This Sunday at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, the fifth annual WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view will take place. The show will feature two ladder matches — one for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the other for the traditional briefcase, which represents the ability to cash-in and get a shot at the title at any time of your choosing.
On Monday, I wrote an editorial called “Who Leaves Money In The Bank As WWE World Heavyweight Champion?” where I analyzed the possibility of each of the (at the time) seven competitors who will be vying for the vacant title. Today, we are going to take a look at the second Money In The Bank ladder match, where a briefcase that represents a future title shot will be on the line.
In this detailed look at Sunday’s semi-main event, I will break down each individual participant involved in the match and look at their chances of winning. It should be pointed out that there’s a big difference between what I think should happen as opposed to what I expect to happen. In the following space, we are going to take a look at what I expect from the second Money In The Bank ladder match and why.
With that said, let’s take a look at the seven competitors that will be battling for the briefcase this Sunday night in Boston.
#1. Seth Rollins
Much like the piece I wrote yesterday, there are really only two-or-three real options in this match, in my opinion. The rest of the guys are simply there because the match has traditionally featured seven or eight guys.
I would say the obvious choice for the second Money In The Bank ladder match is Seth Rollins. Out of the seven competitors scheduled for this match, outside of Dean Ambrose, he is the only guy in a position to ever legitimately challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
I’ll explain why in more detail when I get to each specific participant scheduled for the bout, but as things stand right now, I’d have to put my money on Rollins.
#2. Dean Ambrose
If Rollins doesn’t walk away with the briefcase on Sunday night, the other odds on favorite to walk away as the winner is Dean Ambrose.
Since The Shield have broken up, Ambrose has been portraying a “loose cannon” type of character, one that has revenge on his mind. Because of that, it seems to me that it’s more important for Ambrose to hurt Rollins, and/or cost him the briefcase by doing whatever it takes.
More on that coming up next.
#3. Dolph Ziggler
While most would probably think that Dolph Ziggler has no chance in hell at walking out of the TD Garden on Sunday night with some extra luggage to bring with him to the Boston airport, I think there’s actually a chance he pulls off the upset.
To me, there’s a strong chance that Rollins and Ambrose cancel each other out. Basically, they angle their way out of this match, leaving the rest of the guys as those you would have to pick from as far as predicting a winner. If Ambrose and Rollins are viciously fighting among themselves, it allows someone else to grab the briefcase, with the fallout after the event being the beginning of a legitimate one-on-one program between the former Shield members, something that I still can’t believe WWE didn’t do when breaking up the popular faction.
With that being said, Ziggler is my own personal choice as the most likely candidate to win if they go the Rollins-Ambrose angle route. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that if he himself thinks that, that someone else might have some “Bad News” for him.
#4. Bad News Barrett
My memory is god awful. So feel free to correct me in the “Comments” section below if I’m wrong. Has anyone ever held the Money In The Bank briefcase and a championship at the same time? If not, that’s the key reason why I think Ziggler has a better chance than Barrett if WWE goes the Rollins-Ambrose angle route.
I can’t see them putting the briefcase on a guy who’s already got a title. Then again, it’s great bragging rights for a heel, which Barrett is at the moment (even though the fans are going to eventually turn him baby face, in my opinion) so in that regard it actually works out perfect. Either way, I personally don’t expect that to happen.
#5. Rob Van Dam
And now we’re down to the bottom three, none of whom I feel have any real shot at winning this thing. While Van Dam certainly is deserving of such a victory, especially in a ladder match where he could shine, the mere fact that he’s one of the “part-timers” in the company, I can’t see him winning this one.
I personally doubt WWE would invest what is usually a nearly year-long run as the person who holds the Money In The Bank briefcase on a guy who is only around in spurts.
#6. Jack Swagger
While he has won a Money In The Bank match in the past, a fact that seems crazy in hindsight considering his position on the card these days, I don’t feel that the last remaining “Real American” is walking out of Boston, Massachusetts on Sunday night with a guaranteed future WWE World Heavyweight Championship title shot.
On top of that, because of the fact that he fumbled around when trying to unhook the briefcase in the past when he did win, I could definitely see WWE never letting him win another ladder match for the rest of his career as a result. It sounds crazy I’m sure, but WWE has been known to be that petty in the past on many occasions.
#7. Kofi Kingston
Does anyone honestly think Kofi Kingston has a chance in hell at winning this Sunday night on pay-per-view? I don’t.
To me, it’s pretty clear that Kingston is in this match because it’s a ladder match and he’s the perfect type of in-ring performer for such a contest. He’s the perfect guy to do cool, unbelievable spots in battle royals and ladder matches, and I think that is about the only reason he was booked in this one.
Who do you guys expect to win the briefcase at this Sunday’s WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view? Let us know by posting your feedback in the “Comments” section below. Additionally, you can do this guy a favor and add me as a friend on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR and/or follow me on Twitter @MBoone420.
