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WWE Editors’ Predictions: Who will win at WWE Money in the Bank?
This Sunday’s WWE Money in the Bank pay-per-view is poised to be the most explosive ever, and you can take that to the bank. Universal Champion Seth Rollins will battle AJ Styles, Becky Two Belts with defend the SmackDown Women’s Title against Charlotte Flair and put her Raw Women’s Title on the line against Lacey Evans. Plus, the Men’s and Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Matches, WWE Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns against Elias, The Miz against Shane McMahon in a Steel Cage and much more.
To get you ready for this career-changing event, WWE.com’s editors offer their predictions for every match of the night.
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Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair (PREVIEW)
ANTHONY BENIGNO: Unpopular take: Becky loses one of her two belts this Sunday, and of the two challengers, I’m picking known quantity Charlotte to get back the title she never technically lost. Please don’t tweet me.
WINNER: CHARLOTTE FLAIR
JON CHIK: While The Man and The Queen have spent almost a year pulverizing each other in countless unforgettable matches and lambasting one another on the microphone and social media, it’s easy to forget that Charlotte hasn’t defeated Becky since earning a disqualification victory at WWE Super Show-Down in October. With The Man still boasting a chip on her shoulder so big that it can be seen from outer space – even after vanquishing her two greatest rivals at WrestleMania – nothing is going to prevent her from continuing her recent dominance with two wins in one night.
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH
RALPH BRISTOUT: With a chip (or two) on her shoulder, there’s no doubt Becky Lynch proves that no odds can stop her reign and momentum. This is the same person who won the 2019 Royal Rumble on one leg.
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH
Universal Champion Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: First time ever between two of the best ever? Yes please. As to who wins? Tough call, but with Styles still adjusting to Raw, I think Rollins eeks out the win ... at least till Round 2.
WINNER: SETH ROLLINS
CHIK: When the already-established AJ Styles defeated an unproven 19-year-old Seth Rollins in a small high school gymnasium in 2006, he had a sneaking suspicion that he hadn’t seen the last of the future Beastslayer … but Rollins knew he would once again cross paths with Styles. Rollins has had 13 years to think about getting another crack at The Phenomenal One, and as he proved when he won the 2019 Royal Rumble and conquered Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, the Universal Champion is a dangerous man when he has a long time to prepare for a big match.
WINNER: SETH ROLLINS
BRISTOUT: First of all, the true winner here is the WWE Universe. This is Seth “Freakin’” Rollins up against The Phenomenal A-J-STYLES! For the first time ever under the WWE banner, these two esteemed in-ring technicians will collide in what’s sure to be an unforgettable match. Before I mark out, though, the Superstar leaving Hartford with the top prize will most certainly be AJ Styles. After all, he already has the advantage by getting into Rollins’ head after last week’s Raw. The only thing there’s left to do now is to launch his Phenomenal victory lap.
WINNER: AJ STYLES
WWE Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Kevin Owens (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: Kofi Kingston is a saint made of pure pancakes and light, and I refuse to believe his reign will end. Not exactly hard-hitting analysis, but I’m going with my gut.
WINNER: KOFI KINGSTON
CHIK: Rocking flashy ring gear, smiling from ear to ear and feeding off the energy of the WWE Universe works for some Superstars, but Kevin Owens just isn’t one of them. After not looking like himself for a few weeks while palling around with New Day, KO got back to basics by stabbing his short-lived cohorts in the back as soon as he decided that he wasn’t benefiting from the alliance, Apron Powerbombing Xavier Woods into oblivion and carrying out multiple prolonged assaults on Kofi Kingston. If he’ll sink to such levels without anything at stake, just imagine what he’s willing to do when the WWE Title is on the line.
WINNER: KEVIN OWENS
BRISTOUT: Kevin Owens has been a persistent thorn in the side of Kofi Kingston during these last few weeks, and Sunday will be the day he gets plucked out. If you listen closely, you can hear the ring announcer declaring the aftermath of this match, “And STILL, WWE Champion… Kofi Kingston!”
WINNER: KOFI KINGSTON
Raw & SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Lacey Evans (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: A genuine show of respect to Lacey Evans for making it this far. Seriously. She’s great, and she’ll be a great champion one day. But not yet.
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH
CHIK: Lacey Evans undoubtedly has a bright future and a wrecking ball for a right hand, but her decision to do little more than strut to ringside and promptly exit during her first several weeks on the main roster may have been a sign of some hesitancy. And you simply can’t afford to hesitate when you’re about to be engulfed by Straight Fire.
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH
BRISTOUT: My stance on The Man’s championship battle with Charlotte Flair is the same here against Lacey Evans. The Sassy Southern Belle packs a mean punch, sure. But, The Man was born ready to scrap.
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH
https://imgur.com/I0WzuTL
Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: This is surprisingly tough to pick. The underdog in me is rooting for Dana Brooke; the chaos is supporting Alexa Bliss, the pragmatist says Naomi. But my heart’s going with the one woman who has surprised me every chance she’s gotten.
WINNER: BAYLEY
CHIK: Carmella proved her toughness by winning each of the first two Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Matches, and she’s also come up money in other multi-Superstar scrums, including the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal and Mixed Match Challenge Season 2. Hence, this bout seems tailor-made for Princess Mella, though she should probably save the seven-second dance break until after she seizes the contract.
WINNER: CARMELLA
BRISTOUT: 'Tis the season for Ember Moon. If her arrival on SmackDown LIVE wasn’t already an indication, allow her victory pose at the top of the ladder to be the final reminder.
WINNER: EMBER MOON
https://imgur.com/91uSITw
Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: Here, too, I could give a spiel about gritty stars destined for greatness and pull for Ali, Andrade or Ricochet. I could also back the front-runners like Finn Bálor and Drew McIntyre or the guys who’ve been there before in Randy Orton and Baron Corbin. But I’m not gonna do that. This match is about chaos, and chaos is what I choose. Let it burn. Sami Zayn wins.
WINNER: SAMI ZAYN
CHIK: There seems to be a perception that the high-flying Superstar has the advantage in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match, and while some of WWE’s more acrobatic competitors have indeed turned in a library’s worth of highly gif-able moments during the annual edge-of-your-seat melee, the bout has actually been won by a quartet of take-no-prisoners brawlers over the past four years (Braun Strowman, Baron Corbin, Dean Ambrose and Sheamus). Recent history suggests that Drew McIntyre doesn’t have to soar through the Hartford skies to achieve victory; he simply needs to do what he does better than any of his seven opponents: terminate everything in sight.
WINNER: DREW MCINTYRE
BRISTOUT: The Year of Tranquillo is still on course, and a victory in this sure-to-be highlight reel of a match will once again add to the stock of Big Match Andrade.
WINNER: ANDRADE
https://imgur.com/vuG855E
Roman Reigns vs. Elias Match (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: The story leading up to this has been Elias using some form of help to hang with The Big Dog. Theoretically it’ll be one on one this time, which favors Roman ... but we all know that ain’t how this goes down.
WINNER: ELIAS
CHIK: Roman Reigns hit the nail on the head during Raw when he claimed that you should walk with Elias when you need a karaoke performer or a wedding singer but that you ought to look to The Big Dog when you want someone to win a fight, plain and simple. Elias has incessantly crowed that he’s “The Greatest Acquisition in SmackDown History,” but the cool-as-ice Big Dog has been content to let his incredible track record speak for itself, and the Grand Slam Champion will ensure that The Living Truth is singing a different tune when the final bell rings.
WINNER: ROMAN REIGNS
BRISTOUT: Elias is going to learn a new tune this weekend, and it’ll go a little something like, “Mama, said knock you out!”
WINNER: ROMAN REIGNS
https://imgur.com/BULH9O7
The Miz vs. Shane McMahon (Steel Cage Match) (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: It’ll be tough to deliver a proper sequel to their WrestleMania car crash, and with this brutal stip in place, I’m just hoping they both make it out in one piece. But with Shane unable to run, Miz, or whatever’s left of him at the end, gets righteous retribution.
WINNER: THE MIZ
CHIK: What are the odds that Shane McMahon catches another incredibly fortunate break like the one he did at WrestleMania when an insane Superplex by The Miz resulted in The Prodigal Son (coincidentally) landing on top of The A-Lister for a three-count? Shane was barely conscious when he got the win at The Show of Shows, and a fired-up Miz is hellbent on ensuring that Shane-O-Mac is left in a similar state on Sunday … whenever The Awesome One finally grows tired of hurling his former tag team partner into the steel, that is.
WINNER: THE MIZ
BRISTOUT: My, oh my. This one will be off the wall hectic. After WrestleMania 35, The Miz hasn’t been able to seize the appropriate amount of time for exhausting his pent-up aggression toward Shane-O-Mac. That said, four steel walls will allow him the proper setting to get his much-needed retribution.
WINNER: THE MIZ
https://imgur.com/hoslBw1
United States Champion Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: I have Joe as the favorite against anything short of an artillery barrage, but this just feels like Rey’s time, doesn’t it? The Ultimate Underdog takes Old Glory and earns his well-deserved place in the Grand Slam club.
WINNER: REY MYSTERIO
CHIK: An impassioned Rey Mysterio is sure to be bounding about the ring faster than a bolt of lightning this Sunday, but Samoa Joe knows how to play his own brand of the speed game, as his nearly inescapable Coquina Clutch can be applied in the blink of an eye. Look for the challenger to stick and move in the early goings, but all it takes for Joe is one well-timed attempt at his deadly submission hold, and good luck trying to drag the United States Champion across the ring for a rope break before the lights go out.
WINNER: SAMOA JOE
BRISTOUT: Rey Mysterio may have the momentum heading into this battle, but Samoa Joe has the crown. Sunday night will be no different, as Joe is sure to prove why there’s no stopping the king. Sorry, Dominick.
WINNER: SAMOA JOE
https://imgur.com/G1JuNYL
WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese vs. Ariya Daivari (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: Listen, I beefed this one so hard at WrestleMania that I don’t think I’m remotely qualified to make a prediction on this one. Suffice it to say, I learned my lesson and should have never bet against Tony Nese in the first place. Us Tonys gotta stick together.
WINNER: TONY NESE
CHIK: When you’ve got singles victories against Buddy Murphy, Cedric Alexander, Drew Gulak and Kalisto, you’ve also got the respect and admiration of the WWE Universe, and you’re worthy of standing atop the Cruiserweight mountaintop. And you’re the clear-cut favorite against any Cruiserweight bold enough to challenge you for your title.
WINNER: TONY NESE
BRISTOUT: While Daivari poses a significant threat, I don’t foresee a scenario where The Premier Athlete leaves Hartford empty-handed.
WINNER: TONY NESE
https://imgur.com/VpW4xmp
SmackDown Tag Team Champions Daniel Bryan & Rowan vs. The Usos (Kickoff Match) (PREVIEW)
BENIGNO: This is a weird Wild Card-flavored exhibition, but oddly might be the match I’m most excited for: About five-six years ago, we put The Usos on the Money in the Bank Kickoff and they had the match of the night more or less out of spite. (EXCLUSIVE USOS INTERVIEW ) Add in two new champs with very large granola chips on their shoulders, and more than anything I predict a repeat ... and, ultimately, a new win for the fledgling titleholders.
WINNER: DANIEL BRYAN & ROWAN
CHIK: The Usos have more tag team championship reigns than Daniel Bryan & Rowan have tag team matches as partners, and even though The Planet’s Champion and the hulking behemoth got the better of Jimmy & Jey during a seesaw title fight on the blue brand, The Usos are too darn good to lose to the same relatively untested squad twice in a row.
WINNER: THE USOS
BRISTOUT: This championship clash will be a goodie. We saw the thriller they pulled off on the May 7 edition of SmackDown LIVE. On Sunday, Bryan & Rowan against The Usos will surely pick up where their last SmackDown Tag Team Title match ended. However, after hearing Bryan’s impassioned speech on starting a “Tag Team Evolution,” I must say that on Sunday, May 19, I will be casting my ballot for the planet’s reigning SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
WINNER: DANIEL BRYAN & ROWAN
