Predicting The Next 10 WWE Champions
6. Shinsuke Nakamura (Money In The Bank 2018)
Having John Cena become a 16-time world champion at Royal Rumble 2017 was a cynical move, and one that dented the belt’s prestige. Cena deserves the accolade, but the title only switched hands for the sake of putting his name in the record books. It wasn’t built up to with any kind of meaningful story, and was followed by a pointless 15-day reign that ended inside the Elimination Chamber.
Given how lame that particular run was, WWE should at least let John hold the title for a decent length of time after making the record his own. If they don’t, his WrestleMania 34 victory would feel like another cynical ploy, leaving a hefty dent in the belt’s prestige, and ending Cena’s main event career on a sour note.
WrestleMania to Money In The Bank would be a four-month stretch, which is more than enough time for the ageing franchise player. At this point, WWE could have Cena retain in the main event, only to fall to another fan favourite in Shinsuke Nakamura, who grabbed the MITB briefcase earlier in the evening.
A sneaky cash-in, but an effective way to transition the strap from one babyface to another.