WWE Money In The Bank preview

WWE has 3 title matches and 2 multi-man ladder matches on the card tonight, plus a big grudge match between two of the largest superstars on the planet. Read on for how I'd book the show.

Firstly, Vince McMahon should be shown backstage at the event. The WWE Title could be leaving the company, or he could be firing John Cena, so it should be a big enough event for him to attend.

When he shows up to the event, he should be all business. We should be able to tell just by looking at him that anyone who crosses him tonight would either be very brave or very stupid. Everyone keeps their distance except for one superstar who's looking for a match tonight: JTG. JTG stops Vince and goes on about how he's the best Pro in NXT history, so why doesn't he have a match tonight? He could even talk about how he's "money in the bank" and all that stuff. Vince isn't in any mood to be interrupted, especially by someone as low on the totem pole as JTG. But, seeing another superstar walking by, he decides to give JTG a match. JTG's happy about this until Vince names his opponent: Ezekiel Jackson. Big Zeke smiles at JTG, who's less than pleased with who he has to face.

When they do have their match, JTG tries to beg him off and says that they don't have to go through with the match, etc., but Zeke doesn't listen. A somewhat quick match goes the champion's way. This match is to fill some time because there are only 6 matches on the card. It also helps Zeke's credibility without him going over someone on the Smackdown roster (which is pretty thin).

As for the announced matches, Kelly Kelly retains against Brie Bella. Nikki tries to interfere, but is stopped by Eve. The Bellas are upset that they didn't get the title back, and demand a rematch on Raw. The Raw GM says that it's time for a new #1 Contender, and makes Eve vs. Melina to see who faces Kelly next. The Bellas get involved in this to make it a no-contest. The next week, the GM says that because of that, both Eve and Melina get to face Kelly in a triple threat. The GM would know that they'd want to interfere there, too, so he gives Brie an opportunity to qualify on her own, against Gail Kim. Nikki trips Gail up for a win for Brie, and Nikki faces Gail on either Superstars or Raw at some point for Gail to get her revenge. This all leads to a 6-Pack Challenge for the Divas' Title at Summerslam. The other Bella can't interfere if they're both already in the match!

Kofi Kingston wins the Raw Money In The Bank match. Alberto Del Rio is upset over this backstage, loudly complaining that he "shouldn't have even had to compete in the match" due to his #1 Contendership match win a few weeks back.

For the Smackdown MITB match, things get a little more complicated. Kane is said to need some time off, so that factors in here. He should be damaged a bit already from the repeated chair shots from Orton on Smackdown, and the opportunistic Jinder Mahal will use The Great Khali to try to take Kane out before the match so that he can get his spot. He basically forces his way into the match when Khali destroys Kane backstage. He then tries to use Khali to grab the briefcase for him, but some of the other competitors take Khali out in a big collision (maybe Khali falls off a ladder to the outside of the ring?). Both Khali and Kane are written off as they take time off to heal. Barrett takes the briefcase in the aftermath of that big bump.

Big Show and Mark Henry absolutely maul each other in their match. The referee tries to get them to back off each other, but gets taken out in the process. These guys basically fight through referees, security, agents, etc. before finally getting separated by a mass of people holding them apart. This leads to a big street fight or some other no holds barred match at Summerslam.

Randy Orton beats Christian, but Christian later complains (on Smackdown) that because the referee wasn't "wearing regulation shoes", he gets a rematch as per his contract. Part of me REALLY wants to strip Orton of the title or for him to be DQd and Christian win it, but the title needs a bit of stability for now. Though Christian is "contractually obligated" to get a rematch at Summerslam, this match will include Sheamus as a triple threat.

Before Cena vs. Punk, Punk gets an open mic to address his hometown fans. He goes into a promo about how he's sick of all the (I'm paraphrasing all of this, because he'd undoubtedly put it much better) "wannabe cool kids" who think they're so anti-establishment to cheer him, and how all those kinds of fans think that they know him. He also talks about how he's not someone to look up to and model your life after, and that if you base your life around what someone on TV tells says is a good idea (like straight-edge), then you're just a mindless sheep, etc. Basically a promo to heel on the crowd that will otherwise overwhelmingly support him. Not that I expect it to help much.

The match ends when Punk gets Cena up for the Attitude Adjustment (to REALLY stick it to him), but the referee gets knocked down in the scuffle. Punk hits the move, but there's no one to count the pin. Alberto Del Rio runs in and takes Punk out (with a chair or something), then hides under the ring apron. Cena comes to, sees Punk down and the referee stirring, and delivers an Attitude Adjustment of his own to keep the title in WWE. Del Rio congratulates him, smiles at him, etc., which Cena's confused by. Del Rio is #1 Contender after his match a few weeks ago, so he'd want to keep the title in WWE so he could challenge for it. Cena sees the replay, and is upset that he kept the title because of Del Rio. This leads to Cena vs. Del Rio for Summerslam, and Punk heading home for some rest.

That's how I'd book Money In The Bank. I'll be back to cover the real thing later tonight. Thanks for reading!