money in the bank

Money in the Bank is one of WWE’s most anticipated events of the year, this is because the entire Money in the Bank idea is perhaps one of the best creative decisions that WWE have made in a very long time.

In just under three weeks time seven men will collide and only one will climb that ladder and retrieve the coveted briefcase, this will then allow the winner to “cash in” whenever they feel the current World Champion is at their weakest.

Last week’s episodes of both Raw and Smackdown revealed six of the seven competitors for the upcoming match, but WWE has left it down to this week’s episode of Raw to reveal the final participant in one of the biggest matches of the year.

There has only ever been two failed Money in the Bank cash ins and both matches involved John Cena, so it comes as no surprise that many of the WWE Universe assume that the 15 time World Champion could be the final addition to the ladder match.

Whilst it is easy to imagine that this is the reason that Cena has returned to WWE much earlier than many doctors forecast, it could be completely unrelated. With current speculation suggesting that Cena is about to walk into a feud with either Rusev or The Club when he returns, then it’s safe to say that he can be crossed off the list.

This leaves the idea that WWE are now in this “New Era” and in this era WWE gives chances to superstars who they feel deserve it and even though Baron Corbin has been completely overlooked, my money would probably be on a surprise NXT entrant.

It would be hard to guess who from NXT would add more to the match given the star quality of their current crop of talent, but it is highly unlikely the likes of Samoa Joe or Finn Balor would be given the call up in this manner, although there is another star waiting in the wings to make a return that could raise anticipation levels.

Recent reports suggest that after 13 months on the sidelines Hideo Itami could be set to make his WWE return imminently and with everyone from his era of NXT already promoted, there is nothing left for him at Full Sail so why not allow him to make the leap to the main roster straight away?

Hideo was one of the biggest superstars in the world when WWE signed him to their NXT brand back in 2014 and unveiled him as Hideo Itami after years of being known as Kenta. This then lead to a successful run on NXT where he teamed up with Finn Balor and even won the right to be the only NXT talent to be a part of WrestleMania 30.

WWE had high hopes for the Japanese star and even though he failed to win The Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, he was still considered to have had a successful main roster debut.

He was then all set to be crowned the number one contender to Kevin Owens’ NXT Championship and WWE wanted him to headline Beast in the East in his native Japan and win the NXT Championship, but sadly all these plans were changed when he suffered a shoulder injury that has now kept him out of action for over a year.

Finn Balor replaced him as the number one contender and Owens vs. Balor managed to engulf NXT for almost a year before Samoa Joe made his presence known, so it comes as no surprise that WWE have bigger plans for Hideo when he does finally make his long awaited return.

Hideo would add something different to the Money in the Bank ladder match and having seen what he can do in the ring both in NXT and on the grandest stage of them all when he is firing at one hundred percent, surely WWE could not pass up the opportunity?

There are countless other stars that could also be given the call with the likes of Elias Samson, Shinsuke Nakamura and even Austin Aries all chomping at the bit for the opportunity to make their main roster debut. So if WWE decides that they want to bring up an NXT superstar then they have no shortage of candidates.

Who do you think will be the seventh superstar added to the Money in the Bank ladder match? Sound off in the comments below.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Personally don’t think it should be Hideout. He’s been injured longer than he was in NXT. Regardless of who you are there’s going to be that ring rust. They need to be sure he’s ready to be champion. Unlike last year when Sheamus’ reign was believable for about 5:15.

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