OK, we got Money in the Bank coming up in a little over a week and there’s some developing stuff to talk about. Here’s my list:
Ryback as I-C Champ:
After Elimination Chamber Ryback is your new Intercontinental Champion, and it looks like his first major opponent is going to the Big Show. The sound you heard was a bunch of people groaning and asking ‘why?’ I’m not one of them. I get that a lot of you wonder why Big Show (and Kane) continue to get prominent on screen roles and important matches, but the answer is pretty simple: they’re reliable. Because of their size both men are always credible threats to anyone on the roster, they get decent enough reactions from the crowd, and they can play whatever role is asked of them as a heel or face (which is why they’ve both turned a million times). They’re utility players. Big Show is a credible opponent to somebody like Ryback and will give him a good win to start off his I-C title run. No need to get all bent out of shape here. It’s only one match, maybe two if they take things out to Battleground.
Owens vs Cena:
Kevin Owens and John Cena are going to be having a rematch, and maybe a rubber match down the road. If history holds Cena will win the rematch and the rubber match, which of course the Cena-haters will remember a lot more than the clean pin Cena just took at Owens’ hands at Elimination Chamber. I know I come off like a Cena defender quite often, and for all intents and purposes I guess that’s what I am. It is what it is. He loses more than previous wrestlers who reached his level (Hogan, Rock, Austin, etc) and as far as I know he doesn’t pull Shawn Michaels-style shenanigans to avoid losing to people. So when people spout off about him never losing I’m not going to play along just to be in with the cool kids.
But anyhow, the real question here is what happens after they’re done with each other? Is Owens going to get a full time roster call up, possibly as US Champion? Are he and Samoa Joe going to hook up in NXT, or is going to wait until they’re both full time on the main roster? Whether he comes through his program with Cena as the new US Champion or not, there are plenty of options for Owens afterward. If Cena prevails as champion who does he face next? Sheamus maybe? That would be my first guess, and I think that would be a good Summerslam match.
Anything for Neville?
I’ve been going on for a while that Neville needs an actual storyline now that he’s been on the main roster for several weeks. He’s already got three victories on special events and several on RAW, and it’s time for him to get some kind of storyline or opponent other than Wade Barrett or Bo Dallas. I have no idea who that should be. Maybe the Miz or Mark Henry or ….hey, I don’t know. Should be real simple; one of the guys who’s been around tells him he doesn’t belong up there….beef develops…boom. Just pick somebody and make it happen. As spectacular as he is in the ring, how far he goes ultimately depends on whether he can talk well enough to get over a plotline and sell a match to us on the mic. It’s about time we find out if he can.
Tag Team Title Stuff
New Day has been killing it since they won the tag team titles, and they shouldn’t be dropping the belts anytime soon. But who’s going to be their next challengers? With Tyson Kidd out again due to injury, he and Cesaro are out of the running now. From the looks of things the Prime Time Players are up next. After them, the Lucha Dragons should be getting a crack at the titles. Should one of those two teams wrest the titles away then the Ascension (assuming they continue on their recent upswing) is down the road, along with the reunited Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. Plenty of action to look forward to there.
Money in the Bank
The list of people in this match is interesting. What on earth is Kofi Kingston doing there? Does anybody really think Kofi or Neville are going to win this? Of course not; they’re in there for cool spots with the ladder. We also got three former winners in Kane, Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton. Sheamus and Roman Reigns fill out the match roster, for now. I do wonder why someone like Bray Wyatt hasn’t been added to the mix but we still have some time. Reigns is obviously the favorite here, although if Wyatt finds his way into the match I would like his chances, too. But if the match stays as is Reigns is clearly the smart money here.
So that’s what’s going on as we head towards Summerslam. The last loose end to tie up is where art Brock Lesnar? He’s due for another appearance, and even though he’s been suspended indefinitely that will likely be lifted in time for the second most important date on the WWE calendar. We’ll see when and where he resurfaces, and how that plays into everything else. Your guess is as good as mine right now.
Stroke of Genius 