Will Randy Orton rise back to the top at Money In The Bank? Or will Ricochet or Andrade win the battle for the briefcase and begin a run at the big time?
Saturday 4 May 2019 08:31, UK
The male selections for WWE's Money In The Bank ladder match contain a mix of hard-hitting heavyweights, high-flying specialists and the curious addition of a highly-decorated multiple former world champion.
Randy Orton, with 13 world titles to his name, will be one of eight men who will fight for the right to grab the famous aluminium case at the Sky Sports Box Office event on Sunday May 19.
He is an intriguing addition to a match which signals the start of the post-WrestleMania cycle of storylines as championship opportunities are up for grabs in both the men's and women's division.
We take a look at how the Viper fits in to the runners and riders for this year's contest...
The favourites
According to SkyBet, Drew McIntyre (at 6/4) is the best bet to win the briefcase, and there is a clear logic in that; the vicious Scotsman has long been touted as a future star and a Money In The Bank triumph would set him on collision course with Universal champion Seth Rollins.
Keeping him company at the top of the betting is Mexican star Andrade (2/1), a man who has impressed pretty much everyone with his in-ring performances since moving the main roster from NXT.
The two are very different types and a victory for either would represent very different booking strategies. But both are heels, and the briefcase ownership has been traditionally held by villains as it plays into that character more.
The chasing pack
That is not to say, however, that Ricochet (13/2) and Ali (7/1) would not be solid selections. They sit alongside Braun Strowman (also 7/1) in the trio just below the top-priced challengers.
Between them, Ricochet and Ali have the potential to steal the show in the ladder match with their aerial capabilities, while Strowman is no stranger to eye-catching weapon-based brutality.
For the former two, winning Money In The Bank would be the start of a major push - and WWE has already made clear their fondness for Ali - while for the Monster Among Men it would act as a resetting of focus.
The 'outsiders'
While not actually that far behind the pack, SkyBet has the least amount of confidence in Orton (9/1), Baron Corbin and Finn Balor (both 10/1) to be the men to ascend the ladder at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
True, Corbin and Balor may have their eyes on other prizes, with the former potentially being positioned as a post-event Universal title challenger whether he has the briefcase or not, the latter the proud owner of the Intercontinental title and with a feud with Andrade ready to roll.
Which just leaves Orton. The Viper has held championship gold 13 times in his glorious career and of course won Money In The Bank in 2013. At 39, he has more of his career behind him than he does in front of him. But could this be the start of one last title run?...
Money In The Bank is live on Sky Sports Box Office on Sunday May 19.
