CinemaBlend predicted Money in the Bank would feature Chad Gable winning the men's briefcase match, so I was as surprised as everyone when Drew McIntyre was the superstar hoisting the case above his head. While McIntyre's win was unexpected, it was less shocking to see him get screwed over once again by CM Punk after cashing in. The outcome led many WWE fans to complain that the win felt like a "waste," but I'm ready to push back on that.
Would I have liked to see Jey Uso or L.A. Knight hold the briefcase for a cash-in at an upcoming WWE event? I'll freely admit to wanting either to get that push. The reality, however, is that the WWE is a scripted product, and I think the company has a great reason behind why Drew McIntyre and CM Punk's storyline gained momentum from the PLE rather than any other athletes taking control of the briefcase.
The WWE Has Seemingly Already Decided Its Main Title Contenders For The Year, And Drew Is A Major Part Of It
The WWE currently has clear players in contention for its top titles in my mind. Here are all the realistic options I think for title holders of the Undisputed and Heavyweight Championship titles:
- WWE Undisputed Championship - Cody Rhodes, Solo Sikoa, Roman Reigns, The Rock
- Heavyweight Championship - Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, Gunther, Damian Priest
Drew McIntyre is a major player in contention for the World Heavyweight Championship, but I bring up everyone else above for another reason. The main event scene is loaded with superstars and ongoing storylines that all look as though they're going to continue to run into WrestleMania 41. With as many big names vying for that title heading into the back half of the year, what good would it be for another superstar other than Drew to win the briefcase?
It reminds me of when Damian Priest won the 2023 MITB briefcase, but it soon became clear that the WWE had no plans to take the World Heavyweight Championship away from Seth Rollins or Roman Reigns until WrestleMania 40. The company was burdened with constantly explaining why Priest couldn't cash in, and while he did finally get that opportunity at WrestleMania thanks to an assist from CM Punk attacking Drew McIntyre, it was mostly in service to the WWE further advancing this massive feud between those two than Priest.
As it stands now, the WWE is planning for Damian Priest to take on Gunther at SummerSlam. Then, if popular speculation holds, we'll eventually arrive at Punk vs. McIntyre, likely for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41. With neither man currently holding that title, it'll take a lot of storytelling to arrive at that point over the next nine months, and I can't imagine the WWE was willing to derail it for one of the other contenders in the match to get the chance to cash in.
If The World Heavyweight Title And Undisputed Titles Are Off Limits, Did The MITB Briefcase Really Matter This Year?
The fact is that the storylines between WWE's biggest titles are complicated enough. The new Bloodline has more family members on the way, and we still have no idea when the two most likely wrestlers to take Cody Rhodes' title, The Rock or Roman Reigns will show back up.
I'd say CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre is the only story surrounding the World Heavyweight Championship, but as mentioned Damian Priest is the current title holder and we've assumed since the WWE announced Bash In Berlin that Gunther would finally get a shot at the major title. Sure enough, SummerSlam bleeds right into the Bash in Berlin with both events happening in August.
The bottom line is that no one would use that briefcase to get the Undisputed or World Heavyweight championships. Guys like Jey Uso, L.A. Knight, Andrade, and Chad Gable don't need a briefcase to cash in on the Intercontinental and United States titles. For those who suggest otherwise, we can revisit Gable's recent losses against Sami Zayn with a Peacock Premium subscription to confirm he doesn't.
If the briefcase wasn't going to lead to a surprising title run this year, then I'd much sooner see it used to further Punk vs. McIntyre than watch a promising superstar fail a cash in opportunity. Punk vs. Drew storyline is my favorite of the year thus far, and considering all that's going on in WWE currently, that's saying something. All this to say, I think the right decision was made, even if we don't have a cash-in to wait on in the men's division.
More fallout from Money In The Bank is expected on Monday Night Raw, which airs on USA Network at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tune in to see if CM Punk is going to show up, and finally give us an update on that injured arm of his.
