Updated WWE Money in the Bank 2021 Match Card and Predictions

WWE Money in the Bank 2021 on Sunday is the first big show for WWE after its return to the road. It has special significance for fans and the company alike, which means the results matter more than most this past year.

The card is unlikely to be set yet. Following Bayley's injury, one of the six scheduled matches was removed, and Bianca Belair instead will be defending her SmackDown Women's Championship on Friday Night SmackDown.

However, the most important contests are set. Roman Reigns will face Edge in a match that was originally supposed to happen at WrestleMania 37. Bobby Lashley will battle a motivated Kofi Kingston, looking to repeat his huge WrestleMania 35 win.

Rhea Ripley will continue to try to outmaneuver Charlotte Flair. Both ladder match cards are mostly set, though the women's bout is still in need of two more participants from SmackDown.

This show will be WWE's chance to reshape the direction of Raw and SmackDown, and each result will be vital to setting that stage.

The Nightmare has been Raw women's champion for what feels like days, even though she has been champion since April. It has been a slow-build reign that has focused only on two contenders: Asuka and Charlotte Flair.

While Ripley handily defeated The Empress of Tomorrow following her 231-day reign, The Queen has been a much different challenge. She has struggled to overcome the women who once ended her reign as NXT women's champion.

The easy answer would be to predict that The Queen will dethrone The Nightmare because Charlotte has been at the top of the company's women's division for years.

As a record 12-time women's champion, Charlotte has far and away solidified her legacy, but it is inevitable that she will end up eclipsing her father's 16 world championship reigns. This is still not the right time for her to pick up world title No. 13, though.

It should remain Ripley's time on Raw, like it should remain Bianca Belair's on SmackDown. Both women's divisions need fresh challengers.

Prediction: Ripley pins Charlotte to retain the Raw Women's Championship.

The women's Money in the Bank lineup is an intriguing one. Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Naomi and Nikki ASH represent Raw, each with an intriguing claim to the briefcase. SmackDown has only announced Liv Morgan and Zelina Vega, opening up the opportunity for surprise entrants.

Of those currently in the match, Bliss feels like the most likely to win. She has been built as unstoppable, and she has not challenged for a singles women's championship in more than two years.

However, it seems more like WWE is building to a surprise twist in the Money in the Bank match that will lead to a big return. The obvious answer would be Sasha Banks' return after a hiatus.

The Legit Boss has been out since WrestleMania 37 and is going to be looking to face Bianca Belair once again. Money in the Bank can set the stage for that bout. However, there may be an even bigger headline WWE can create.

Becky Lynch left after Money in the Bank in 2020 because of her pregnancy. She has not been seen since, but it seems likely she will soon be ready to return. What better way to start her run back to the title than winning Money in the Bank, allowing her to challenge either women's champion.

Prediction: Lynch returns as the final entrant in Money in the Bank and wins the briefcase.

The men's Money in the Bank ladder match is not nearly as stacked as one would have expected. Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Sheamus, Cesaro, Rey Mysterio and Sami Zayn are all not in the contest. Instead, some surprise combatants include Ricochet, John Morrison and King Nakamura.

This is a fresh lineup that could lead to a truly unexpected finish. Could The Shaman of Sexy finally get his big solo break? Will The One and Only regain some needed momentum on a shallow Raw roster?

All of these are interesting ideas, but WWE is not known for taking the unexpected route. Even last year when Otis won, he was never allowed to evolve before dropping the briefcase to The Miz.

It is more likely a big name like Seth Rollins or Drew McIntyre will win. The Scottish Warrior has become one of WWE's top stars, and it's hard to tell where his story is going without the WWE Championship.

He and Roman Reigns are on a collision course, and it would be appropriate that he wins the briefcase and cashes it in to get back to the top following a cash-in ending his previous reign.

Prediction: McIntyre wins the Money in the Bank briefcase.

WWE could do something unexpected here. Much like how the KofiMania story came out of nowhere, Kofi Kingston's recent run to the top has been exciting to watch. He has put on great performances with everyone, including Bobby Lashley ahead of their match.

It would be a fantastic, crowd-pleasing moment for Kofi to shock the world. It is not out of the realms of possibility for it to happen. It just seems unlikely.

The All Mighty has been a dominant champion who is only in the second rivalry of his title reign. A loss to Kofi would feel like a denouncement of his ability as a champion. Kofi, meanwhile, will remain roughly where he is on the card no matter what.

This is ultimately a filler feud ahead of something big at SummerSlam 2021. Whatever that story is, it is far more likely that The All Mighty will be the champion in need of a memorable challenger rather than Kofi getting another likely brief run.

Prediction: Lashley makes Kofi tap out to retain the WWE Championship.

Roman Reigns has run through the field during his impressive 300-plus-day reign as WWE universal champion. Something has to give eventually, but it is unlikely that Edge will be the one to take down The Head of the Table.

The Rated-R Superstar had a chance to redefine his legacy with a victory over Reigns at WrestleMania 37. That did not happen. Reigns looked dominant throughout and won in such overwhelming fashion that no one could deny he was the better man.

Daniel Bryan did get in Edge's way at that time, but Edge was the lesser of the three men in that fight. No matter how many times The Rated-R Superstar lays out Jey and Jimmy Uso, The Head of the Table remains too much for him.

This should be a good match between two veterans, but it is just another stepping stone for The Head of the Table on his way to breaking records as one of the most dominant champions WWE has ever seen.

Prediction: Reigns retains the WWE Universal Championship by knockout.