Published: 14 minutes ago by Jamie Toolan | Last Updated: 6 hours ago by Jamie Toolan
Jamie has been covering the world of wrestling for four years and currently holds the position of Assistant Editor of WrestleTalk.com. During his time working for WrestleTalk.com he has written and published over 4,000 news and feature articles covering events and happenings from WWE, AEW, TNA and a variety of international and independent wrestling promotions.
WWE
The Friday, October 2 episode of WWE SmackDown will see the final spots in this year’s Money in the Bank ladder matches decided.
As confirmed last week the field for the women’s qualifier will see the experienced Candice LeRae take on SmackDown’s newest star Tatum Paxley, as well as 2024 Money in the Bank winner Tiffany Stratton.
All three stars have a strong case for receiving a spot in the match, but who will ultimately qualify for a spot on the card in New Orleans?
Here is our prediction for who will earn the final spot in the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match:
Least likely – Candice LeRae
Sami Zayn got both Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae Money in the Bank qualifying matches for the October 2 episode of SmackDown.
The past few weeks have seen husband and wife pairing Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae rise from obscurity to have a key role in the main event picture on SmackDown.
Helping Sami Zayn both become Undisputed WWE Champion on September 11 and then also retain it the following week, LeRae and Gargano are now Sami’s “ride or dies.”
However, there is an underlying motivation for this allegiance as Gargano and LeRae helping Zayn was only done because a shot at the Undisputed WWE Title was promised to “Johnny Wrestling.” He has yet to receive that shot, but what Sami did do was get Gargano and LeRae Money in the Bank qualifying matches.
While it would be nice to see both, or either win their respective qualifier, when looking at the rest of the field in their matches, they certainly stand out as the least likely on paper given that neither have been booked at the top of the card at all in their main roster runs.
Tatum Paxley
Tatum Paxley certainly has a strong case to qualify for Money in the Bank as she is a brand new face on SmackDown who has yet to be pinned.
Much of the Money in the Bank line-up across both matches has a focus on youth, and Paxley would certainly not look out of place as a rising star on the roster.
While she has real pedigree as a singles star on NXT, she has spent her time on main roster thus far aligned with Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair; both of whom failed to qualify for this year’s ladder match.
Paxley doing what they couldn’t would add an extra layer to their story together, and would be something Flair especially may not be too enthralled about. While Paxley qualifying does make a lot of sense, there is one better option…
Most likely – Tiffany Stratton
Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton have been officially aligned together on WWE TV since June.
Of the three stars involved in the final Money in the Bank qualifier, Tiffany Stratton perhaps needs a big win the least given her past success in WWE and in this match specifically.
However, from a storyline perspective, Stratton has a stronger case than any other, given her close friendship with current Interim WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green.
Green gave Stratton the ok to compete in the qualifier – based on the assumption that she would target the other world champion over on Raw. This is wrestling however, we know that doesn’t happen. What likely will, if Stratton takes home the briefcase, is a good old fashioned betrayal.
With Rhea Ripley eventually returning to WWE for a title unification match once she’s fit and able, it makes more sense for a heel to be carrying the Interim WWE Women’s Title, and Stratton would fit that bill perfectly.
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