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Money in the Bank is now just under two weeks away and the stage is already set for an epic collision between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, as the former friends look to settle their bitter feud in a Last Man Standing match.
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The women from both brands will compete for the first time in a dual-branded Money in the Bank ladder match to crown just the second Miss Money in the Bank in history, whilst the men will follow suit later in the night with one of the most unpredictable matches in history.
This year's show also boasts Ronda Rousey's first televised singles match in WWE as she takes on Nia Jax for the Raw Women's Championship. The card is looking stacked with many more Championship matches planned and some still yet to be announced, but here are some interesting facts about the show ahead of the event.
#5 First time meeting between The Club and The Bludgeon Brothers
Next Sunday night the WWE Universe will see The Good Brothers take on The Bludgeon Brothers in a first time meeting between all four of these men. Despite Gallows and Anderson being signed to WWE back in 2016, there have been no prior meetings between these two Tag Teams.
Interestingly, it could be Gallows and Anderson who give the two former members of The Wyatt Family their toughest task to date when they meet with the SmackDown Tag Team Championships on the line at Money in the Bank. It's interesting given the history all four of these men have had on the Independent Circuit that they have never crossed paths before and that it has taken two years in WWE for them to go toe-to-toe.
#4 First Last Man Standing Match on pay-per-view in more than two years
This is an interesting fact since WWE has been so open to giving away gimmick matches when they aren't needed. The annual Hell in a Cell match proves this since there was once a time when Hell in a Cell was the worst match type in the company and was only called upon in extreme circumstances.
Last Man Standing matches on pay-per-view are rare, which is why AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura next weekend is the first match of this type to be broadcast on pay-per-view since Dean Ambrose defeated Kevin Owens for the Intercontinental Championship at The Royal Rumble in 2016.
Since 2016, there have been just four Last Man Standing matches in WWE, one between the women of NXT and all three on Monday Night Raw, which coincidentally all included Braun Strowman. The last time a Last Man Standing match took place as part of SmackDown Live, was in May 2014 when Bray Wyatt defeated Jimmy Uso.
#3 Elias' first Championship match at a pay-per-view
It's hard to believe that Elias has been on the main roster for more than a year but he has only ever been in one Championship match. Next Sunday night will be Elias' first Championship match at a pay-per-view as he takes on Seth Rollins for the Intercontinental Championship.
What could be even harder to believe is the fact that Elias has only ever challenged for that title on the main roster. The Drifters only other Championship match in the past year came back in November when he challenged Roman Reigns for the Intercontinental Championship, but failed to lift the title. Recent months have allowed Elias to be pushed higher than he has ever been and it could be argued now that the former NXT star has a much better chance of dethroning Red Hot Rollins.
#2 The Miz is the only member of the men's MITB ladder match who didn't come through NXT
There was once a time when the WWE Universe would moan about the fact that WWE was bringing back part time superstars all the time and wasn't spending enough time investing in the future of the business, well times have definitely changed.
The eight-man field for the MITB ladder match is set with Big E the rumored participant from The New Day, that means that seven of the competitors in the match came through the ranks in NXT. Bobby Roode, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe and Big E are all former NXT Champions as well, with Rusev first finding his feet down in developmental and Strowman enjoying some time as a Rosebud alongside Adam Rose.
Since the winner of this match has the potential to become the next WWE or Universal Champion, it appears that WWE definitely believes in the future of their business now.
#1 The future is now
Well, if you thought that the men's match was stacked, with the speculation that Natalya could be replaced in the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match, this could be an entire field of NXT alumni.
Ember Moon, Charlotte, and Sasha are all former NXT Women's Champions, whilst Lana accompanied Rusev throughout his time in NXT, Becky Lynch was a member of the Four Horsewomen, Alexa Bliss was the manager of Blake and Murphy, and Naomi was part of the first ever all-female season of NXT back in 2010.
If Natalya is replaced in the match, then it's likely that the women's Money in the Bank ladder match could boast an entire field of former NXT wrestlers, which shows just how well Triple H has been doing over the past six years.
Are you excited for MITB? Which Superstar are you rooting for? Let us know in the comments section below!
