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WWE Money in the Bank 2021 is finally in the history books. The night saw Big E and Nikki A.S.H. win the Men’s and Women’s Money in the Bank contracts, respectively. WWE fans were also treated to an epic return following the main event. It was a solid pay-per-view, and now, the promotion will direct all its attention towards SummerSlam, which is scheduled to take place next month.
Here, we look at 10 major feuds that can be developed on WWE RAW & SmackDown after Money in the Bank 2021.
#1 Roman Reigns vs. John Cena (WWE SmackDown)
Roman Reigns successfully defended his Universal Championship against Edge at WWE Money in the Bank 2021. Their title bout accounted for an excellent main event. Following the match, Reigns demanded WWE Universe to “acknowledge him,” but there was a big surprise store for The Tribal Chief. His celebrations were cut short when John Cena’s music hit, and out came the 16-time world champion.
WWE fans welcomed Cena with a thunderous pop as he made his way to the ring, where Reigns stood in complete shock. He then addressed the live audience and shared how different it felt to receive a positive reaction from the crowd. Soon after that, John Cena confirmed that he has returned, intending to regularly appear in WWE.
It is expected that Cena and Reigns will engage in a title feud to set up a big match at SummerSlam. The wrestling fraternity’s reaction to the former’s return is more than enough to prove the hype surrounding this much-anticipated match. Reigns will look forward to getting the better of Cena again. On the other hand, John Cena will have the opportunity to win another world title and surpass Ric Flair’s record.
We could see the feud kickstart as early as WWE SmackDown this week. But before that, John Cena is scheduled to make an appearance on RAW tonight. It will be exciting to see what he has to say about his WWE return, and hopefully, we pick up a hint or two about his potential SummerSlam opponent.
#2 Seth Rollins vs. Edge (WWE SmackDown)
As mentioned above, WWE Superstar Edge challenged Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at Money in the Bank 2021. Although The Rated-R Superstar came close to pinning Roman Reigns, a cunning interference from Seth Rollins ultimately ended up costing him the title match. Both superstars then engaged in a brawl on their way out of the arena.
We expect to see Edge and Rollins face each other in an intense feud on WWE SmackDown. The Architect was unhappy when Edge got another shot at the Universal Championship. Things got worse when he couldn’t win the Money in the Bank match either.
A frustrated Rollins then argued that he is "next in line" to face Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship, taking it upon himself to remove Edge from the title picture.
This obviously didn’t sit well with The Rated-R Superstar, who viciously attacked Rollins after losing at Money in the Bank. Both superstars will now look to settle the score on WWE SmackDown. We could see them building up towards a match at SummerSlam. This would help keep Rollins occupied while Roman Reigns is involved in a feud with John Cena.
#3 Finn Balor vs. Sami Zayn (WWE SmackDown)
WWE Superstar Finn Balor made a surprise return on SmackDown’s go-home show before the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. He interrupted Sami Zayn while the latter was busy complaining about how he is unfairly treated on the Blue brand. Balor and Zayn decided to exchange blows right away. The former quickly gained the paper hand and unleashed a brutal attack on Zayn.
He then left the ring without saying a word, but he has kept the title “Prince,” which signified his heel persona on NXT. Balor will look to make a big statement by winning his first match on the main roster in two years. They are familiar with each other’s in-ring work and will undoubtedly deliver a great match.
This potential storyline involving two entertaining heels could deliver a memorable rivalry on WWE SmackDown in the coming weeks.
Finn Balor is fresh from an incredible run on the Black and Gold brand, where he also won the NXT Championship again. The WWE Universe wants to see him continue with his heel persona, which brought him so much attention over the last couple of years. It will be exciting to see how the creative team will balance a rivalry between Zayn and a returning Balor.
#4 Kevin Owens vs. Baron Corbin (WWE SmackDown)
SmackDown Superstar Baron Corbin has managed to evoke empathy from the entire WWE Universe. The one who wore the crown is currently worried about moving in with his wife’s parents and has even started a fundraiser for himself. In the spirit of seeking charity, Corbin ended up offending Kevin Owens on the Blue brand last week, which led to the latter delivering a Stunner.
Following Money in the Bank, Owens will need a new feud on WWE SmackDown, and we could see him involved in a storyline with Corbin. The latter would end up pushing things too far, which would force him into unpleasant altercations with KO. The good thing about this feud is that Owens can get anyone over with the crowd, and he will keep the WWE Universe invested in the storyline for a long time.
From feuding with Baron Corbin to eventually helping him on a couple of occasions, KO can help Corbin’s face turn on WWE SmackDown. Since Owens can’t be involved in any title feud at the moment, the creative team could use him as a catalyst in other storylines.
#5 AJ Styles and Omos vs. RK-Bro (WWE RAW)
WWE RAW Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos put their titles on the line against The Viking Raiders at Money in the Bank 2021. Both teams delivered a great match, but the challengers couldn’t dethrone The Phenomenal One and his protégé, Omos.
Following the pay-per-view, Styles and Omos will look forward to new opponents on RAW, and they might cross paths with Randy Orton and Riddle, aka RK-Bro.
Styles believes that he lost his Money in the Bank Qualifier because of Riddle and has not shied away from attacking the one-half of RK-Bro over the last few weeks. It should be noted that Riddle did not have Orton by his side during most of these attacks. However, The Viper could return on WWE RAW tonight to help The Original Bro against Styles and Omos.
RK-Bro boasts of a unique alliance between two contrasting gimmicks that often account for some of the best segments on the Red brand. This rivalry will involve two budding superstars and two veteran heels who guarantee entertainment.
AJ Styles has openly stated that he now wants to help push other talents on WWE RAW. Both him and Randy Orton can help their respective tag team partners in crafting a career-defining feud.
#6 The Usos vs. The Alpha Academy (WWE SmackDown)
At WWE Money in the Bank 2021, The Usos defeated Rey and Dominik Mysterio for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Both teams met once again when the newly crowned tag team champions tried to help Roman Reigns during the main event. This altercation indicates that we could see their rivalry continue on SmackDown.
However, WWE could also involve The Usos in a title feud with The Alpha Academy. Otis and Chad Gable have been on a rampage over the last few months on SmackDown. They recently confirmed that they are all prepared to target the tag team gold on the blue brand. Otis and Gable could kickstart a feud by simply attacking Jey and Jimmy Uso on SmackDown later this week.
We could also see Rey and Dominik Mysterio face The Alpha Academy in a bid to determine the No. 1 contenders for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships. They were involved in a brutal feud earlier this year and can easily pick up from where they left off. In either case, The Usos will have to watch their backs as they begin their seventh title reign in WWE.
#7 Sheamus vs. Damian Priest (WWE RAW)
Last week on WWE RAW, Sheamus was scheduled to defend his United States Championship against Humberto Carrillo. However, he brutally attacked Carrillo backstage right before their match, and the latter couldn’t even get on his feet.
Carrillo somehow made it to the ring to compete in the title match but was immediately leveled by Sheamus’ devastating Brogue Kick. The latter then quickly pinned his challenger to retain his United States Championship.
Unfortunately, The Celtic Warrior was far from done. He wanted to make Carrillo pay by breaking his nose but couldn’t bring his plans to fruition. Damian Priest rushed to the ring when Sheamus was manhandling Carrillo in an attempt to save the challenger. Following that, he was involved in a stare-down with the United States Champion.
Damien Priest could establish himself as the next challenger for Sheamus’ United States Championship. He is enjoying a decent run on WWE RAW, and being pushed into the title picture will help elevate his current status on the roster.
Even Sheamus can use a credible title defense against a strong challenger. It will be excellent if the creative team books both these superstars in a mutually beneficial storyline.
#8 Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal (WWE RAW)
Former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre was one of the strongest contenders in the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Unfortunately, he was taken out of the equation by old foes. Just as he cleared the ring and started climbing onto the ladder, Shanky and Veer rushed to the ring and eclipsed his efforts.
Soon after that, Jinder Mahal arrived at ringside. He attacked McIntyre with multiple chair shots and ordered his allies to carry the former WWE Champion backstage. Both superstars have been involved in constant childish altercations such as stealing a sword or destroying a bike. But this time, Mahal may have crossed the line by costing McIntyre a guaranteed title shot.
The Scottish Warrior won’t respond kindly and will declare a full-fledged war against his former friend. Interestingly, Mahal would have the number’s advantage with Shanky and Veer on his side. It will be exciting to see how McIntyre fights against the odds.
Fortunately, this feud will keep him out of the title picture for some time and will allow him to focus on other opponents. This will ultimately help add more credibility to his dominance on WWE RAW.
#9 Rhea Ripley vs. Alexa Bliss (WWE RAW)
At WWE Money in the Bank 2021, Rhea Ripley put her RAW Women’s Championship on the line against Charlotte Flair. This was the third meeting between the two superstars during their extended championship feud, and The Queen finally managed to pick up a historic win. Flair is now a 14-time champion, extending her record as the most decorated female superstar in WWE history.
Given that Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair have been feuding for over three months, the creative team might push the former champion into other feuds. She could be involved in a rivalry with Alexa Bliss. Ripley was the one who unceremoniously eliminated Bliss from Royal Rumble, which first planted the seeds of their potential rivalry on WWE RAW.
Bliss relies on mind games, whereas Ripley trusts her brutality against all odds. It would be interesting to see how these two WWE Superstars will compete against each other when neither can play in one area of expertise. Moreover, Bliss and Ripley can engage in a compelling narration even without a championship on the line.
#10 Natalya and Tamina vs. Shotzi and Nox (WWE SmackDown)
Former NXT Superstars Shotzi and Nox made their WWE main roster debut earlier this month. Both superstars were involved in separate angles on the Black and Gold brand, making their sudden call-up look all the more surprising. However, it must be said that both Shotzi and Nox have been impressive as a tag team ever since they arrived on WWE SmackDown.
They faced Natalya and Tamina in a non-title match and picked up a massive win over the reigning Women’s Tag Team Champions. They defeated Natalya and Tamina again in a tag team match on WWE SmackDown’s final show before the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Based on these results, they can soon challenge Tamina and Natalya for the tag team titles.
WWE SmackDown Women’s Division took a significant blow when Bayley sustained an injury and was ruled out of action for nine months. The Blue brand desperately needs new superstars to step up and help create more exciting rivalries.
Even if Shotzi and Nox don’t win the tag team titles, the rivalry will help keep the spotlight on two talented superstars and allow the WWE Universe to see what they have to offer.
