Forecasting the Wildest Scenarios for WWE Money in the Bank 2019 Ladder Matches

The Money in the Bank ladder match is always one of the most highly anticipated contests of the year. With so many competitors, anyone can walk out victorious with a major story set for them to tell for months to come.

This year's two ladder matches are no different. Eight men and eight women, and even the most unlikely competitors could take victory without much surprise because of the chaotic nature of the contest.

In the men's match, Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin, Randy Orton, Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, Ricochet, Andrade and Ali all feel like stars at the edge of title contention. While McIntyre and Zayn seem closest given their recent booking, Andrade and Ali are only one opportunity away from that moment.

While Dana Brooke and the recently added Nikki Cross are outliers, Bayley, Ember Moon, Naomi, Carmella, Mandy Rose and Natalya all feel like worthy winners, with many already having been women's champion in recent years.

While most will just be left talking about the high flying and excitement, the ramifications of victory give this contest weight.

It's exciting to think about just what ways WWE could blow away all of our expectations with one shocking move.

Usually, the underdog in a ladder match is a wrestler added to the contest because of their athleticism. Guys like Ricochet and Ali are great, but most fans expect they are in the match for what they can do with a ladder rather than being a contender to win.

Brooke, though, is the ultimate underdog. She has barely appeared on television in recent months while being largely viewed as a work in progress. One of many women rushed to the main roster as WWE tried to bolster the roster, she has been treated as a lackey at best since her debut.

Her sudden inclusion over a star like Ruby Riott was disconcerting, but it has been clear for weeks that WWE knows she is seen as the odd one out. She has been pushing herself each week to try to stand out and prove she belongs.

If she can overcome this field and capture the briefcase, it would be the biggest shock of the night. It would be so shocking that most would likely be speculating for months about who would take the case from her rather than Brooke ever actually cashing in.

Everyone deserves to show their worth at some point in WWE. Otherwise, there was no point in signing them, and this may be the only opportunity Brooke will get. Perhaps there are more worthy victors, but anyone else in this contest can get a title shot another time.

The One and Only has been touted as the latest high flier that can do things that no one else can do, and he will likely show off even more impressive work using a ladder on Sunday.

Over the years, the Money in the Bank competitor most clearly set as the spot star has put together a highlight reel but not actually won. Shelton Benjamin and Kofi Kingston, for example, went to incredible athletic lengths to make moments that seemed to set up a victory that never came.

If Ricochet can one-up them and use his athleticism to actually take down the briefcase, it would be a defining moment of his career. Everyone would be talking about what he pulled off, and he would prove that there are still avenues left unexplored with this stipulation.

While Ricochet feels too new to the scene to receive this opportunity, he is the only one star who could redefine a ladder match that has grown a bit stale in recent years.

No one knows for sure what Sasha Banks is going to do. Her disappearance after WrestleMania 35 sparked rumors that The Boss only recently responded to on Twitter. Banks opening up could be a sign that she will soon be returning to the ring.

If she does, there would be no better time than at Money in the Bank. It is a major spotlight that could help quickly reinforce her importance to the brand while allowing her to step back up as a solo act.

As discussed earlier, Brooke feels like the odd woman out in this match. She was put in the match mainly because WWE was not happy with the alternatives. If Banks does return, it would be Dana's spot she would take in the match.

This ladder match has multiple exciting potential victors, but it doesn't have a standout star. Bayley is the biggest name in the match, but The Boss has always been the more highly regarded star.

If Banks appeared on Sunday and stole the briefcase, it would get everyone talking. Also, if she remained on Raw, it would be huge for a brand clearly lacking top female talent.

Braun Strowman was in the ladder match until Monday evening, when Zayn stole his spot with the help of McIntyre and Corbin. This makes it almost a certainty that The Monster Among Men will get involved with the three rivals in his way.

Last year, the men's ladder match was all about Strowman. He may still play a heavy role this year, perhaps even in the direct result. The Scottish Psychopath is the favorite and the one most responsible for the big man losing his opportunity.

If The Monster hit the ring and cost McIntyre that moment, it would set up for a furious scramble of stars trying to walk out champion. It would be a classic WWE move to bend the rules even more by allowing Strowman to take the briefcase only for someone like Zayn to steal it right out of his hands.

The Underdog from the Underground has been on a roll lately, even as Strowman has humiliated him, and he makes perfect sense as Mr. Money in the Bank. He can keep talking down the fans while holding the case up as proof that he is right.

This would also give Strowman and Zayn something to fight over in the coming months, adding stakes to a simplistic rivalry, with McIntyre also a threat in the background for both men.

Alexa Bliss has not been cleared to compete at Money in the Bank, with Nikki Cross taking her spot. The former Sanity member has not done much in WWE to date, making this her biggest spotlight on the main roster.

While no one knows how long The Goddess will be out, Raw will need someone to step up in th time. Cross may be the perfect woman for the job, especially if Bliss remains in her corner.

WWE is notorious for hasty rewrites even on the day of the show; nothing is ever set in stone.

Cross can use her unpredictability to make an impact and pull off the unlikely upset in place of Bliss. This would create months of fascinating storytelling until Bliss can get back in the ring. The Goddess would champion Cross right up until the moment she is cleared, then demand her contract.

The story makes sense, keeps Raw focused, and gives one of the best untapped talents on the card an opportunity. It is highly unlikely, but anything can happen in the Money in the Bank ladder match.