Ian: Money In The Bank 2020 is a pivotal show on the WWE calendar. It provides a tremendous launching pad for the contest winners. And this Sunday, May 10th, will see the WWE’s first PPV since the two night Wrestlemania extravaganza of April 5/6th.
While ladder matches are perilous by their very nature, it is said about MITB that the risk is worth the reward. Those who have captured the contract have an 82% rate in successfully ascending to championship status.
New added twists to this year’s event. Firstly, we the good citizens of the WWE Universe will leave the friendly confines of Orlando’s Performance Center and travel North to Stamford Connecticut. Our ultimate destination being WWE headquarters, the revered edifice known as Titan Towers.
As for the Money In The Bank 2020 matches, they will begin on the ground floor of the building and culminate on the roof of the structure. Stops will be made on every floor in between. Those who enjoy ransacking will not be disappointed at all. Devon, get the conference room tables!
Moreover, both the men’s and women’s matches will be held simultaneously.
We should hence witness the edge of your seat fast and furious action. On that note, look forward as well to a dose of cinematic effects. We get the feeling that this show will have an action thriller feel to it. Bruce Willis would feel very much at home.
Brandon: It is time for Money in the Bank! I’m not going to lie, I almost forgot Money in the Bank was this week. It can be difficult at times to watch the string of empty arena shows. It is also difficult to know what day of the week it is in this pandemic in general. But the idea of the two Money in the Bank matches occurring at WWE headquarters at the same time will be fascinating, to say the least.
SmackDown Women’s Championship
Bayley (c) vs Tamina
Ian: Bayley will defend her SD Woman’s title against the dangerous Tamina at Money In The Bank 2020. She has held the championship for roughly 200 days and has benefitted from the complicity of Sasha Banks, her close friend, and fellow role model.
Tamina, who was absent for ages, returned in time for WrestleMania. She has been on a roll since her return. She defeated Sasha Banks to earn her title shot after Bayley’s interference cost Banks the decision. Tamina then took out the champion with a perfectly executed Superkick.
I firmly believe the medium to long term plan is to develop a Bayley vs Sasha feud with the division’s top prize on the line. Tamina’s educated feet will have an impact but I predict Bayley to walk away with a tainted victory.
Brandon: It is amazing to think that Tamina has been on the WWE roster for ten years now. It seems injury and luck has limited her chances at any Women’s Championship matches.
They built her up pretty well in recent weeks on Smackdown. She defeated Sasha Banks to earn this title shot at Money in the Bank. She has also been doing some of her best work on social media to hype this match. It doesn’t seem likely that Tamina will win since Bayley’s reign seems to be setting up a future feud with her best friend Sasha Banks.
WWE Championship
Drew McIntyre (c) vs Seth Rollins
Ian: Seth Rollins knows the benefits of winning the MITB match as a portal to winning a title. The Monday Night Messiah has a clearer path this Sunday. He is set to take on Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship. No one has had a better 2020 up to now than the Scottish Psychopath. After winning the Royal Rumble, McIntyre knocked off Brock Lesnar in less than 3 minutes on the second night of Wrestlemania.
It appears clear that McIntyre was not chosen to be a transitional champion. The Claymore should bear fruit over the weekend. Rollins should put up a valiant fight while coming up short. His star is very much shining as a disturbing heel.
Money in the Bank 2020, where Rollins prominence should not be diminished even with a loss.
Brandon: Drew McIntyre has been on quite a roll since winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. It is nice to see him portrayed in such a dominant fashion in 2020. It is a shame that he doesn’t have a live crowd to enjoy his great push to the top.
Seth Rollins has been a great heel as the “Monday Night Messiah”. He attacked Drew McIntyre on a recent Raw. This led Drew McIntyre to put his title on the line at Money in the Bank. Seth has been quick to bring up the similarities in their respective careers. I have a feeling this is the beginning of a long feud between the two.
Women’s Money In The Bank 2020 Ladder Match
Carmella vs Asuka vs Lacey Evans vs Dana Brooke vs Nia Jax vs Shayna Baszler
Ian: Shifting gears to the Women’s Money In The Bank 2020 match, the six participants are as follows: Dana Brooke, Carmella, Shayna Baszler, Asuka, Lacey Evans, and Nia Jax. Not an easy match to call. Shayna Baszler or Lacey Evans would seem to stand out in this field. On the subject of Evans, there is the heat between her and Bayley but Sasha Banks is in Lacey’s sight. Evans once again is headed upwards push wise.
Shayna Baszler has looked frighteningly good in her tune-up matches. She has yet to turn things around when it counts under her loss to Rhea Ripley. Nia Jax has the potential to surprise as well. We often see Superstars pushed and rewarded after long stints on the shelf.
Always fun to hypothesize before a show of this nature.
Brandon: The two Money in the Bank matches are the reason to watch this Sunday. You have to give the WWE credit for making some unique matches during these pandemic times. The idea of using the entire WWE corporate headquarters to reach the briefcase at the very top of the building is crazy sounding. I am hoping for these matches to be filmed just like the Boneyard Match from WrestleMania. I hope they are as fun as that too.
The Women’s match seemed to have some clear favorites. Nia Jax has recently made her return dominantly. Asuka has been the clear MVP of the Pandemic with many entertaining moments. Shayna Baszler still seems like the odds on favorite with unfinished business with Becky Lynch. It would seem, Lacey Evans, Carmella, and Dana Brooke are afterthoughts to win but in this crazy format, anything is possible.
Universal Championship
Braun Strowman (c) vs Bray Wyatt
Ian: After re-visiting his Black Sheep history with Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman will defend his Universal Championship against his one-time taskmaster. Contrary to Drew McIntyre, Strowman has had a very light schedule since Mania. He hasn’t competed on Smackdown since prior to Hell in a Cell while making regular appearances for promos and vignettes.
His triumph over Goldberg at Wrestlemania lasted just for a Wrestlemania moment. I don’t anticipate Braun falling due to ring rust. He seems to be packaged as invincible, for now at least anyways. I expect a legitimate, tightly contested, and very hard-hitting encounter here.
Lots of serious bumps in perspective. The challenger will carry the action but take one power slam too many. Why make Strowman champion only to drop the title in his first post WM match? While having an enjoyable run, Wyatt doesn’t NEED the belt.
Braun Strowman would be forever reduced to Shorty G status with even a tainted loss. The belt will not change hands here.
Brandon: It was one of the biggest shocks of WrestleMania to see last-minute replacement Braun Strowman defeat Goldberg to win the WWE Universal Championship in a very convincing fashion. His first challenger for his title makes a lot of sense, Bray Wyatt. The history of the match writes itself.
Bray Wyatt has naturally brought up the fact that he brought Braun Strowman into the WWE as part of the Wyatt Family. The Black Sheep Mask has made an appearance as well. The strangest part of Sunday’s match is it will be Bray Wyatt and not “The Fiend”. That is a strange decision for sure. It certainly allows the possibility of Braun retaining going up significantly.
Money In The Bank 2020
SmackDown Tag Team Championship
Fatal Four Way
The New Day (c) vs The Miz & John Morrison vs The Forgotten Sons vs Lucha House Party
Ian: The SmackDown Tag Team Championship will be defended in a four-way dance. Eight-time champions, The New Day will face off against The Miz & John Morrison, Lucha House Party, and the new kids on the block – The Forgotten Sons. The latter unit comprised of three ex-Marines has been turning a lot of heads on SmackDown. While their NXT run fell short, they are thriving under the Friday night lights.
The Sons pulled off a clean victory over The New Day last Friday night. This after initiating a pier 6 brawl two weeks ago involving the very same quartet as will appear in Stamford.
Considering The New Day reconquered their straps less than a month ago, logic would go against seeing them drop their titles so soon. The Forgotten Sons are going to remain major players on the tag team scene.
Look for them to suffer an honorable defeat while continuing to feud with the purveyors of positivity.
The Lucha House Party upset Miz and Morrison two weeks ago on SmackDown. With Jey Uso on the shelf with a knee injury, Lucha House Party will be well placed to participate in a storyline involving the ex-champions, the Miz and Morrison, hey hey, ho, ho.
Brandon: The New Day won the Tag Team Championship on a recent Smackdown in a Triple Threat match that had Big E, Jey Uso, and The Miz. With the Usos out of the picture with injuries for the foreseeable future, it seemed like a good time to bring some fresh teams into the very limited tag team picture. But the WWE Smackdown Tag Division is quite thin.
The outcome of the match seems quite unpredictable on paper. While The New Day has just recently won the Smackdown Tag Team Titles, the WWE seems to have no issue moving the tag titles around in a hurry. Will we have an unexpected winner on Sunday?
Men’s Money In The Bank 2020 Ladder Match
Rey Mysterio vs King Corbin vs Aleister Black vs Daniel Bryan vs Otis vs AJ Styles
Ian: Very intriguing possibilities arise out of the Men’s MITB showdown. The participants being Daniel Bryan, King Corbin, Aleister Black, Otis, Rey Mysterio, and the phenomenally exhumed AJ Styles. The latter having won the last chance last spot gauntlet match on Raw this past week. Here’s how I break the contest down. Mysterio, Bryan, and Styles are all very worthy potential champions but appear to be less “here and now” than the other half of the field.
King Corbin could pull this off but not for the best reasons. Corbin comes off as more bothersome than hated. That is not the kind of competitor people clamor to see. A tainted win with a championship opportunity could possibly see the King become more vilified and hence noteworthy.
Money In The Bank though is more about making careers as opposed to affording second chances. That, of course, brings Otis and Aleister Black into the equation. Black is an elite level competitor.
At Money in the Bank 2020, he is main event ready and good enough to push in a title program.
Otis has been the revelation of the year to date. His Valentine’s Day fiasco made him into a loveable loser type which garnered him a ton of support and attention. The man is also an outstanding wrestler. His cardio and speed are impressive, his technical wrestling top notch and he can take a bump with the best in the game, he’s definitely on the rise. While his future is as bright as the lights on the Las Vegas strip, I feel that after a methodical build-up, this should be Aleister Black’s moment. No better way to celebrate a championship match than with a Black Mass.
Brandon: I am going to call it. Someone if falling off the roof of WWE Corporate Headquarters. My guess is it is AJ Styles.
The matches is filled with competitors with interesting stories heading into the match.
Aleister Black seems like a favorite and would open up a realm of possibilities in the World Title picture. AJ Styles, returning from the dead, would regain some momentum from the Undertaker loss. Rey Mysterio would cap off his career with one of the few things missing from his Hall of Fame resume. Otis has been entertaining and should do some fun things in this match. Daniel Bryan needs a win to get back into the title picture. King Corbin would simply irritate people. That might be a good enough reason as any. It will be fun to watch the chaos of the two Money in the Bank matches.
Ian: Of course one can speculate until the 12th of never. While there is a great deal of uncertainty as to how Sunday’s card will go, I look forward to a suspenseful, groundbreaking, and action-packed three+ hours of entertainment. Trails will be blazed on many fronts as plot lines will be set for the next several months. Not a show you’d want to miss.
