Tonight, Shinsuke Nakamura will compete in the ‘ Money in the Bank ‘ Ladder along with five of the best that SmackDown Live has to offer. There is a strong case for every participant to walk out of St. Louis this year’s “Mr. Money in the Bank.” However, a lot of WWE fans are expecting Shinsuke Nakamura to walk out of the match with the briefcase. Even if he isn’t successful, it’s going to be a night of many first for Nakamura.
As of this writing, Baron Corbin and Shinsuke Nakamura are the two most likely to win the briefcase tonight at the WWE Money in the Bank PPV. The briefcase has always favored heels over babyfaces, but WWE may decide to give the briefcase to “The King of Strong Style” to keep his momentum going on SmackDown . His first major victory on the main roster could happen today, but he will have to do it in his first ladder match.
As the go-home edition of SmackDown Live went off the air last week, Shinsuke Nakamura stood tall on top of a ladder holding the Money in the Bank briefcase. Many fans have taken it as a sign of things to come, but a lot of people have noticed how uncomfortable Nakamura was on top of the ladder. It’s understandable that he would be nervous about working with ladders considering he doesn’t have a lot of experience with them.
There is now a lot of speculation regarding how WWE officials are planning to book the match if Nakamura is uncomfortable using or climbing the ladder. Unfortunately, it’s a part of the match he’s competing, but he won’t be forced to touch a ladder again after tonight. It’s likely that WWE officials will keep him away from doing any crazy spots off the ladder during the match, but Shinsuke will need to climb it at least once to win.
It has been reported that Shinsuke Nakamura will challenge Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship next week during a WWE live event. The WWE Universe should take that with a grain of salt because live events don’t necessarily feature feuds happening on WWE television. However, it may also be a sign that Shinsuke is preparing to enter the WWE Title picture, which means he’s likely to face the winner of Mahal vs. Orton.
On paper, “The King of Strong Style” doesn’t necessarily need the Money in the Bank briefcase to become a main event star on SmackDown Live. The WWE Universe is firmly behind him as a top babyface for WWE, but holding the contract just escalates his need to be at the top of the WWE ladder. If WWE officials think it is the time for Nakamura to reach the top, he could be the one leaving St. Louis with the MITB briefcase.
[Featured Image by WWE]
