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WWE Money In The Bank 2021 marks the company's first pay-per-view back on the road with fans in attendance. Live from Fort Worth, Texas, the superstars will be very motivated to be in front of the WWE Universe. It has all the makings to be an exciting night of wrestling.
There will be two Money In The Bank Ladder matches that have a level of unpredictability. The 16 superstars involved in the two contests can all make a case for winning the briefcase with a guaranteed shot at the title of their choosing. In addition to two titular matchups, there are five other championships up for grabs on the night.
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With a seven-match card and plenty of surprises rumored to take place, this should not be a great standalone event, but it should also set the stage for Summerslam next month. In this article, let's rank the buildup for every match at WWE Money In The Bank 2021.
#7 AJ Styles & Omos vs. The Vikings Raiders for the RAW Tag Team Championships (WWE Money In The Bank 2021)
Before Monday night, the RAW Tag Team Championships weren't going to be on the line at Money In The Bank 2021. Due to Bayley's injury and the removal of the I Quit SmackDown Women's Championship, WWE decided to move the originally scheduled RAW Tag Team Championships Match of champions AJ Styles and Omos against The Viking Raiders from RAW to the pay-per-view.
The decision is sound in filling out this card, but it lacks a quality buildup. Although the two teams have been going back and forth for a month now, it has never felt like there has been much substance behind it. The Viking Raiders distracted Styles by attacking Omos, costing him his Money In The Bank qualifying match against Ricochet.
Omos responded to this by attacking The Viking Raiders and eliminating them from the battle royal to determine who would be in the Last Chance Money In The Bank qualifying match a few weeks back. This was followed by The Viking Raiders distracting AJ Styles again and costing him a matchup against Riddle two weeks ago.
The two teams met in singles contests on last week's RAW with Ivar beating Styles and Omos defeating Erik. Despite the length of the feud, it hasn't generated much interest heading into Money In The Bank 2021. This is why it has to be considered the weakest buildup.
#6 Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair for the RAW Women's Championship (WWE Money In The Bank 2021)
Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair have had a long-standing rivalry heading into Money In The Bank 2021. The two ladies had their first encounter at WrestleMania 36 in 2020. Flair took the win and Rhea's NXT Women's Championship. To many fans, this was going to set up a redemption story for Ripley upon her official call-up to the main roster to defeat Charlotte Flair.
However, Rhea Ripley debuted prior to WrestleMania 37 with Charlotte Flair out of action. She went on to defeat Asuka for the RAW Women's Championship at the Showcase of Immortals. Flair returned the RAW After Mania and attacked both Ripley and Asuka. This set up a Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania Backlash.
Rhea Ripley won the Triple Threat to retain the RAW Women's Championship, which led to a singles match for the title at Hell In A Cell 2021. Ripley and Flair were having a good match until Rhea got disqualified for using a piece of the commentary table on her opponent. This set up a rematch here at Money In The Bank 2021.
The biggest issue with this feud in the weeks leading in has been a lack of a babyface. Neither Charlotte nor Rhea has come off as likable heading into Money In The Bank 2021. The ladies have both attacked each other from behind with chop blocks and faked injuries.
WWE tried to establish Charlotte Flair as the more unlikeable of the two with a beatdown on the go-home RAW, but it was too little too late. Both women need to move on following this pay-per-view. For a feud that the WWE Universe desperately wanted before Ripley's debut, it says a lot about the job the company has done that many want it to end at Money In The Bank 2021.
#5 Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships (WWE Money In The Bank 2021 Kickoff)
Just announced on Friday, Rey and Dominik Mysterio will defend the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against The Usos on the Money In The Bank 2021 Kickoff. This feels like a step down for the performers who have delivered strong matches in the past.
Upon Jimmy Uso's return to WWE, he and his brother Jey Uso earned an opportunity at the gold and came up just short against Rey and Dominik Mysterio on the June 4th SmackDown.
However, this came down to the referee missing Jimmy's shoulder being up. This set up a rematch later in the night that Roman Reigns got involved in, beating down The Mysterios to cause a disqualification.
With Roman Reigns and The Usos now on the same page, it looked like they would come together to jump Reigns' Money In The Bank challenger, Edge, on the July 9th SmackDown, but Rey and Dominik Mysterio returned after being taken out by Roman to help Edge fight off The Usos.
This will truly be an exciting way to get the fans in Fort Worth, Texas into the action on the Money In The Bank 2021 Kickoff. The Mysterios have proven to be a fun babyface tag team, while The Usos have long been one of the best tag teams in wrestling today. This all makes for an excellent way to kick off the night.
#4 Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Cross vs. Asuka vs. Naomi vs. Zelina Vega vs. Liv Morgan vs. Natalya vs. Tamina in the Women's Money In The Bank Ladder Match (WWE Money In The Bank 2021)
The field for the Women's Money In The Bank Ladder Match has different options that could benefit from this win. Asuka won the matchup last year, but she was never able to properly cash in her contract as Becky Lynch relinquished the title to her the following night. Alexa Bliss is another former winner who never got a run with the briefcase as she cashed in on the same night in 2018.
The WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina are two of the most tenured superstars in all of WWE and could make interesting winners. However, their status as tag champs makes them least likely to win. The other four ladies involved in the Women's Money In The Bank all present opportunities to explore for WWE.
Nikki Cross has developed her new "Almost A Superhero" persona well and picked up wins to gain momentum heading into Money In The Bank 2021. She could get the victory and design the briefcase to go along with the new character. Speaking of cool briefcase designs, a Naomi win could bring a glow-in-the-dark briefcase that would be extremely marketable.
Liv Morgan has built plenty of sympathy with her underdog role coming into Money In The Bank 2021. She has picked up wins over Carmella and been in opposition of Sonya Deville. Her victory here would be a chance for WWE to make a huge babyface star. Zelina Vega just made her return and has a ready-made feud with Bianca Belair based on their past animosity.
With all these different possibilities, the Women's Money In The Bank Ladder Match is undoubtably appealing. However, the fact that half the field didn't have to qualify heading in keeps this buildup in the middle of the pack.
#3 Bobby Lashley vs. Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship (WWE Money In The Bank 2021)
Bobby Lashley enters Money In The Bank 2021 having a crisis of character. Due to key losses to Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, the WWE Champion is not as confident as he once was. Kingston has added to this insecurity with his words telling Lashley that he has gotten soft.
Bobby Lashley has reigned as WWE Champion since March and has ran roughshod over the RAW roster with MVP by his side. On the other hand, Kofi Kingston was seen as a tag team specialist with The New Day despite his magical run to the WWE Championship ahead of WrestleMania 35. Kingston changed that thinking with a non-title win over the WWE Champion to earn this opportunity.
MVP has been praising Lashley and has surrounded him with ladies. This has caused Kingston to say that the WWE Champion isn't as hungry as he once was heading into Money In The Bank 2021. Kofi has been scratching and clawing since never getting a rematch to regain the WWE Championship back in 2019.
MVP thought that his trash talk was getting into the head of Kofi, but it was Kingston who got in Lashley's head before Money In The Bank 2021. This has brought out a new fire from Bobby Lashley as seen on the go-home RAW where he cut an impassionated promo about wanting to destroy his challenger.
This WWE Championship Match buildup has been highlighted by strong promo and character work by both men. Kingston has proven himself to be one of the most underrated talkers, while Lashley has added a new wrinkle to his character. The outcome may not be in doubt, but there's no denying the quality of this buildup heading into Money In The Bank 2021.
#2 Drew McIntyre vs. John Morrison vs. Ricochet vs. Riddle vs. Big E vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins in the Men's Money In The Bank Ladder Match (WWE Money In The Bank 2021)
This year's Men's Money In The Bank Ladder Match might be the most star studded in history. There are three former world champions involved in the contest including a previous winner who cashed in for the gold. The match also featured six fan favorites who will have the crowd in their corner for different reasons.
Seth Rollins is the only previous Money In The Bank winner. He famously cashed in at WrestleMania 31 in arguably the best cash-in ever. Rollins has also had rising tensions with both Universal Champion Roman Reigns and challenger Edge. Shinsuke Nakamura has been gaining momentum since becoming King. He has seen a resurgence that would make the win feel like a true coronation.
Kevin Owens had a fantastic Last Man Standing Match against career rival Sami Zayn to qualify for the Money In The Bank Ladder Match. He also has his own history with Roman Reigns that would make his win feel like a full circle moment. Ricochet has seen his stock rise as of late with a win over AJ Styles to qualify and his brilliant Falls Count Anywhere win over John Morrison.
Johnny Drip Drip pulled out one of the biggest upsets to qualify for the Men's Money In The Bank Ladder Match, beating Randy Orton. With The Miz by his side, their friendship could lead to interesting possibilities for the briefcase. Drew McIntyre lost his last chance Hell In A Cell Match against Bobby Lashley last month, but a win here would catapult him back to the main event.
The final two participants have the strongest cases to win this Men's Money In The Bank Ladder Match. Riddle has been the MVP of Monday Night RAW with his compelling partnership with Randy Orton as RK-Bro. He wants to win the match for his bro and cash it in for the RAW Tag Team Championships, which would be a new direction with the briefcase.
Big E feels like the perfect competitor to win the Men's Money In The Bank Ladder Match. He has been on the cusp of the main event for months.
With the built-in story with WWE Champion Bobby Lashley feuding with The New Day as well as teases of him going after Universal Champion Roman Reigns, his win would birth intriguing directions. Possibilities are endless in this bout.
#1 Roman Reigns vs. Edge for the WWE Universal Championship (WWE Money In The Bank 2021)
Ahead of Money In The Bank 2021, many questioned if WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns would even have a match at the pay-per-view. Rumors have run rampant that he was on the road to a showdown with John Cena at Summerslam. He had also seemingly laid to waste all his potential challengers after his dominant Hell In A Cell win over Rey Mysterio.
This made Edge's shocking return on the June 26th SmackDown that much better. The Rated R Superstar was defeated alongside Daniel Bryan by Roman Reigns in a superb Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania 37. Edge won the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble, but he never got his guaranteed one-on-one title shot, so Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville granted him the opportunity at Money In The Bank 2021.
Edge has cut passionate promos in the leadup to Money In The Bank 2021, detailing how he felt robbed at the Show of Shows. He has replayed the moment at WrestleMania 37 where he used the leg of a steel chair to lock Reigns in a crossface with the Universal Champion's look of fear making him feel like he had him defeated.
Over the last few weeks, The Ultimate Opportunist has done the same thing to both The Usos. After uniting with The Mysterios, the three men teamed against Roman Reigns and The Usos on the go-home SmackDown ahead of Money In The Bank 2021. Despite losing this contest, Edge would get the last laugh.
Edge used a steel chair to dispose of The Usos, but Roman Reigns connected with a Superman Punch. He then broke the leg of the steel chair looking to get revenge on his Money In The Bank opponent. However, Edge speared The Tribal Chief and used the leg to lock on the crossface again. This time, he made Reigns tap out for the first time.
This has been a captivating buildup that has developed the story very well heading in. Edge looks like the biggest threat to Roman Reigns's 320+ day reign as Universal Champion. He has gotten the upper hand on The Head of the Table at every step of the way. This is why Roman Reigns vs. Edge has been the best buildup of all the matches at WWE Money In The Bank 2021.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
