WWE’s First Money in the Bank Qualifiers Were 100% the Right Choices

WWE has started the road to Money in the Bank in earnest, beginning with tonight’s SmackDown, as it held the first two qualifying matches for the Men’s and Women’s Money in the Bank matches. The Women’s match was up first with Chelsea Green, Alexa Bliss, and Michin battling it out for a spot, while the Men’s match would include Rey Fenix, Jimmy Uso, and Solo Sikoa, and each superstar would be the first to secure their spot in the Money in the Bank matches. In both cases, I think WWE made the right choice, too, and while that might be surprising with the second match in particular, I think both Alexa Bliss and Solo Sikoa will be key assets to making those matches soar.

Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifier

Let’s start with the Women’s Qualifier, which featured Michin, Green, and Bliss. Green got kicked out of the ring immediately by Michin, and after a high five, Michin and Bliss went one-on-one. Bliss and Michin fought to a standstill, but then Bliss tripped Green on her way into the ring, and it was Bliss vs Michin again, and they both almost got near falls on each other. Green insulted them both from the side of the ring, and that prompted Bliss and Michin to team up on Green and kick her to the floor. Green got revenge after Michin and Bliss both wanted to get in the next hit, and Green then slammed Bliss and Michin into the barricades to get back on track.

Green tried to pin Bliss in the ring, but Bliss kicked out, and Green stayed aggressive, throwing Bliss into the turnbuckle and then kicking her head into the turnbuckle before going for a pin. Bliss would kick out, and Green then threw her to the floor and celebrated, even drawing a pledge of allegiance from Wade Barrett. Green threw Bliss into the barricade again and then rolled her back into the ring, following up with clubbing blows to her back as she kicked Michin back down to the floor. Bliss regained momentum only to get slammed into the mat right after, but Michin was back in and hitting suplexes on Green. Green countered but then got rocked with a powerbomb, though Bliss broke up the pin.

Bliss and Michin battled, and Michin gained the upper hand, and then Michin kicked Green into the same corner as Bliss for a cannonball. Michin pinned Bliss, but she kicked out, and Green kicked out right after. Michin missed, and so did Bliss, and then everyone knocked each other to the mat. Bliss then got back in the fight and knocked down Green with several strikes, only to get rocked with a dropkick from Micin. Michin hit the finisher on Green, but Bliss broke up the pin attempt, and then Bliss slammed Michin down with a DDT. Bliss set up Michin and hit the Twisted Bliss, but Green broke it up and threw her to the floor. Green then hit the finisher, but Bliss prevented the pin. Bliss then hit Sister Abigail on Green and got the pin and the win.

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Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier

It was then time for the second Money in the Bank qualifier, which featured Solo Sikoa, Rey Fenix, and Jimmy Uso. Sikoa was the immediate aggressor, going after Fenix and then trying to work out an alliance with Jimmy. Sikoa even threw the one up, but Jimmy started attacking Sikoa and then teamed up with Fenix to knock Sikoa out of the ring and to the floor. Fenix then went for a quick roll-up, but Jimmy made him pay with a heavy chop. Fenix got back into the match and sent Uso to the mat before delivering his own set of heavy chops, and the two superstars got into a vicious exchange that ended with Fenix delivering his patented springboard dropkick, and it never gets old watching him make that move happen. Uso hit Fenix with more chops, but was holding his hand a bit, and then Sikoa got involved in the match once more.

Sikoa slammed Uso face-first onto the announce table, but Fenix was ready with a super kick to the face of Sikoa. Fenix went up top and then collided with Uso and Sikoa on the outside. Jimmy was out of it, and Fenix then leaped right into a Spinning Solo from Sikoa. Sikoa knocked Jimmy off the ring apron into the announce table, and then Sikoa slammed Uso onto the table, though it didn’t break.

Sikoa was in control with a senton to Fenix, but Uso was back up and in the fight, only to get knocked down to the floor shortly after. Sikoa taunted the crowd before heading back into the ring against Fenix, and another kick to Uso’s head knocked him out of the fight as well. Sikoa went for the pin, but Fenix kicked out. Uso actually saved Fenix from a move, and then they teamed up on Sikoa, throwing him into the ring post. Fenix was in control next, and he actually managed to pin Sikoa for a three count, but the referee was paying attention to Jimmy and didn’t see it.

Sikoa got back into contention and slammed down Uso and Fenix, and he seemed in the best spot for a win. Sikoa set up Fenix for the Spike, but Fenix countered and Uso clocked Sikoa with a superkick. The crowd was clearly in Fenix’s corner at this point, and Fenix hit a dropkick to Uso and then got speared by Uso, though Fenix managed to get his shoulder up in time. Jacob Fatu got involved but got knocked out by Uso, and that allowed Sikoa to knock Uso out. Fenix then took down Sikoa, but Sikoa rocked Fenix with a spike and got the win, moving on to Money in the Bank.

Final Verdict

Bliss was the favorite heading into the match and has been in demand from fans online and in the crowd for weeks now, so her getting the win was absolutely the right call. Not only does it keep her on WWE TV leading into the event, but Bliss could easily be the person to win the briefcase, and it would likely be something fans would support.

As for Sikoa, while Fenix was the fan favorite here, Sikoa desperately needed a win to become a credible threat again, and this helped quite a bit. Granted, he had help from Jacob and JC, but they actually didn’t really involve themselves much, and Sikoa was made to look rather strong throughout the match. Plus, Fenix was made to look strong by the numbers advantage and the fact that he pinned Sikoa, though it is also likely that Fenix gets in the match anyway in a last-chance qualifier of some sort.

What did you think of the first round of qualifiers, and did WWE make the right choices? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!