinfall on the main roster.

Much like the father-daughter Flair saga, WWE needs to wrap this feud up. Bigger and better things await both Superstars, especially with split rosters coming up and more emphasis on titles on WWE programming.

Corbin needs to come out on top, and it should be in a similarly dominant fashion as his victory at Extreme Rules. Moving forward from MITB, WWE would be smart to place these two on separate rosters as well, just to make sure the stench from this rancid feud doesn’t linger.

Sheamus vs. Apollo Crews (Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contender’s Match)

This is a match that could very well tell any number of great stories. First, though, we have to revisit WWE Raw from May 23.

After losing his Money in the Bank qualification match to Sami Zayn, Sheamus went berserk backstage, taking out Apollo Crews as he was giving an interview. Sheamus railed on WWE’s New Era and walked off.

Since then, we haven’t seen nor heard from either Superstar on either of the company’s two main programs.

The duo is at completely different ends of the professional spectrum. Sheamus, fresh off the opening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows, is known to casual fans, but in the ring he hasn’t won a match since WrestleMania 32 as a member of the now-defunct League of Nations. He hasn’t won as a singles competitor since March.

Crews is the up-and-comer looking to make his mark. His lone loss on the main roster was to Chris Jericho in his Money in the Bank qualification match, just moments after Sheamus’ attack. The Celtic Warrior would be his first real competition since his call-up, as well.

Money in the Bank would be a fine time to start this feud, as the company could go in any number of directions. WWE could begin an old-guard-versus-new-blood angle, continuing to showcase Sheamus’ vengeful side for being overlooked, what with the NXT call-ups being given top billing.

Another route would be to make this a No. 1 contender’s match for the Intercontinental Championship, which is not being defended at the pay-per-view.

The Miz is currently without anyone to feud with, so including either of these two wouldn’t be that much of a stretch. Having Crews come out on top would provide a natural heel-face dynamic, while also giving Sheamus more of a reason to continue holding animosity toward the NXT newcomer.

WWE Money in the Bank 2016 Projected Match Card

With the addition of the three matches previously mentioned, WWE Money in the Bank 2016 would go a long way toward shaping the company's Road to SummerSlam. Here's what the lineup might look like:

• No. 1 Contender's Match for the Intercontinental Championship: Sheamus vs. Apollo Crews (preshow)—proposed match
• Fatal 4-Way for the Tag Team Championship: The New Day vs. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows vs. The Vaudevillains
• Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Natalya and Becky Lynch—proposed match
• Money in the Bank Contract Ladder Match: Alberto Del Rio vs. Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho vs. Sami Zayn vs. Dean Ambrose
• Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler—proposed match
• United States Championship Match: Rusev vs. Titus O'Neal
• John Cena vs. AJ Styles
• WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

What undercard matches would you like to see at WWE Money in the Bank 2016?