Money in the Bank Ladder Match: The Good, Bad and Ugly of Current WWE Feud

The 2016 Money in the Bank ladder match has all the right components—just not the right execution.

When WWE chose Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Dean Ambrose, Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio as the entrants in the annual battle to become Mr. Money in the Bank, it was hard not to get excited. The blend of the old and new guard was just right.

Moving from conception to the actual clash has seen the company misstep several times, though.

A six-man feud with explosive potential has, for the most part, been underwhelming. WWE Creative has seemingly been on cruise control en route to the Money in the Bank pay-per-view.

Yes, this crowded rivalry has seen quality bouts, including Zayn vs. Cesaro on Monday's Raw, but this has been a so-so narrative overall. It's looking more and more like the match itself will blow all the buildup out of the water. 

The Good

The Money in the Bank ladder match field is nearly perfect.

It's a smart blend of new blood and established veterans—of underdogs and powerhouses. Of the six men in the bout, four of them have never won a world title. Chances are that fans will see an emerging star take home the briefcase.

And it's hard to pick a favorite heading into the pay-per-view.

Kevin Owens is a logical choice as the winner. But so is Dean Ambrose, especially with his ties to The Shield and the potential for a Triple Threat match between him, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Cesaro winning wouldn't be a shocker at this point, either.

WWE never adding Bray Wyatt to the mix is baffling, though.

Perhaps the company is saving him for something else or is being cautious with his return from injury. Either way, the ladder match is fine without him.

The build to the ladder match began in strong fashion. WWE had each man earn his way in via a series of qualifying matches.

That added high stakes to Raw's lineup that night and made entry into the match more of a prestigious achievement. Each man started off this story with some momentum to his name.

Zayn vs. Cesaro on Monday night was excellent. Other preliminary contests between wrestlers in the ladder match field have been solid. Electricity beyond that has been lacking.

The Bad

A lack of creativity has hurt what could have been a six-way rivalry for the ages.

WWE has gone to the same play too often. After a match against Kevin Owens, Dean Ambrose climbed a ladder and tried to pull down the Money in the Bank briefcase. Chris Jericho did the same thing after facing Ambrose on Monday's Raw.

This is meant to act as a preview of what could happen at the pay-per-view. It just comes off as booking-by-numbers.

Where is the intensity and personal animosity that this build should have? WWE hasn't taken advantage of pre-existing feuds such as Sami Zayn vs. Owens. Instead, the company has chosen to hit the audience over the head with images of ladders.

The Money in the Bank match field starting off Raw on June 6 by all standing on ladders with mics at the ready like a scene from a musical is one of the worst segments the show has had in recent memory. Rather than moments like that, this story should have featured something more powerful—something to increase the bad blood between these men.

The Ugly

Having Sami Zayn, Alberto Del Rio and the rest of the Money in the Bank ladder match field face off against each other before Sunday's pay-per-view is fine. Doing so in such repetitive fashion is the easiest way to deflate the narrative's momentum.

Since the qualifying matches on May 23, Dean Ambrose has faced Chris Jericho twice in singles action despite the two of them having just feuded for two PPVS, per CageMatch.net. Ambrose was also part of three tag team matches involving his fellow Money in the Bank entrants.

Nobody has beaten up on low-rung stars to prepare for the ladder match. Nobody has gone on a winning streak to establish himself as the man to beat in the upcoming bout.

In the short time between Extreme Rules and Money in the Bank, there has instead been a cycle of similar warm-up clashes.

Projections

When the chaos of the ladder match is over, new rivalries will emerge from the rubble. 

Sami Zayn and Cesaro will both be in need of storylines if they don't have the Money in the Bank briefcase in hand. Building on contentious moments during the bout, Zayn feuding with Alberto Del Rio and Cesaro clashing with Chris Jericho makes a ton of sense.

Count on WWE pitting those rising stars against the marquee names in an effort to further usher in its New Era.

And expect the ladder match to be the means to launch Kevin Owens into the stratosphere. Since arriving from NXT, he has been one of WWE's most reliable and compelling performers. As Kenny Herzog wrote for Rolling Stone in 2015, Owens "has not only stared down his potential but surpassed it."

It's time to exploit that and give him the briefcase that has so often been the bridge to a world championship reign and all the added momentum that comes with that. Money in the Bank will be Owens' time.

WWE hasn't gotten the road to the pay-per-view ladder match right, but it will nail the winner.