WWE Money in the Bank 2016: How to Fix Least-Promising Storylines So Far

WWE Money in the Bank is coming up on Sunday, June 19. This is one of the company's biggest events of the year, mostly because of the ladder match bearing the same name. The Superstar who pulls down the briefcase gets a golden opportunity at winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship any time he chooses.

It's going to be hard to top that.

But WWE is going to try, as two world-traveled legends will face off for the first time when John Cena takes on AJ Styles. This is a dream match that many fans believed would never happen, and now the two men will make history at Money in the Bank.

These two matches alone are worth the price of admission, as this event may be a true highlight of the year so far.

As the time ticks down to June 19, it's evident that Money in the Bank needs a little work. WWE is notorious for moving forward with storylines that are not quite as fleshed out as they should be.

But this event deserves a card that is full of top matches—ones that have developed from promising storylines. 

There may not be enough time to fix everything, but WWE must make the effort to advance the card to ensure the overall event goes well. Fortunately for fans, WWE is also famous for delivering when it matters the most.

The Golden Truth vs. Breezeango

This may be one of the hardest sells in quite some time in terms of establishing a relevant feud. 

Since Cody Rhodes' departure from the company, Goldust's future has been in question. Fans may have expected him to leave as well, or they may even have hoped he would emerge from the paint and become Dustin Rhodes once again.

But it's obvious he wants to work, and WWE wants him there. 

Tagging with R-Truth seems like a great idea, and feuding against Fandango and Tyler Breeze seems like a good idea. However, the fan reaction to all of this has been lukewarm at best. Goldust and Truth periodically get a small pop, but the response given during the actual matches is perhaps not what WWE wants.

But maybe the problem is that there's nothing to fight for.

All four men have silly gimmicks, and there's nothing wrong with that. Constantly feuding with no point has not helped matters, though, so perhaps it's time to give them an end game. 

That end game should be a WWE tag team title shot. 

The rivalry can hit or miss based on how it's received, and right now, there's no way to know if it will succeed in the end. But in order to remain interested, fans must have a reason to care in the first place.

So if this angle does play out at Money in the Bank, a title shot should hang in the balance. All four men are capable of stepping up on the main event stage, and giving them a reason to do so will be even better.

Rusev vs. Titus O'Neil

Rusev vs. Titus O'Neil seems like a brilliant piece of booking.

On one side, there's The Bulgarian Brute, a war machine who hates America yet is the United States champion. He feels he's superior to other American athletes, and his arrogance puts him in the old-school heel frame of mind.

His gimmick is just begging for a hero to shut him up.

O'Neil is a great choice to be that hero, as this is the first opportunity he's had to work a high-profile feud. O'Neil's upside is tremendous; a guy with his size and charisma should go far in the world of WWE.

O'Neil has not been portrayed as an all-American babyface like John Cena so far, but he doesn't need to be.

The only thing he has to do is show up and bring his best every time out. Rusev is a good heel magnet for a babyface to get over with, and O'Neil is the perfect candidate to do just that. Everything about this seems positive, and O'Neil can hopefully begin moving upward thanks to this feud.

But once again, it just feels a bit off.

The live crowds are responding, but this rivalry needs something more. The good news is that what's needed is already there—WWE just needs more of it. Rusev is a good heel, but he needs to be a great heel. He doesn't necessarily need to burn the American flag on TV to get there, but he does need to voice his disdain for the country louder than he ever has.

Perhaps a flag match is in order, and at some point, Rusev throws it down on the mat. Maybe he physically assaults O'Neil in the middle of the ring and then covers him with the flag. Rusev has the ability to draw serious heat, and he needs to do that here.

This opens the door for O'Neil to find his patriotism.

Much like Apollo Creed dressed as Uncle Sam in Rocky IV, Titus could become the smiling and confident hero fans are looking for. He could get over even more than he already is by accentuating his sense of humor and personality in the ring. 

This rivalry needs some show time, and if that happens, it could become a highlight of Money in the Bank.

Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch

Becky Lynch and Charlotte have been mixing it up as of late. This feud was bound to happen again, if only because of the history these two share in WWE. 

Charlotte and Lynch joined the main roster together, and it makes sense that they would face off for the title multiple times throughout their careers. Charlotte could be done with Natalya, and Lynch has the perfect opportunity to step in and take the spot against the women's champion.

But for a good number of fans, this feud should be Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks, not Lynch.

That fact has cast a shadow over this rivalry, which is neither Superstar's fault. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.), Banks is currently sidelined with an injury. So considering WWE can't book its hottest prospect in the women's division, the company is going with Lynch, who is also a great choice.

So far, though, Dana Brooke has become a focus of this rivalry. 

This is not necessarily a bad move, as she does need the rub to get over now that she's on the main roster. But it is perhaps taking away from the spotlight being shared by Charlotte and Lynch. So if Brooke does remain in this feud, maybe it should be booked at Money in the Bank.

Nattie could also take part in this match in order to even the odds against Charlotte and Brooke.

This feud is missing some sizzle, and only Banks can provide that. If she were physically able to make an appearance on June 19, it would do nothing but boost the match.

In the meantime, the Superstars involved here just need to keep pressing forward. Brooke is doing well, but the emphasis needs to shift back to Charlotte and Lynch. The two are capable of stealing the show any time they face each other, and they need the time to prove that once again.

A Money in the Bank ladder match featuring Superstars from the women's division is something that many fans would likely love to see. This could be an option, but if it's not in the cards, WWE should at least insert both Natalya and Banks. The more excitement generated around this feud, the more likely any match booked will outperform expectations next Sunday.

Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

Roman Reigns defending his WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a pay-per-view match against Seth Rollins is something that should excite everyone.

It's a feud that must happen, and it's one that fans have been expecting from the moment Rollins betrayed his brothers in The Shield. The fact that it's for the top prize in the company is even better and fitting; the future is now for these two main event Superstars.

This should be the match that has fans pumped up about Money in the Bank.

But the match that everyone seems to be buzzing about is John Cena vs. AJ Styles. The two have become legends in their own rights, and now they will face each other for the first time in a WWE ring. Of course it's getting a lot of attention—as it should.

But Reigns vs. Rollins is for the biggest prize in the pro wrestling industry. 

The title should be the focus here, and while this may not seem like an issue because of the respect that both Cena and Styles have, it's important that Reigns and Rollins elevate their game. The belt is the most important thing in WWE, and the booking should always reflect that.

There is no doubt that Reigns and Rollins will deliver at Money in the Bank. 

But their match should continue to get the attention it deserves, and this means more video packages like the ones seen on this past Monday's Raw. Reigns was at his best as a babyface when he was part of The Shield, and Rollins is always on target as the top heel. The nostalgia that fans are feeling from all this is important to getting the match over.

Dean Ambrose's inevitable addition to this rivalry will add even more intrigue, and that's a good thing. The intrigue increases even more if Ambrose wins the Money in the Bank ladder match, as he will then have the title shot he can use at any time.

Perhaps an all-Shield main event at WrestleMania could happen after all.

WWE needs to emphasize the bad blood between Rollins and Reigns, and the intensity needs to build like never before. Maybe a massive pull-apart on Raw would heighten the interest here, with the locker room clearing out to keep both guys from killing each other in the ring.

Perhaps a surprise return by Triple H could re-emphasize the importance of this match and remind fans why it deserves as much attention as possible. 

This is a relatively easy fix, as Reigns vs. Rollins should define Money in the Bank. The work to make that happen needs to begin now.

Tom Clark can regularly be found on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.