It was just a few days ago that we asked you fine folks who frequent the site to give us your best ideas for Penta’s Money in the Bank cash-in. We don’t know when it will happen, just that it will. But how?
The Cageside crew got together for a roundtable chat to discuss a couple of your ideas on the matter. We plan to do many more of these in the future, and we’ll try to keep you as involved as much as possible.
Let’s get right into the first one.
Cain A. Knight: I think it’s definitely possible that
Penta cashes in for the AAA title. I don’t see him going after Roman/Oba, and if they wait long enough, I think the WWE title will be dominated by Punk and Cody for the first half of next year.
Marcus Benjamin: I don’t mind the idea of Penta cashing in on the AAA champ in the context of Oba becoming the man. In fact I actually like it from the perspective of getting penta on multiple shows and facing multiple competitors. My main issue with it is it seemingly puts a ceiling on what he can be though.
Geno Mrosko: If AAA was more established, maybe.
Manalo Has Pizzazz: Flat no on cashing in for AAA Mega Championship while El Grande Americano still holds the title. AAA is riding the EGA money train. Penta is a babyface too, so they’d have to square away screwing EGA. Even if AAA decides for a short rudo run to answer that problem, it’s still cutting off the nose to spite the face about EGA’s popularity in Mexico.
Marcus: That’s a good point, Manolo. Gotta let El Grande Americano cook.
Cain: From my own perspective, I kind of hate the idea because I’m not interested in AAA, no different than how I don’t like when AEW crowds their TV with ROH belts and whatnot.
Geno: That’s a really good point about EGA too. Why mess with that right now?
It’s kind of horrendous timing for literally anyone to have the briefcase right now but especially Penta because how can he slot in and win it when we are inching closer to WrestleMania season? But there’s no way he should lose the match.
Marcus: And the last thing they should do is do what they did to Stephanie Vaquer recently where he’d win it just to lose it so someone else can win big down the line.
Josh Jagler: Penta got to this spot partially because of his showing against Roman… having him go to AAA for a cash in would devalue that a bit.
Marcus: He deserves better than that and frankly, so does the briefcase. Seriously, the man’s briefcase has its own pyro.
Cain: No matter what they do with Penta, I think he has a decent chance to hold onto that briefcase beyond WrestleMania 43.
Geno: Okay, so here’s another idea that posits ditching Reigns and heading for SmackDown.
Manolo: If Penta cashed in on Roman, how long would the title reign need to be for fan satisfaction? Can they squeeze it in then go back to Oba versus Roman?
Josh: Agreed, Cain. There are some top notch stories at the top of each show that should be sorted out by then. A cash in next summer for either title is more feasible to me.
Geno: That’s the problem, Manolo, and also why I don’t hate this idea for cashing in on Zayn. Make it about his brother too to explain why he would want to switch over to the blue brand and all that comes with that, and you can build in something from there.
Marcus: I always figured he’d cash in on smackdown. Oba vs. Roman is too big to derail at this point.
Cain: Yeah, it’s a solid idea for doing the cash in on Sami Zayn.
Josh: I actually see a window here for a Sami Zayn cash in to work….. Cody and Randy are feuding, Finn and Gunther, KO and Punk. There is a lane here for Penta to sneak in soon and cash in. I DO think they should let that briefcase cook for awhile though. That thing is phenomenal.
Manolo: Moving to Smackdown would create fresh matchups for Penta’s title defenses.
Cain: I think Fenix and Sami had a disagreement at the Gingerbread man funeral. As long as they don’t bring that gimmick back for it.
Sean Rueter: I think there’s little chance they take the belt off Sami before Crown Jewel.
Marcus: The Shrek sequel is coming, Cain. So don’t put it past them.
Geno: Don’t speak it into existence. if they wait too long, the SmackDown picture probably clears up and then he doesn’t have as much space to slot in like he does now. But if the briefcase is selling well, I can see them waiting long enough that both the brands are going to look unrecognizable by then.
Marcus: Does the version on WWE Shop come with pyro?
Josh: Thats true Geno. My worry is that they’re not striking while the iron is hot. Storylines might be a better fit in 8 months but how can they keep Penta hot until then? They’d have to book him kinda like they’re doing Oba right now.
Cain: We also don’t know how injuries might pan out on Raw with Roman and Oba. There doesn’t look like a window now, but that can change fast if they just have him sit on the briefcase.
Geno: I actually think this last idea sounds about right to me.
Marcus: But how long does Penta keep the title then? Is it really just until next spring?
Geno: Probably.
Cain: Yeah, Raw does need something juicy going on at the top besides just waiting for Roman to fight Oba at Mania. I figured Roman vs Royce has to happen at some point as part of this story. If Penta wins that belt, though, I think he will lose it back very soon.
Marcus: I don’t like him being a placeholder but to the point made, raw needs some juice in its title picture.
Geno: He could hold it until Royal Rumble, lose it there, and they telegraph WrestleMania with an Oba win in the Rumble combined with Reigns winning it back from Penta the same night.
Cain: Yeah, that sounds feasible.
Sean: I like that.
Cain: Do it in November, and Penta gets two or three months with the belt. That works.
Sean: Out of the options discussed so far.
Manolo: Once Penta wins the title, it would be easier to justify a second reign. So, in that sense, a short yet entertaining reign wouldn’t hurt him.
Marcus: Assuming he gets a rematch for a second reign. But I hear you, Manolo.
Josh: Maybe to close Crown Jewel, 946 attacks and Penta cashes in. Sami has to make a choice whether or not to save Roman Reigns and decides not to. Brings Sami into the fold for War Games against The Bloodline.
Cain: If Brock comes back and beats Penta for the title in 7 seconds, then we’ll know Vince is calling the shots behind the scenes again.
Josh: Ugh.
Marcus: Don’t speak it into existence.
Josh: There is a non-zero chance of that.
Geno: Well, no better way to end this roundtable than that, I suppose.
Until next time!
