WWE Hot Take: Why This New WWE Star Should Be Given Money in the Bank Briefcase

WWE has a Money in the Bank problem.

Over the past few years, the eventual winner of the briefcase hasn't gone on to do much. Rather than use this innovative idea to build actual stars and keep a constant feeling of randomness to every show, the briefcase has been an afterthought.

Somehow, WWE has managed to go from having Seth Rollins cash in successfully during the main event of WrestleMania 31 to Braun Strowman getting the briefcase thrown at his face by Brock Lesnar and never bringing it up again.

But one name stands out as someone who could catapult the briefcase back to relevancy: Aleister Black.

Black needs the push. He's also in a unique situation. He also happens to be a unique character with plenty of mystique, which WWE is lacking.

And it sure sounds like WWE at least realizes there is an opportunity to revive the briefcase:

Black is an opportune Superstar to seize the moment out of the blue.

After all, Black is already dangerously flirting with becoming the latest NXT call-up to become a directionless mess. He doesn't deserve it, but the recent roster shakeup did him some damage.

At first, it looked like Black was going to Raw with his tag team partner, Ricochet. WWE at least broke up the oddest pairing in recent memory by turning around and instead shipping Black to SmackDown. But all he got for an announcement a week after the Superstar Shake-up was a little video package.

The video, at least, was excellent—as per usual for Black:

But in the bigger scheme of things, Black being behind on short notice after getting juggled around and suddenly shoved out of the tag team scene could be beneficial for all. It lets the suddenness of his arrival and sweeping win of the briefcase retain the random feeling of the shows and creates a new main event contender who is a threat to steal gold at any moment.

From a character perspective, WWE needs somebody like Black the character.

There is an Undertaker-sized hole in the roster. Finn Balor only brings out The Demon rarely and doesn't even use it against an opponent like Lesnar. Black is at this sort of level constantly in a way Baron Corbin dreamed of being before going back-of-kitchen fry cook on everyone.

Black has the entrance, mic skill—if WWE wants him to use it—and in-ring repertoire to provide a refreshing jolt to the main event scene, even on SmackDown. And while it would be a little silly to see him swinging up out of his crypt with a briefcase, the RKO-like one-shot potential of his finisher means he assumes the role of scariest person on the blue brand.

And this wouldn't mean throwing Black into a program with Kofi Kingston right away. Maybe Kevin Owens wins the title. In the interim, Black can still work with other guys while lurking in the background of the title scene.

Think about Black, eventually with the title, against another lethal striker like Shinsuke Nakamura. Or maybe a long-running, quick-hitting program with Roman Reigns. Or perhaps best of all, an angle wherein he guns for Balor's Demon persona.

That last point is especially juicy. Black is the type of persona who could believably spar with The Demon, if not get a win over it, sending Balor into an interesting character loop too. If WWE wants to build stars and make the briefcase mean something, using it as a lead-in to Black taking down Balor and holding a major title is the way to do it.

WWE's track record with NXT performers lately is spotty. Its handling of the Money in the Bank briefcase is even worse. Given the moving around lately, Black is in a precarious position, to say the least.

But Black the Money in the Bank winner? That's how WWE can right a whole lot of wrongs while solidifying a new main event presence.