Credit: WWE.com

Updated WWE Money in the Bank 2022 Match Card and Predictions Before Go-Home Raw

Erik Beaston

WWE presents its annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view Saturday night from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, headlined by the two same-titled men's and women's ladder matches.

Who will climb the rungs to claim a potentially career-altering victory and which of the four championships at stake might change hands as WWE heads toward SummerSlam on July 30?

Find out now with these early previews and predictions for each of the advertised matches ahead of Monday's go-home episode of WWE Raw.

Raw Women's Championship Match: Bianca Belair vs. Carmella

The untimely injury suffered by Rhea Ripley necessitated her removal from the Raw Women's Championship match against Bianca Belair on July 2.

In her place steps Carmella, who emerged from a lengthy absence to defeat Liv Morgan, Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch and Asuka on the June 20 episode of Raw and earn a shot at The EST of WWE's title.

With little backstory to speak of, the match feels like one thrown together at the last second just to get the title on the card. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does rob it of any real drama.

Carmella is better than she gets credit for and a great heel to boot. She will hold her own against Belair, and the result should be a good match if nothing else. There is no way The EST drops the title here, though.

Too much effort went into getting the belt back onto her at WrestleMania 38, and there is no way WWE Creative takes it off of her just to shock the audience.

Belair gets the win in what should amount to a one-off, just in time for the originally scheduled battle with Ripley or another showdown with Becky Lynch.

Prediction: Belair retains

SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Ronda Rousey vs. Natalya

Ronda Rousey's defense of the SmackDown Women's Championship against Natalya feels like another foregone conclusion on the card.

The social media back-and-forth and in-ring promo from Friday's SmackDown have taken on personal tones, but that has done little to create anticipation of a Natalya upset.

Sure, The Queen of Harts is a legacy competitor and the longest-tenured woman on the roster but WWE Creative has not been in her favor. No matter how strong an in-ring competitor she is, she has a credibility problem when matched up with someone like Rousey.

The Baddest Woman on the Planet is a mainstream champion, recognized outside of the industry and one of the focal points of SmackDown's booking. Beating her will be reserved for the very top competitors in women's wrestling, such as Charlotte Flair or Becky Lynch. As great as she is, Natalya is not in that realm.

The match will be great, if for no other reason than the two competitors have a history of very good in-ring chemistry.

Add in Nattie's tendency to make the most out of these opportunities by turning in great performances, and you have a reason to be excited about the title bout, even if the circumstances surrounding it have not been extraordinary.

However, the outcome is not in question.

Prediction: Rousey retains

United States Championship Match: Bobby Lashley vs. Theory

If the two women's title matches are a bit too predictable for your liking, the United States Championship bout pitting Theory against Bobby Lashley is plenty unpredictable.

On paper, it would appear Theory retaining would be a slam dunk. He is the young star with momentum at his back and a teased showdown with John Cena on the horizon. There is every reason to believe he will leave Saturday night's show with his title still in hand.

However, Lashley is one of the most protected Superstars on the roster and seen by many as a top babyface in the wake of Cody Rhodes' injury. WWE is unlikely to have him beaten clean in the middle of the ring, essentially exorcising that finish out of the realm of possibility.

But will he beat Theory and take the title?

The answer is a resounding "No."

Theory retains here, possibly through shenanigans or via disqualification or count-out. Either way, Lashley is protected.

Theory holds onto the title. And if there is a date with Cena in the near future, the 24-year-old retains the momentum he has had since becoming Vince McMahon's protege earlier this year.

Prediction: Theory retains; Lashley wins via disqualification

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Street Profits vs. The Usos

The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship is up for grabs Saturday in a match between two teams who are all too familiar with gold.

The Usos take their historic reign into Las Vegas for a date with The Street Profits in a match that has happened before but will still have every opportunity to steal the show.

Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are the one team that can make the argument for being the best tandem in the company and have taken Jimmy and Jey Uso to the limit on several occasions, most notably last September at Extreme Rules.

Unfortunately for the Profits, this does not feel like their match to win. The Usos are in the middle of a historic reign as champions, and WWE Creative is most likely looking for the most opportune time, and team, to take the gold off of them.

This feud has neither the heat or enormity one would hope for to make such a moment special.

The match will be great, the performances by all four competitors will be up to the lofty standards they have set for themselves, and the fans will be red-hot for it.

However, The Usos will continue The Bloodline's dominance over all things WWE.

Prediction: The Usos retain

Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match

With two participants still to be named, the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match is shaping up to be the most unpredictable on the card.

Lacey Evans, Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan, Alexa Bliss, Asuka and Shotzi have all qualified, creating questions as to who might join the mix for a guaranteed championship match.

Do not be surprised to see Becky Lynch weasel her way into the fray, despite a story centered on her fall from grace. The return of Bayley may also occur, which would immediately lift her to the front of the line as a favorite to win the briefcase.

Taking into consideration only the women already qualified for the bout, there are two who stand out: Rodriguez and Shotzi.

Rodriguez has already been given the rub of challenging Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown title twice now. The first time, she came within seconds of dethroning the UFC Hall of Famer; and the second, she had her title match interrupted by Shayna Baszler and Natalya.

That she was presented so closely to Rousey may be a tip-off that WWE Creative has plans for her to feud with The Baddest Woman on the Planet at some point in the coming weeks. And winning Money in the Bank, then cashing it in, would be the best way to achieve that.

In Shotzi's case, her sudden increase in television time is exactly the sort of thing WWE does before booking a Superstar in a big win. We have seen it before, with names seeing a sudden upswing in TV presence before being booked to win high-profile matches. That she, too, was booked to take Rousey to the limit and been more prominently featured lately is unlikely to be a coincidence.

Of the two, Rodriguez appears to have the backing of management to a greater degree, so her victory feels more likely.

Prediction: Rodriguez wins Money in the Bank

Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Seth Rollins, Omos, Sami Zayn, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre make up a heel-heavy field in the Men's Money in the Bank ladder match, with anywhere from one to three more competitors figuring to be added to the mix.

Regardless of who joins the field, one would have to imagine the eventual winner has already qualified as both Rollins and McIntyre should have the inside track to the briefcase.

The Visionary has been the hottest heel in WWE, thanks to his extraordinary feud with Cody Rhodes, while the Scot has long been the babyface expected to give Undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns his stiffest challenge. Either man should be the odds-on favorite to win the briefcase and drum up anticipation for their eventual cash-in.

The introduction of Zayn does create some intrigue, though.

He has earned his way into a loose relationship with The Bloodline as an honorary Uce but as Kayla Braxton hinted at Friday on SmackDown, what if it is all to lure Reigns in before cashing in the Money in the Bank contract?

If that was the case, WWE Creative would have crafted a great storyline and instantly created a star of Zayn. Unfortunately, the writing team seems content to have his masterplans disintegrate before our eyes, making him the most entertaining loser in the company rather than someone whose stroke of genius delivers him a monumental victory.

This means Rollins or McIntyre is likely the sure thing in this field.

Prediction: Rollins wins Money in the Bank for the second time in his career

   

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