WWE Money in the Bank 2018 Matches: Bobby Roode and Most Likely Heel, Face Turns

Change is a constant and inevitable part of WWE. With no offseason, the company needs to freshen up the product often to keep fans engaged. Most of the time, this comes in the form of heel and face turns, pushing a character into a new place on the card.

WWE Money in the Bank on Sunday has been built as a huge show for the company, and one major way to sell its impact would be to have a few character changes along the way. And the possibilities this card provides are numerous.

The men's and women's Money in the Bank ladder matches include eight wrestlers all vying for one briefcase. This leaves many story possibilities, and the chase for the case itself is frequently used to set up dramatic heel turns alongside championship victories.

The seeds have been planted for numerous potential moves with wrestlers showing signs they might be at the end of their current runs. Moreover, there are many performers in desperate need of that switch, and it would not be much trouble to push them in a fresh direction.

These are the most likely heel and face turns that could come about at Money in the Bank, from a slow-burn start for Bobby Roode to a vicious betrayal by Natalya.

Rusev and Lana

It's pretty easy to see that fans want to cheer Rusev. "Rusev Day" chants dominate every WWE arena. It is only a matter of time before an attempt is made to fully embrace The Bulgarian Brute as a hero. Could that day be at Money in the Bank?

A ladder match is always chaotic, leading to short tenuous alliances, and it would be easy to have two wrestlers clash to set up a feud. Samoa Joe has no rivals right now, so he and Rusev butting heads could be the beginning of the latter's development.

If Rusev turns face, it is likely his wife Lana will follow suit. In fact, she could also be the cause of both performers turning. Lana getting hurt at Money in the Bank and Rusev defending her would be a way to softly build the two as a more sympathetic couple.

Before long, the pair could easily be chanting along with fans, hopefully still supported by the musical savant of WWE, Aiden English.

It would be such an easy transition that a brief hint at Money in the Bank would be all that was needed.

Sasha Banks

Credit: WWE.com

It has almost become a cliche at this point to assume Sasha Banks is turning heel.

Despite being clearly better suited for the role, Banks has spent years waiting for the trigger to be pulled. Money in the Bank will likely include a heel moment from her, but it may not be her turn.

The first few months of 2018 were a prime example of her booking. Her friendship with Bayley has been constantly strained by The Boss turning against The Hugger at every turn, particularly in major matches. However, it never seems to be enough to push Banks over the edge.

At this point, the wait has gone from long-term storytelling to bad stalling tactics. There's easy money on Raw in a Banks vs. Bayley feud with The Boss cast as the villain. It is all a matter of time and stakes. If The Boss wins the briefcase, she may again have to cheat a friend, this time Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair.

After that, it will be up to when and how Banks decides to cash in. Most have taken the short and easy route to gold, and it would be telling if she did the same, perhaps even deciding to ruin the moment of a top face such as Ronda Rousey or even Bayley.

WWE is already pushing its luck by stretching out this heel turn, but it would be all worth it if Bayley won the Raw Women's Championship again only to have Banks steal it away.

Big E (or Xavier Woods or Kofi Kingston)

The Miz has been peddling the narrative for almost a month now that The New Day will implode. With only one of the three-man team getting a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match, two members will have to watch from backstage. It's a tricky storyline to sell.

It would be easy to have the opportunity be the catalyst for New Day's demise. If Big E wins the contract, does he begin to feel entitled and selfish thanks to the new power he has? If Xavier Woods takes the spot and fails, could Big E or Kofi Kingston resent him for falling short?

The possibilities are endless, and WWE has had no shortage of opportunities to tease these possibilities. Every tag team eventually breaks up. If only one member of the trio turns heel, the tag team division would not even suffer as the other two could remain a unit.

That said, SmackDown Live needs more midcard singles stars, and New Day have the most potential to take up that spot with three potential stars all overshadowing one another. In particular, Big E has always been seen as a great prospect who needed the right spotlight.

While it may not come at Money in the Bank, time is quickly ticking away toward New Day's inevitable change in direction.

Natalya

Natalya has always been a heel in WWE. It's the gimmick that suits her better—her face runs are usually short and uneventful.

While she has recently turned face to ally with Ronda Rousey, their pairing has never been fully developed.

It feels as if WWE is just waiting to reveal Natalya was a heel all along, and her current story with the former UFC star gives her space for that turn.

In her match with Nia Jax, Natalya was injured, and it would be easy for her to blame Rousey for putting her in that situation.

The injury made many question if it was possible that The Queen of Harts could miss the Money in the Bank ladder match entirely. While she is still booked for the bout, her knee injury could cost her. This could lead to resentment boiling over into a major feud for both women.

If Natalya manages to overcome her injury and wins the case, this could set up the perfect heel turn as Rousey wins the Raw Women's Championship only to have Natalya turn on her and take the title on the same night.

The stories are easy to tell and would set up Natalya in a better spot on Raw than she is currently in, and it will also create a rivalry that will benefit all involved.

Bobby Roode

Credit: WWE.com

Anyone who has followed Bobby Roode's career, even just in NXT, knows The Glorious One has always been a better heel than face.

Roode was never meant to be a hero in WWE. The only reason he has taken up that role is because his entrance music prompts audience participation.

The veteran performer took a long time to get to WWE, following a similar path to AJ Styles as he made most of his mark in Impact Wrestling. Despite being heralded as a rookie in WWE, he's already 41. There's only so much time left to have Roode at his best.

Money in the Bank has always been the perfect moment to help stars come into their own. CM Punk and Daniel Bryan both took the briefcase and used it to effectively turn heel and raise their status in WWE.

If Roode wins the case, the current version of The Glorious One will not cut it. He won't be able to sell himself as a main-event star and Mr. Money in the Bank when he's the goofy, flashy good guy. The case should easily bring back the old-school snide heel gimmick he has mastered.

Even if Roode doesn't win the case, it is possible he gets close enough to cause him frustration, setting up a dramatic arc where he loses it and brings out his best attributes.

Nia Jax

Fans could argue Nia Jax is already a heel. Her actions in recent weeks have been murky, but she still showed compassion and respect toward anyone expect Rousey.

Often, when a face is booked against a face, one of the two have to take on the more heel persona for a time. It doesn't mean it will stick.

Jax's actions at Money in the Bank will be the decider for what she does in the future. There are many ways she could act that would instantly make fans hate her going forward. An alliance with Stephanie McMahon or an aggressive tantrum thrown after losing the match would set her path.

Something will likely get in the way of Rousey winning the Raw Women's Championship—it is too soon for her to be carrying the title. It's just a question of how the booking between these two women will decide their future direction.

It is possible someone else cheats Rousey out of her win, and Jax defends the former UFC fighter to dispel the tension between them. Honestly, this would be the easier approach to sell given The Irresistible Force so recently turned face. Turning her heel again feels like lazy writing.