WWE Money In The Bank 2020 Preview & Predictions
On Sunday, May 10th at 7pm ET/4pm PT, WWE will mount its second major event with no audience, Money In The Bank 2020. This is the eleventh Money In The Bank Pay Per View. Most of the show will be broadcast live at the WWE Performance Center while the Men's and Women's Money In The Bank matches will take place simultaneously at the WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. The main event (like WrestleMania) has been pre-taped, but the results have been kept under wraps. There are six matches scheduled as of publishing time with two added to the Kickoff Show this morning. The Kickoff show will start an hour before the main show Sunday at 6pm ET/3pm PT. In the comments below, share your picks for the card and what room in WWE Headquarters you most want to see them destroy.
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Seth Rollins
With Kevin Owens injured and Randy Orton still involved with Edge, Seth Rollins has stepped up to challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship. These are the last two men to defeat Brock Lesnar cleanly. McIntyre has wrestled almost every week since defeating Lesnar with matches against Big Show, Andrade, Angel Garza, and (Buddy) Murphy while Rollins has rested. Rollins attacked McIntyre during his match with Andrade to spark the feud. Rollins claims that being the WWE Champion is a burden and that, as the Monday Night Messiah, Rollins wants to save McIntyre from that burden and take it on himself – as he is destined to do so.
The promos for this match haven't quite connected the way they should – it might be because there isn't a crowd. The wrestling match between these two should be absolutely electric. McIntyre and Rollins are both incredibly athletic and accomplished wrestlers that have faced each other only four times on TV with the pair splitting pinfall victories but Rollins got the edge with a victory via count-out and one victory via disqualification. In this match-up, Rollins will be able to be the pesky heel that McIntyre will have to fight off. This will be the duo's first match with their roles reversed: Rollins a heel with McIntyre as the face. A clean finish to this would be nice, but it feels like Murphy is going to get involved somehow in this match. McIntyre's Claymore Kick took down Lesnar and it will take down the Monday Night Messiah.
WINNER
Drew McIntyre via pinfall
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Braun Strowman (c) vs. Bray Wyatt
Braun Strowman stepped in for Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 36, took Goldberg's best shot, and defeated Goldberg soundly to win the Universal Championship. The Fiend broke John Cena at WrestleMania 36 allowing Bray Wyatt to refocus his attention on regaining his Universal Championship. The Fiend is sitting on the sidelines for this feud at the moment. Wyatt has attempted to toy with Strowman by bringing up Strowman's past as a member of the Wyatt Family. Wyatt is so clearly on another level than Braun when it comes to mic skills, but Strowman has worked hard to improve his promo work and that work has been paying off in recent promos. When Strowman debuted with the Wyatt Family as The Black Sheep, he was tentative in almost every action – that doubt is nowhere to be seen now. Bray Wyatt had success the last time he benched The Fiend persona against The Miz at TLC 2019, but Wyatt is going to need The Fiend in order to defeat a focussed Strowman.
WINNER
Braun Strowman via pinfall
WWE SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Bayley (c) vs. Tamina
Frustrated after being singled out by the other competitors in the Fatal 5-Way Match at WrestleMania 36, Tamina called out Bayley for a title shot. Bayley said that she'd give Tamina an opportunity for the SmackDown Women's Championship if Tamina could defeat Sasha Banks. Tamina managed to pick up the upset on Banks, connecting two superkicks in row. Bayley was on commentary for the match and attempted to interfere, but was fought off by Lacey Evans. On this past Friday's SmackDown, Tamina got to team up with Evans to take on Bayley & Banks. Towards the end of the match, Bayley delivered a Bayley To Belly and her elbow drop to Tamina, but Tamina managed to kick out and look more like a legitimate contender for the SmackDown Women's Championship than she has in a long time. Tamina was able to surprise Bayley with a superkick and finish her off with a Samoan Drop to earn a pinfall over the SmackDown Women's Champion.
Although Tamina has looked better than ever, Bayley isn't going to be stopped anytime soon. She has settled into her new attitude nicely and has been one of the talents that have shined brighter on the shows without an audience. Bayley will attack anyone who threatens her ego, whether it's female competitors or Michael Cole. Somehow, her relationship with Sasha has stayed strong. Bayley's run at the top of SmackDown isn't going to end here, but expect Lacey to get involved as well. All of this feels like a set up to have Lacey take the belt off Bayley down the road.
WINNER
Bayley via pinfall
MEN'S MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
Daniel Bryan vs. Aleister Black vs. Rey Mysterio vs. King Corbin vs. Otis vs. AJ Styles
The Money In The Bank Ladder Match will look very different this year, mainly because it will take place at WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. The match will begin at the ground floor and then spill into the gym, the conference room, the cafeteria, Mr. McMahon's office (which has a T-Rex skull), and more locations until the competitors make their way to the roof. The roof will have a wrestling ring and multiple ladders surrounding it with the Money In The Bank contracts suspended above the ring – yes, contracts, both the men's and women's matches will be taking place simultaneously.
WWE has run a compelling tournament for the past month to determine the participants in the men's Money In The Bank match. The men who have stood out the most in this build-up have been Aleister Black, AJ Styles, and Baron Corbin. Daniel Bryan seems caught up in his feud with The Artist's Collective while Otis will likely still have to deal with Dolph Ziggler, and Rey Mysterio is still linked to feuding with Zelina Vega's stable of talent. AJ Styles surprised everyone with his return during the gauntlet match on RAW to determine the final participant in the Money In The Bank match. Aleister Black has been dominant and his "Fade To Black" finisher has established knockout power. Baron Corbin has been the most reliable heel on SmackDown since the brand split and had one of the most famous failed cash-ins of a Money In The Bank contract for all time. There was a slight hint at a future Daniel Bryan/Baron Corbin feud on Friday's SmackDown while Sami Zayn is away from the company. Here's hoping we get to see something fresh for Corbin, but we don't need him near the Universal Title for a while.
Aleister Black was definitely my favorite to win the match before AJ Styles showed up. Styles has threatened to throw Mysterio and/or Aleister Black off the roof of WWE Headquarters, hinting at a tremendous stunt being performed off the roof of WWE Headquarters. After being buried alive by The Undertaker in the Boneyard Match at WrestleMania 36, it's hard to imagine AJ Styles being afraid of anything anymore. Styles won't hold anything back in this match and will win. Aleister Black last defeated Styles in their No Disqualification match at Elimination Chamber in March, so he'll look to challenge Styles for the briefcase ASAP.
WINNER
AJ Styles
WOMEN'S MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
Nia Jax vs. Asuka vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Dana Brooke vs. Lacey Evans vs. Carmella
The Women's Money In The Bank ladder match has been getting way more airtime on RAW while Carmella and Dana Brooke have come together as a tag team on SmackDown and will challenge for the Women's Tag Team Championships next week. Lacey Evans is clearly nipping at Bayley's heels, looking for her chance to win her first championship. While Shayna Baszler has got the aura about her that she could be the first person to defeat Becky Lynch in two years if she gets an advantage – such as the Money In The Bank contract. Nia Jax has looked dominant since returning from double knee surgery and Asuka has been the most entertaining person on RAW for the past 2 months. Shayna's going to find a way to get the win here, but look to Asuka, Lacey, & Nia to have some special moments in the match. Becky Lynch will be on RAW this Monday to address the winner of the Money In The Bank match. She just finished filming scenes for a Marvel film and has recently expressed a desire to work with Asuka again.
WINNER
Shayna Baszler
WWE SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (FATAL 4-WAY)
The New Day (c) vs. The Miz and John Morrison vs. The Forgotten Sons vs. Lucha House Party
The New Day, Miz & Morrison, & The Usos feud got interrupted by a knee injury to Jimmy Uso. Lucha House Party and The Forgotten Sons have filled the Usos' role admirably. The match these four teams had on Friday night's SmackDown was one of the best we've seen in the past month. Lucha House Party especially shined in the match, but Miz & Morrison were able to secure the win for their team. The Forgotten Sons are going to have to do more to be memorable in a match featuring so many more highly decorated wrestlers than themselves. The New Day won the titles at WrestleMania through a triple threat ladder match with only one member of each team participating due to the pandemic. It's hard to count that victory since each team could only use one member in the match. The New Day should win this to solidify this eighth reign as legitimate but Miz and Morrison also have a legitimate chance at winning their titles back as well. As the chaos of the match settles, The New Day will walk out as champions.
WINNERS
The New Day via pinfall
Kickoff Show
Jeff Hardy vs. Cesaro
Jeff Hardy made his return to SmackDown last night in an interview with Renee Young. Hardy said that he feels like his time may be winding down in WWE and that he has one more good run in him. Hardy was interrupted by Sheamus, who said that he's seen Jeff Hardy's flame dim in recent years. Hardy was able to fight off Sheamus, but their issue isn't done yet. Cesaro just missed the Money In the Bank match this year, but is just as impressive as ever in the ring. This match could be a main event anywhere in the world, crazy to see it on a Kickoff show. This is definitely worth tuning in a little early to catch.
WINNER
Jeff Hardy via pinfall
MVP vs. R-Truth
Since his return at the Royal Rumble, MVP has lost every match he's wrestled. His most recent match with Apollo Cruise was his best, but the guy can still go. MVP hasn't interacted with R-Truth recently – the last time they wrestled one-on-one was when George W. Bush was still President of the United States. This match should be fun and further establish MVP as the serious leader of a new stable of talent featuring Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink. Expect Vink and Thorne to show up and make their presence felt.
WINNER
R-Truth via disqualification