2016 WWE Money in the Bank: Best Possible Finish for Each Match
As WWE Money in the Bank 2016 looms large on Sunday, fan anticipation is at an all-time high for what could be one of the greatest events in recent memory. WWE has spent several weeks touting the pending pay-per-view as a historic night for the ages, and with what is on tap, it should not disappoint.
The star-studded lineup has drawn comparisons to the 2011 installment, which was regarded as a near-perfect pay-per-view for all that it had to offer. From Daniel Bryan becoming Mr. Money in the Bank to CM Punk leaving Chicago with the WWE Championship, it felt as if there was a changing of the guard in WWE.
Moreover, this year's installment has the potential to match, if not top, that show. Multiple matches are WrestleMania-worthy, and the build to the blockbuster event has been nothing short of spectacular.
But the only way Money in the Bank will live up to the hype is if it is booked properly. Every outcome will be crucial to determining the show's success and how the stage will be set for WWE's already scintillating summer season.
From Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin on the pre-show to WWE world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins in the main event, let's look at the best possible finish to each match.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin (Kickoff Match)
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With his vicious attack on Dolph Ziggler the night after WrestleMania 32, Baron Corbin intended to make a major statement that he meant business in WWE. But in the months that have followed, The Showoff has proved he isn't one to be taken lightly.
Their upcoming encounter on the Money in the Bank pre-show will mark the sixth time they have gone one-on-one since their initial outing. Sadly, the feud feels like it will never end, and it's unknown whether this will be the culmination of their rivalry.
That said, it should be, as it has overstayed its welcome. Having traded victories in the past few months, neither guy has benefited from the program thus far, but a definitive victory at Money in the Bank could at least get one of them back on the right track.
Corbin has plenty more to lose than Ziggler, who has been in the same stagnant spot for years. At this stage of his career, Ziggler should serve as an enhancement talent to the up-and-coming athletes, as he has already seemingly passed his peak.
Unlike at Extreme Rules, however, Corbin can't emerge victorious through nefarious means (i.e. a low blow). He must soundly defeat Ziggler in clean fashion for the sake of establishing credibility as a solo star.
Apollo Crews vs. Sheamus (Kickoff Match)
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From his natural charisma to his exceptional athleticism, Apollo Crews has all the necessary tools to be a breakout star in WWE. However, a lack of creative direction has prevented him from getting to the next level.
Even this program with Sheamus has fallen flat due to neither man receiving consistent television time. A majority of fans likely didn't realize they were feuding prior to their encounter on this past week's edition of Raw, so the bout is where it belongs on the pre-show.
Despite not having much storyline support, these two can exceed expectations by contesting a competent match, which they are capable of. Furthermore, a win over the former WWE world heavyweight champion could help Crews build the momentum he needs to journey higher up the card.
Similar to Dolph Ziggler, Sheamus has reached a point where there is little left for him to accomplish. Thus, he would gain nothing by beating a fresh face such as Crews and would render the former independent star as irrelevant as he currently is.
The Celtic Warrior has been in the news quite a bit as of late for his notable role in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, so it wouldn't be a total shocker for WWE to want to capitalize off that by giving him a win here. But a Crews victory is academic if officials are adamant about him fulfilling his unlimited potential.
Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Natalya and Becky Lynch
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The WWE Women's Championship scene couldn't have been hotter following the tremendous Triple Threat match between Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 32. But the division has seemingly been in a holding pattern ever since.
As a result of WWE waiting until SummerSlam to deliver on the long-awaited Charlotte vs. Banks championship clash, the title picture has grown stagnant, with Charlotte and Natalya engaging in a mediocre feud. While their matches weren't awful, they lacked the same spark that Charlotte's previous title defenses had.
Money in the Bank is no different, as the title won't even be up for grabs in a tag team match pitting Charlotte and Dana Brooke against Natalya and Becky Lynch. With nothing on the line, viewers have little reason to invest in who wins.
WWE teased tension between Charlotte and Brooke out of nowhere on Monday's Raw, only weeks removed from Charlotte cutting ties with her father, Ric Flair. This will likely lead to Brooke breaking off on her own and setting her sights on her mentor's title.
Although the outcome is meaningless, it's safe to assume WWE is building to a Fatal 4-Way of some kind with these women. Thus, it would make sense for Natalya to score the big win she's been working toward for months and earn herself another shot at the strap.
Rusev vs. Titus O'Neil (United States Championship)
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Following a less-than-stellar run with The League of Nations, Rusev has returned to prominence in WWE as United States champion. He decimated Kalisto at Extreme Rules to kick off his second stint with the star-spangled prize and has been nothing but dominant in the weeks that have followed.
Meanwhile, Titus O'Neil has had a fairly turbulent 2016, starting the year with a 60-day suspension and working his way back up the card to U.S. title contention. However, he did nothing to deserve a shot at the strap; he merely stood up to Rusev and was granted the golden opportunity by the powers that be.
With enough character development, O'Neil can be a solid midcard player at some point, but he has yet to do anything of significance as a singles star. He should remain in chase mode awhile longer, which would allow fans to get behind him and want to see the former Prime Time Player unseat The Bulgarian Brute as champion.
There is the possibility WWE rushes into a title change Sunday, given Money in the Bank falls on Father's Day, and with O'Neil prominently featured in several Father's Day ads, it would make for a feel-good story if he captured the strap.
As previously mentioned, the timing just is not right for O'Neil to overcome Rusev, but perhaps by SummerSlam he will be ready to take the title. For now, Rusev should barely beat O'Neil in their first pay-per-view meeting and resort to underhanded tactics in order to retain his title.
Fatal 4-Way WWE Tag Team Championship Match
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For a division that was once depleted, WWE has done an exceptional job of ushering in a tag team renaissance in recent months. Better yet, the entire field for the Fatal 4-Way WWE Tag Team Championship match consists of fresh faces.
As long as The New Day has held the belts, there has always been a sense of unpredictability surrounding its title defenses, including at Money in the Bank. It isn't a foregone conclusion the trio will retain their titles despite being one month away from breaking the record for longest-reigning champs in WWE history.
Every other tandem in the match has been impressive as of late as well, with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson decimating the competition, Enzo Amore and Big Cass winning over the WWE Universe and The Vaudevillians managing to exceed expectations in terms of how they would fare on the main roster.
The New Day has had such a stellar reign as champs that it deserves to break the record, and thus, it should maintain its possession of the bronze belts for another month. It can beat a member of The Vaudevillians so the other two tandems are protected in defeat.
This will be New Day's toughest challenge to date, but as it has done time and time again, it will overcome the odds and emerge victorious. A feud with The Club would be the next step to take with The New Day before transitioning into what could be a fantastic rivalry with Enzo and Cass.
Money in the Bank Ladder Match
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For the first time in years, every combatant in the Money in the Bank ladder match has an equal chance of capturing the contract. Without an obvious outcome, predicting a potential winner is that much more challenging—but still exciting.
All six Superstars have staked their claim of the contract over the past month, but no one individual has been able to solidify himself as the fan favorite to win the whole thing. Even Alberto Del Rio, the only man in the match to have been Mr. Money in the Bank before, could walk out with the briefcase in tow.
With that in mind, fans should be satisfied regardless of who wins. As much as Kevin Owens could use the contract as a launching pad to the main event scene, a variety of stories can be told with Dean Ambrose as Mr. Money in the Bank.
Ambrose hinted at the possibility on Monday's Raw of winning the ladder match, only to cash in the contract later that night against either one of his former Shield stablemates, Roman Reigns or Seth Rollins, for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Again, any of these excellent athletes reigning supreme would make for a fantastic finish, but Ambrose emerging victorious creates the best story heading into the Money in the Bank main event. It could also set up the long-awaited Shield Triple Threat match for SummerSlam.
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
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The success of Money in the Bank will depend on how John Cena vs. AJ Styles concludes and if it will live up to the hype.
Of course, there was skepticism regarding the two meeting in their first match so soon after the feud commenced, but its addition to the Money in the Bank card has solidified the show's status as being WrestleMania-worthy. How it plays out is merely icing on the cake.
Styles has lost four of the five pay-per-view matches he has had since coming to WWE, so needless to say, he is in need of a major victory at this point in time. He wouldn't be "buried" if he was on the losing end of his encounter with Cena, but a victory would catapult him to a level of superstardom.
The contract Styles signed on Monday's Raw ensured there would be no interference from The Club, but it might still find a way to make its presence felt. Styles winning via help from Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson would be acceptable, but it wouldn't be the best way to cement Styles as a star.
Either way, it's apparent this will be only the first of many meetings they will have this summer. But in order for casual viewers to take The Phenomenal One as a threat to Cena, he must defeat his nemesis as cleanly as possible at Money in the Bank.
Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
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If the reactions he has been receiving since WrestleMania 32 have been any indication, Roman Reigns isn't the ultra babyface WWE wants him to be. That isn't to say he can't be one in time, but his Money in the Bank opponent Seth Rollins has been ready to fill that void since his shocking return at Extreme Rules.
A Reigns heel turn likely won't be in the cards anytime soon, but it wouldn't be out of the question for Rollins to experience a character shift sooner rather than later. With the inevitability of Rollins vs. Triple H, it would be wise for "The Man" to begin his highly anticipated face turn on Sunday.
As I expressed in an article several weeks ago, it would be in WWE's best interest to execute a double turn with the former Shield stablemates at Money in the Bank. Either way, Reigns should walk out with the title intact in order to keep the rivalry alive awhile longer.
The longer Rollins remains in chase mode, the more fans will want to get behind him, which will cement his eventual face status in the process. That said, at Money in the Bank, he shouldn't not be beaten as decisively as AJ Styles was so that he can maintain his momentum.
Obviously, Rollins regaining the gold at the event is what a majority of fans would want to see, but it is too early to rush into the title change. Instead, Reigns should cheat to retain his title, which would set his much-needed heel run into motion.
While it isn't the likeliest outcome, it is indeed the best possible finish to their championship clash.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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