5 WWE Superstars who shouldn't and 3 that should win the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match

When Chris Jericho first introduced the Money in the Bank concept back in 2005, it eventually set off a series of events of what has now become an important pay-per-view in the WWE. In the past fourteen years, the Money in the Bank contract has led to some historical moments including Dolph Ziggler’s successful cash-in the night after WrestleMania 29 or Seth Rollins unforgettable cash-in at WrestleMania 31 to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

The reason why this match is so important is that it not only boosts the wrestlers’ career who successfully cashes in their contract, but it also completely changes the trajectory of the WWE primary championships. This is why it is no surprise the WWE named a pay-per-view after the namesake match only five years after it was first introduced, and will be marking its tenth pay-per-view appearance later this month.

However, history has suggested that the Money in the Bank ladder match hasn’t always delivered an outcome that has been generally favourable by the WWE Universe. From forgettable cash-in winners like Jack Swagger in 2010, to failed cash-in winners like Baron Corbin in 2017 (making the original win pointless), the cash-ins has proven that it can be a hit-or-miss situation with the WWE Universe.

In order for the WWE to continue going in the right direction with the Money in the Bank contract match, the WWE needs to consistently find the right person to win the contract. Analysing all eight women competing in this years’ Money in the Bank match, not everyone fits in this criteria.

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#8 Shouldn’t win – Carmella

Carmella has 'technically' already won two.

Since coming to the main roster back in 2016, Carmella has been consistently going from strength to strength. In the last six months alone, she won both the second season of Mixed Match Challenge and this years’ WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal.

Unlike some of her opponents, Carmella is not new to the Money in the Bank ladder match, as she’s already won the first two, albeit it was James Ellsworth was officially the one who grabbed the briefcase in the first match. She then cashed in her contract successfully and went on to become SmackDown Women’s Champion for over four months.

Since its inception back in 2005, no wrestler in the history of WWE has managed to win the Money in the Bank ladder match on three separate occasions, with Carmella and CM Punk being the only two wrestlers that has managed to win it twice - and it should stay this way.

The reason why the Money in the Bank ladder match is so popular with the WWE Universe is a combination of the unpredictability of the outcome yet also giving a wrestler a push to the top, which they may have not had beforehand. Simply put, another victory for the Princess of Staten Island with the Money in the Bank contract would be overkill for the WWE Universe.

#7 Shouldn’t win – Alexa Bliss

Bliss won last year's contract.

Out of all of the current wrestlers that will be vying for the lucrative Money in the Bank contract this month, Bliss is the most decorated wrestler of them all with five Championships, with her latest reign coming from cashing her Money in the Bank contract last year.

Over the past eight months, Alexa Bliss has largely been inactive as a wrestler in the WWE predominately due to injuries. Whilst Bliss has managed to keep her presence known during this time like having her own talk show ‘A Moment of Bliss’, and being the host of WrestleMania 35, it cannot be ignored that she hasn’t wrestled that much in comparison to some of her opponents.

Taking all of this into account, it would be unfair to the other wrestlers if Bliss was to win the Money in the Bank contract for a second year in a row as it conveys a message to the WWE Universe that any wrestler can be inactive and still instantly be rewarded with a guaranteed Championship match upon their return.

#6 Shouldn’t win – Dana Brooke

A win for Brooke seems very unlikely at the moment.

Out of all of the female wrestlers that are participating in this years’ women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match, the one wrestler that sticks out of this match from the rest is none other than Dana Brooke.

Brooke has been with the WWE for almost six years now and has achieved very little in her career compared to most of her female colleagues in this match. Even though the WWE made it clear that they were going to ‘shake things up’, a victory for the bodybuilder for the Money in the Bank ladder match would be too much of a stretch.

Generally speaking, Brooke is poorly booked by the WWE, but especially in the last six months. After disbanding from Titus Worldwide, she’s still yet to show any real relevance on her own accord, often usually being a supporting member to a bigger feud. One example is an unnecessary match where she got squashed by Ronda Rousey just to highlight the interest of how dominant Rousey is heading into the first ever women’s main event at WrestleMania.

The fact that Dana Brooke’s wrestling abilities is arguably limited compared to other female wrestlers is one thing, but her mic skills are also questionable at best, as she often leaves the WWE Universe unsure if she’s a face or a heel. If Brooke wants to be taken more seriously as a wrestler, Brooke should no doubt give the match of her life at Money in the Bank, but a victory would be unfathomable at this stage in her career.

#5 Shouldn’t win – Bayley

Bayley is the only 'horsewomen' to be competing in this years' match.

Bayley’s year started positively when she managed to win her first Championship in almost two years when she became one half of the inaugural Women’s Tag Team Champions in WWE with her tag team partner, Sasha Banks. However, this appeared to be short-lived as they dropped the titles a few months later at WrestleMania 35.

Whilst Bayley has already achieved a lot in the WWE, it still pales somewhat in comparison to what the other ‘Horsewomen’ have done. Even though an argument can be made of Bayley becoming the first Horsewoman to win the Money in the Bank contract, it would be hard to comprehend to see her winning the Money in the Bank contract this time around.

The main reason is due to the timing. Whilst Bayley is an established singles wrestler, the last twelve months the WWE has been used to seeing her more in some sort of variant tag-team match. This doesn’t mean that Bayley’s not capable of wrestling in a singles match. However, given the fact that there are now Tag Team Championships for women to contend for, it is more likely that singles wrestlers are more likely to get a Women’s Championship opportunity like Charlotte Flair and Lacey Evans for example.

Another additional problem that needs to be taken into account for Bayley winning the match is what the Money in the Bank has historically meant. Whilst it is not uncommon for babyface wrestlers to cash it in, given Bayley’s current persona, should she win, she will be likely to cash it in as soon as possible, whilst letting her opponent know in advance. However, the issue behind this is that with Becky Lynch’s ever-growing popularity with the WWE Universe, it is hard to believe that Lynch will lose her Championships any time soon, especially to Bayley at this moment in, making her contract win pointless.

#4 Shouldn’t win – Naomi

Naomi seems like an unlikely choice this year.

With the exception of winning the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal last year, there has been very little going on for Naomi in the last eighteen months. Her main storyline during this time was with Mandy Rose and her attempts to break her marriage up with her husband.

Whilst Naomi has started to establish herself again during the Superstar Shake-Up, a victory for the glowing superstar could be a bit pre-mature for the former two time SmackDown Women’s Champion. Whilst Naomi is a very credible wrestler, winning the Money in the Bank contract wouldn’t be the best choice for the WWE at the moment.

Similar to Bayley, Naomi would be very likely to cash it in front of the Champion’s face, and as history suggests, one of the exciting things about the Money in the Bank contract match is seeing the wrestler unexpectedly cash it in when the champion least expects it.

Furthermore, if you take into account that there are other female wrestlers in this match that have yet to have a Championship match so far, Naomi may not be the best option for winning this years’ Money in the Bank ladder match.

#3 Should win – Ember Moon

A victory for Ember Moon would put her in the right direction.

Ember Moon’s matches against Asuka and Shayna Bayzler are strong examples as to why she was called up from NXT to the WWE and when she burst on the scene on the Raw after WrestleMania 34, the WWE Universe was waiting to see what impact she will make on the main roster as well. However, over twelve months later, and the question has still yet to be answered.

Moon is one of many wrestlers that have been called up from NXT onto the main roster but the WWE is failing to place her anywhere. Her first twelve months in the WWE have involved sporadic appearances yet with no real feud with anyone. To her credit, every time she has appeared, she has proved she is capable of wrestling with the best, including a fifty plus minute showing at this years’ Women’s Royal Rumble match.

Whilst she’s been inactive from wrestling for the past few months and potentially being given a Championship contract immediately upon her return, the fundamental difference between her and Alexa Bliss (listed earlier) winning it is simple: Moon has yet to have a single opportunity for either Championship. As Moon is not part of a tag team, a loss at Money in the Bank this year could cause her to be lost in the shuffle again despite her talents.

#2 Should win – Mandy Rose

Rose would be an ideal choice to hold the contract.

If there is one female wrestler in this years’ match that would be an ideal fit to hold a Money in the Bank contract, then it's none other than Mandy Rose. In the past six months, Rose’s persona has developed into a combination of something both cunning and sinister. This has included using her physical attributes to her advantage, and feigning an eye injury to blindside Asuka to score a victory.

If history has taught us anything in the past about Money in the Bank contract winners is the winner is usually someone cashing their contract on a Champion who has just competed in a gruelling match just moments earlier. For this reason alone, Rose would be the perfect candidate to win the match as she fits those attributes perfectly.

Moreover, it must be noted that whilst Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey were busy stealing headlines from Raw, Rose was arguably the only female talking point on SmackDown during those months when she tried to ruin Naomi’s marriage by luring Jimmy Uso into her hotel room. This shows that if she’s able to create storylines without being in the title picture, then imagine what interest she can generate every week by holding a Money in the Bank contract?

#1 Should win – Natalya

Natalya would be a deserving contract winner.

There are many things that female wrestlers want to forget during the Divas era. This includs poor taste concept matches like Bra and Panties and Pudding matches to many female wrestlers during the era that had limited wrestling capabilities and would struggle to make it in the current women’s revolution. One of the few female wrestlers during this era that the prior examples don’t apply to is Natalya.

This shouldn’t be a surprise if you take into account that her father, Jim Neidhart and uncle, Bret Hart, were respected wrestlers and are now both in WWE’s Hall of Fame. However, it must be stated that during the time of her arrival, women’s wrestling in the WWE was arguably at its lowest, yet she carried on, proving to everyone that she was one of the few during her era that women can wrestle.

Over ten years later since her debut and Natalya is still showing no signs of rusting as she continues to deliver solid matches for the WWE Universe. However, for all of her wrestling abilities, it is surprising to see she has only won two championships during her time. In comparison, several active female wrestlers in the WWE have managed to win more Championships than Natalya despite not not being in the company for as long.

It is unlikely that by winning the Money in the Bank contract, Natalya will be inserted into the title picture anytime soon. That being said, Natalya is also one of few female wrestlers that can carry off being both a babyface and a heel successfully, and as such would be a solid choice to win this year’s Money in the Bank contract, when she could easily turn on a friend or ally to become the new champion.