Sports
Otis and Asuka Are the Perfect Shock WWE Money in the Bank Winners for a New Era
WWEOtis and Asuka winning the respective briefcases at WWE’s 2020 Money in the Bank will go down as one of the most fitting outcomes in recent wrestling history. It just works with the times. This is probably one of those “should’ve seen it coming” things. WWE—as it always does—has performed admirably well with its back against the…
WWE
Otis and Asuka winning the respective briefcases at WWE‘s 2020 Money in the Bank will go down as one of the most fitting outcomes in recent wrestling history.
It just works with the times.
This is probably one of those “should've seen it coming” things. WWE—as it always does—has performed admirably well with its back against the wall during audience-less shows amid the coronavirus pandemic.
And two stars who have risen above the rest during these odd shows without live audiences?
Otis and Asuka.
Call them the wildly perfect duo for wild times. These are just strange times on many levels, so it only feels right Sunday night's main event featured two unexpected winners on a shortened pay-per-view event that finished atop a building in a wrestling ring littered with ladders.
These two winning their respective matches is more than just swerving for the sake of swerving, too. It's about keeping this theme of the unexpected and unorthodox during hard times going.
On the men's side, WWE could have just as easily kept things going in predictable fashion. AJ Styles could have won and threatened whoever he wanted. A troll-like villain like King Corbin could have won. WWE could have even moved forward with what seems like an inevitable massive push for Aleister Black, making him a terrorizing threat to men's champions for the foreseeable future.
WWE @WWE
“YO, MANDY … I DID IT!”
@otiswwe = Mr. #MITB!!! https://t.co/OJGg2pYhGz
Instead…Otis. The massive, goofy, comedic-but-dangerous guy involved in tag teams but believable as a solo act. The guy who started a food fight during the match and otherwise spent his recent history just pursuing the attention of Mandy Rose.
And on the women's side, WWE could have easily propped up a big bad like Shayna Baszler or reanointed Nia Jax. The match even teased strapping a rocket to Dana Brooke by having her grab the wrong briefcase.
Instead, Asuka. She has a much, much richer solo history than Otis, obviously. But she's been just as wacky, zany and unpredictable as of late and her sitting atop the ladder screaming her lungs out after winning is probably a sign of things to come for the women's division.
And in the backdrop of all this, a funny pre-taped cinematic match with Hollywood vibes much like Undertaker-Styles at WrestleMania 36. There was a food fight, a segment with Stephanie McMahon, a brawl in front of Vince McMahon and so much more.
Wacky, wild and somehow impossible to look away from—which happens to explain the exploits of both Otis and Asuka pretty well since WWE started going without an audience.
WWE @WWE
🤡 OHHHH YEAHHHHHHH 🤡
Mr. #MITB = @otiswwe
Ms. #MITB = @WWEAsuka https://t.co/TuoCqwGpNY
Where WWE goes from here with both Superstars doesn't really matter—we know it's going to be engaging and cause fans to tune in and watch.
It only feels right Asuka will be a thorn in Becky Lynch's side again after their past encounters. She's been a champion before and had the massive undefeated streak so it won't be hard to sell her as a threat. And in the meantime, she's been downright hilarious on commentary while remaining as lethal as ever.
Admittedly, Otis is a little more interesting because it's so hard to see where WWE goes with him. Is he just going to up and challenge for a top title? Go after a Drew McIntyre? Lose the briefcase in a match or via betrayal by someone close to him?
Or will it bend the rules and have him challenge for tag team titles or even give his contract to Mandy Rose for her to use? And while this might seem out there, maybe Brock Lesnar takes offense to that food fight Otis started involving Paul Heyman. Just saying.
WWE is making this whole thing up as it goes during odd times, and Otis is just the perfect vessel for it.
WWE @WWE
WHAT A NIGHT.
#MITB @WWEAsuka @otiswwe https://t.co/s0FjX01XYI
With the nature of WWE programming remaining a massive question mark for an unknown period of time due to outside circumstances, neither Superstar needs to have a rushed outcome with their briefcase. It can't overstay its welcome either, but both have been doing so well on a weekly basis recently that it's hard to see that happening.
Looking at it in hindsight, it's easy to see WWE's thought process. Baszler will inevitably get back to the title scene. Black will have his moment. Any number of the main event participants will be back in championship contention soon enough, especially when things get back to normal on a broader scale.
But for right now? This new era of WWE? Asuka and Otis just fit. While shocking, their respective triumphs given the circumstances were, well, money.
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