WWE Money in the Bank 2016 airs this Sunday, June 19, live on WWE Network. The show is headlined by the annual Money in the Bank ladder match, as well as a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between the current champion, Roman Reigns, and the former champion who was never defeated for the title, Seth Rollins.
Here’s the complete Money in the Bank 2016 card as we know it.
WWE Money in the Bank 2016 Card:
1. WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
2. Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro
3. Fatal Four-way for the Tag Team Championship: The New Day (c) vs. The Club vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. The Vaudevillains
4. Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Becky Lynch and Natalya
5. AJ Styles vs. John Cena
6. United States Championship Match: Rusev (c) vs. Titus O’Neil
7. Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler
8. Sheamus vs. Apollo Crews
As always, we’re here to let you know what should happen, what WILL happen, and whether or not the staff agrees. Be sure to pop down into our comments section and let us know what you think of our picks, and tell us yours. Even if you think Dolph Ziggler’s beating Baron Corbin.
Sheamus vs. Apollo Crews
What Should Happen: This is the epitome of pre-match filler, with the entire feud being based around a guy kinda saying he doesn’t like another guy in passing, and some vague stuff about “eras.” It’s also a match that could be very good in the right environment, and under the right circumstances.
What should happen here is that Sheamus should win, definitely, but Crews should fight hard and come close. It would benefit both guys. Sheamus desperately needs to look like a serious threat again, having fallen from WWE World Heavyweight Champion with a crew to “boring guy you care about second most in the second-most important pre-show match.” Crews has so little character, motivation and momentum he might as well be a cardboard cutout. Give him something, and use this extremely low-stakes, higher-than-normal profile match to do it.
What Will Happen: Sheamus takes it. Crews is an absolute non-factor. That’s in comparison to Sheamus, who is a jar of mayonnaise somebody left out in the sun for a week and a half. Both of these guys could and should be something important, but they aren’t right now, so it is what it is.
Staff Picks
Bill Hanstock – I would be shocked if Apollo Crews won this match, even though it’s absolutely the right thing to do. I think Sheamus might help Crews to the best match he’s had since signing with the company, but I expect The Celtic Warrior to get the win here.
Ross Bentley – This is a big test for Crews and a nice use of Sheamus, so hopefully the crowd gives it a shot. I think this actually could be a lot of fun and I think Crews will take it. The brand split is probably the best thing that could have happened to him as he’ll get much more of an opportunity when half the roster clears out.
Scott Heisel – When was the last time a former WWE World Champion fell this far down the card this fast? Sheamus main-evented TLC back in December; since then, he’s had zero singles matches on PPV and wasn’t even on the card for Fastlane, Payback or Extreme Rules. Like, wow. My initial instinct was to pick Apollo here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this story plays out similarly to Corbin/Ziggler in that it takes the new guy a few tries to topple a member of the old guard. (Hopefully, this feud doesn’t last nearly as long as that one.)
Joe Starr – Apollo wins, but still loses. Can’t wait for his heel turn. This dude needs a people’s eyebrow and some expensive shirts.
Justin Donaldson – I have a feeling this is going to be where they completely launch Apollo. They could even pull the reverse Daniel Bryan/Sheamus and have Crews beat Sheamus in under a minute, then do a long match with the two of them at the next pay-per-view.
Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler
What Should Happen: Corbin refuses to fight, and just takes a bunch of punishment until Dolph Ziggler bursts into tears and hugs him. Basically what I’m getting at is that WWE should do that Pikachu fight from the first Pokemon movie and never have these guys wrestle again.
What Will Happen: At this point I want Dolph to win clean, just so there’s zero possible reason for him to show up on Monday looking for another match. Corbin’s already won the feud a few times. What can he even do?
Staff Picks
Bill Hanstock – WHO EVEN CARES. Okay, fine. Ziggler wins, because what’s the point of anything anymore. Corbin has already won this feud a hundred times over, but Ziggler won’t stop pestering for a fight. Let Ziggler win a match (again) and let’s move on to anything at all.
Ross Bentley – I know it’s a joke to say “Dolph Ziggler just feuds with the same guy for six months” but seriously, this is getting ridiculous at this point. How is this still a thing? I actually feel like Ziggler will win to have it go another month, because Vince McMahon thinks it’s funny to drag this out as long as it can possibly go before both guys get booed out of the building, I guess.
Scott Heisel – Holy sh*t this is still a feud? Seeing as how the Cavs will be playing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night (keep in mind I’m writing this before Game 6 but I’m also a homer who holds Cavs season tickets), Dolph will lose early as to not miss a minute of the action in Oakland. Side note: I bet Baron Corbin really likes Atreyu and Story Of The Year.
Joe Starr – Ziggler brings his A game, having been reinvigorated by his appearance at the Tournament of Nerds at UCB over the weekend. Corbin walks and Ziggler picks up a count out win. And then teams with Fandango and Tyler Breeze? I think that would be fun. Don’t you guys think that would be fun?
Justin Donaldson – White meat babyface Baron Corbin will finally get his revenge on the dastardly heel, Dolph Ziggler, for suckering him in to a technical wrestling match only to hit him with a low blow.
United States Championship Match: Rusev (c) vs. Titus O’Neil
What Should Happen: WWE shouldn’t default to “a guy who isn’t from the United States has the United States Championship, isn’t that TERRIBLE” as their one default storyline for non-John Cena United States Champions. Rusev should win with authority, because he needs to make good on his promise to hold the United States Championship for seven years.
What Will Happen: This show’s just full of barn burners, isn’t it? Rusev retains via submission because of course he does, probably after some iffy cheating or somebody getting temporarily distracted. One of those finishes that should just be, “Rusev wins because he’s awesome.”
Staff Picks
Bill Hanstock – Rusev is gonna udrya and machka, everyone. It’s cool.
Ross Bentley – As nice as it is to see Titus get a little push here, this is Rusev all the way. There’s no way they’re taking the title off of him, and I think this is the second step (the first being beating Kalisto) in reestablishing Rusev as one of the coolest, toughest dudes on the show.
Scott Heisel – Rusev continues to crush. Tide goes in, tide goes out. Never a miscommunication. You can’t explain that.
Joe Starr – Rusev beats Titus, and then walks into the Octagon and locks Lesnar in the Accolade. I still believe you’re the future, you tank driving, spastic flag waving son of a gun.
Justin Donaldson – Titus is a sacrificial lamb, If Rusev can last as the US Champion through John Cena returning on Memorial Day, he can make it past a guy who’s just back from suspension.
AJ Styles vs. John Cena
What Should Happen: A match of the year candidate, with Cena bringing his working boots and doing that Genichiro Tenryu “crusty old veteran” thing he does sometimes. Lots of stiff lariats, a few new moves he learned when Triple H showed him some Evolve highlights on his phone, and Styles working so hard he catches on fire. I’d like to see Styles win, of course, but that comes with its own set of troubles. To explain that …
What Will Happen: The standard booking procedure for John Cena in the past few years is that he gets into a feud with someone we think has no chance to beat him. He loses that first match to them, sometimes clean, and everyone acts like it’s a huge turning point in WWE and Cena’s career. Cena immediately demands a rematch based on “manhood” or something, gets it, and wins in a way that’s a little too emasculating. They blow it off in a rubber match that Cena wins even more easily. With this first match being on a B-pay-per-view and SummerSlam right around the corner, yeah, Styles is winning and getting his brow beaten at show people are actually watching.
Staff Picks
Bill Hanstock – AJ Styles will beat John Cena in one-on-one competition, then the rematch at Battleground will be announced before his music even hits. It’s all leading to Cena winning the rubber match at SummerSlam, in a special stipulation where he faces the entire Club and all of those green ghosts from Return of the King.
Ross Bentley – Assuming this follows the standard Cena trope, Styles will take the first match clean and then Cena will win the four rematches they have afterwards. This feels almost identical to the Owens build last year except that KO didn’t have two enforcers that Cena could use against him, and he didn’t get called a b*tch 10,000 times.
Scott Heisel – The match literally no one had ever thought about happening for the past 15 years is here! And frankly, despite that bit of forced significance, I’m stoked to see these two tear it up, as Cena is never better than when against a fresh new opponent with a dazzling moveset. AJ sneaks out a victory through Club interference and the internet rejoices! Cena wins the next 17 rematches and the internet sighs heavily.
Joe Starr – AJ wins and it won’t matter in the slightest, because ‘you haven’t defeated me in the latter summer months, jack.’
Justin Donaldson – I’m going full Kevin Owens. AJ barely pulls out a clean win. Three Styles Clashes? But Cena destroys him the next two months.
Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Becky Lynch and Natalya
What Should Happen: One or more of these women should be Sasha Banks.
What Will Happen: Whoever wins, let’s hope the post-match involves Charlotte beating somebody down and Sasha Banks running out to make the save. We need Charlotte vs. Sasha at SummerSlam. Stephanie McMahon can hang on to her gear and wrestle at Night of Champions. I’ll pick the heels the win, because the face team has Natalya on it.
Staff Picks
Bill Hanstock – “The Women’s Champion’s friend has been pinned!” Nah, I think Dana and Charlotte re-establish themselves as the force to beat in the women’s division and FINALLY SPUR SASHA’S RETURN ALREADY C’MONNNNNN.
Ross Bentley – Eesh. We’re just two-and-a-half months removed from the women putting on the best match of WrestleMania and this is what we get? I really thought this was going to be a Becky-Charlotte singles feud, and adding Dana and Nattie to the mix does nothing to enhance the rivalry. Plus, hasn’t Paige pinned Charlotte twice? Where is she in all of this.
As for who wins, I think the heels will take it but honestly, who really cares.
Scott Heisel – Flairs are winners. It’s what they are; it’s what they do. That will not change here.
Joe Starr – I forgot they were on this card. Charlotte and Dana, I guess? And then Dana waves to the camera and tells me that I’m a pretty cool person.
Justin Donaldson – Charlotte and Dana will outsmart Becky and Natalya and find some way to cheat and win this one.
Fatal Four-way for the Tag Team Championship: The New Day (c) vs. The Club vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. The Vaudevillains
What Should Happen: The New Day have been tag champs for a while, and there’s no logical end point for them. The tag division is kind of a limp noodle, and there’s nobody where you’re like, “THAT’S the team who’ll be champs next.” The most popular team in contention is Enzo and Cass, and they were pretty much defined by losing important matches in NXT.
If this is all true, I say you have them drop the belts to The Club here. Anderson and Gallows are in danger of becoming nobodies, and giving them the tag straps while they accompany Styles in his quest to not get totally humiliated by John Cena will give them a goal and a sense of importance. Then you’ve got a strong heel team as champs, and you can keep building up Enzo and Cass to eventually unseat them.
What Will Happen: That, I think. A Club victory makes sense here. Worst case scenario, Cena uses it as a way to tell Styles he’s not as good as his friends.
Staff Picks
Bill Hanstock – This is a pretty tough match to call, but it’s also a terrific way to get the belts on a heel team without making The New Day actually lose them. I think The Club or The Vaudevillains could sneak out a win here, but as long as WWE doesn’t make another reference to Enzo’s concussion, we’ll all be winners.
Ross Bentley – Since this was expanded from the expected singles feud into a 4-Way, I’m going with the New Day to retain instead of putting the belts on The Club One reason is I think the company wants them to break London/Kendrick’s tag record, as they keep bringing it up on commentary. Also, having The Vaudevillans in there gives someone to eat a pin that isn’t The Club or the still-protected Enzo and Cass, so I think the #damnnumbersgame will get them a win here.
Scott Heisel – Fewer NXT callups have been more dead in the water from the jump than the Vaudevillains, so perhaps they sneak out a win here to actually earn them some heat? Nah, that’s just my brain trying to think more than it has to. My prediction: New Day will continue to rock, at least until Night Of Champions.
Joe Starr – New Day is still over, but static. I’m not sure where they go as champs from now. Enzo and Cass are better chasing, and the Villains aren’t quite ready for this. The Club makes sense to me, even though WWE is typically awful at making stables look strong. 2 Sweets all around.
Justin Donaldson – This is the hardest match to call. I could see almost any of these teams leaving with the belt. I’m going to play it safe and pick New Day because there’s been an awful lot of talk from the commentators about New Day getting close to breaking the record for longest reigning tag team champs. I think they break the record before losing the straps.
Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro
What Should Happen: Dean Ambrose wins. The Reigns/Rollins championship match ends in a schmozz, so they announce a rematch for SummerSlam. Ambrose says he wants in, cashes in his briefcase with notice like a good babyface, and we get that Shield triple threat for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship that has to happen.
What Will Happen: An Ambrose win is pretty telegraphed, so let’s say … Alberto Del Rio wins it. Yeah, that’s the ticket. And then we spend all year with Roman Reigns as Champion, and Alberto popping in to call him perro and remind him that he’s got the Money in the Bank briefcase. That would be great. But I’m not a masochist — most times — so yeah, Ambrose wins and uses the briefcase to carry around toilet paper and rubber chickens.
There’s also the notion that WWE will spring a seventh entrant on us when the match starts, which I’m still guessing would be Bray Wyatt. Wyatt as a surprise entrant who takes it would be fun, especially since he can teleport and kidnap folks without legal action being taken against him and would be the most magically dangerous MITB winner ever.
Staff Picks
Bill Hanstock – This is really all about whether Dean or Owens is going to get the briefcase, and I’m going with my heart and my gut, which both say “Kevin Owens.” MITB always works best when a heel is holding it and hell, Owens is the best heel in the company right now (non-Cool Dad division). We’re one step closer to a Kevin Owens world title run (and I’m about to break).
Ross Bentley – This has to be Dean Ambrose. I’m not a big fan of the Lunatic Fringe personally, but all signs point to him taking this and crashing the Reigns/Rollins party later in the show. Although, I would have bet my house on Sheamus not winning last year, so who knows, maybe like, Cesaro will take it to throw people off the scent.
Scott Heisel – Let’s work this one out through process of elimination: Del Rio isn’t winning this match ever, even if the other five competitors get stuck in traffic while riding the shuttle bus from the Spearmint Rhino to the arena. Cesaro is the definition of a “good hand,” so he’s out. Sami Zayn is the plucky underdog, and plucky underdogs don’t need Money In The Bank briefcases because it’s inherently kind of a heelish thing to use. Ambrose will take a Codebreaker from the top of the ladder courtesy of Angry Canadian Stepdad Chris Jericho, leaving Kevin Owens free to ascend the steps and take what is rightfully his.
Joe Starr – I never thought I’d type this, but Owens doesn’t need this. Besides, in my heart he has an odd couple tag champ run with Sami to do before he starts sniffing at the big title. This really should go to Cesaro, but I think Ambrose walks out with a briefcase to put on his hotdog cart. But the TEW player in me has a feeling that Del Rio has some title stipulations in his cushy ‘help us prove we’re not racist by coming back’ contract.
Justin Donaldson – The time feels right for Kevin Owens. If Owens doesn’t win the briefcase, what do you do with him right now? He’s been there, done that with the IC belt. Sure I’d like to see his feud with Sami continue throughout the summer, but if that’s the only thing he has going on, it doesn’t really feel like forward momentum. I think Sami’s going to have the briefcase within his reach, and Owens is going to steal it away from him. Then the rest of the year is Zayn trying to stop Owens’ cash-ins.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
What Should Happen: Seth should Curb Stomp Roman and pin him clean. Also, monkeys should fly out of my butt.
What Will Happen: This is where Triple H returns and Pedigrees both dudes to set up a match for SummerSlam, right? Aside from an Ambrose cash-in on the same night, that’s all I can picture. Or, if you want the best possible fantasy booking, you have Ambrose win, have Triple H show up and Pedigree both dudes, THEN have Ambrose cash in and pin Roman to become the new champ. Then you’ve got sell-out Corporate Ambrose, Roman Reigns with an actual emotional grudge, and Seth Rollins as a tweener forced to realize how bad it feels when someone who used to call you brother opportunistically steals your title opportunity. Money.
Staff Picks
Bill Hanstock – I don’t think there’s any way Roman loses the title before SummerSlam, because if you’re going to stick with a plan, you’ve gotta stick with it. I believe Roman retains by the skin of his teeth, then the MITB winner teases cashing in, but gets waylaid or circumvented and the evening ends without a world title change.
Ross Bentley – I don’t this will have a clean finish, so I’m predicting either a double count-out or a Rollins disqualification. Based on my prediction of Ambrose taking Money in the Bank, I’m guessing he’ll get involved somehow in the post-match, and this will lead to him cashing in ahead of SummerSlam to make the Shield Triple Threat. I know WWE probably wants to save that for WrestleMania, but as they learned last year, sometimes it’s best just to pull the trigger while you can, so I think that’s where this story is heading.
Scott Heisel – Seth’s episode of WWE 24 had heart, but Roman’s episode had football in the groin — that is to say, no matter how much time has been spent outside the confines of Raw making Rollins look like a sympathetic babyface, the writers’ room clearly hasn’t gotten the memo, as he’s headed into this match as chickensh*t heel as ever. I wish/hope/pray for the belt to return around his waist, but if the rumors are true and Roman’s already slated to face Bork at SummerSlam, there’s no way he drops the title here. And no, there won’t be a cash-in, no matter who wins the briefcase.
Joe Starr – How I am bored by the Shield feuding over the World Championship? The company should be building around these three for years to come and creative just shoots them dead at every turn. This goes no contest. Maybe Reigns hits Rollins with a Superman Punch while being pedigreed and they’re both KOed. In runs Dean with the briefcase, wins the title, and there’s a potted plant gimmicked triple threat at Summerslam. What is happening.
Justin Donaldson – Spear. One two three. Reigns.
