Need to know when and where to watch an upcoming PLE? Need to know who’s fighting who? Need to know why you should care? Then, you’ve come to the right place!
“A Handy Guide” is a series on Dirt Sheet Radio where I run down an upcoming pay-per-view, and discuss the competitors and stories going into each match. For now, the focus is going to be on WWE and AEW, but if there’s interest, we may expand to companies like TNA, NJPW, and more. Additionally, I also give my picks for the sleeper hit, the match that I think will over-deliver or be under-appreciated, and my match of the night, which should be self-explanatory.
Today’s edition is all about Money in the Bank 2026, taking place on Saturday, October 10th, from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The PLE will air on traditional pay-per-view and stream on the ESPN app in the United States. International viewers can stream it on Netflix; additionally, it will stream on SuperSport in Africa, and Abema in Japan. This article does not cover any of the Kick-Off (pre-show) matches, and as always the card is subject to change. For now, these are the matches and their stories:
Roman Reigns vs. LA Knight—
World Heavyweight Championship Match
One must imagine Sisyphus happy.
LA Knight is one of WWE’s most charismatic wrestlers, and has been for the last five years. He debuted in NXT in 2021, taking over the pre-show broadcast of the aptly named NXT Takeover: Vengeance Day to announce his signing to the world. Over the next year, he revived the Million Dollar Title in an entertaining feud with Cameron Grimes, participated in NXT’s last-ever War Games match, and helped the black-and-gold brand transition into the 2.0 era. For his main roster call-up, he was saddled with the gimmick of Max Dupri, the manager for a male model agency. The role was antithetical to everything that made LA Knight great, and mercifully he shed the Dupri coat nine months later and reverted back to being the Megastar.
A chance feud with Bray Wyatt, made especially poignant due to Wyatt’s untimely passing, allowed Knight to cut a fantastic promo that still gives me chills rewatching it. The crowd was getting into LA Knight in a big way, he was often the most cheered for wrestler on any given night, and even received an in-ring endorsement from John Cena. WWE had stumbled with his presentation at first, but now they had a bonafide superstar they could build around, a future main eventer and certainly the next world champion.
Certainly…
Unfortunately, every time Knight has gotten a shot at one of WWE’s biggest prizes, it’s been against people that WWE has deemed to be bigger draws than him. Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, CM Punk…and Roman Reigns. The OTC has been Knight’s most unconquerable mountain for the last three years. His first shot at major singles gold was a loss to Reigns at Crown Jewel 2023, and then he lost to him again in a Fatal Four Way match at the Royal Rumble. Since then, he has held an unending grudge against Reigns and his entire Bloodline (save for his new bestie, Solo Sikoa), and now that Reigns holds the World Heavyweight Championship, he gets another shot at knocking the Tribal Chief off his ivory tower.
But the harsh truth is that Reigns clearly has his number, and Knight is fighting him at Money in the Bank, an event that also seems to have his number. This will be Knight’s first singles match at this PLE. The last three times he has been involved in the Money in the Bank ladder match, and every time he’s been fingertips away from grabbing the briefcase, he’s been tossed off and had to look up at the lights at the eventual winner.
I truly, desperately want to believe this is going to be LA Knight’s time, and that WWE will strike while the iron is, well, lukewarm. But with reports of WWE already eyeing a potential Roman vs. Penta rematch, and the Wrestlemania 43 plans revolving around either Oba or The Rock, it’s looking like that boulder is going to roll down that hill again. And so…one must imagine Sisyphus happy.
Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
A wise man once said that multi-man ladder matches are the bay leaves of pro wrestling. You don’t always need it, and you don’t know how it got in there, but man is it giving that stew the good spice. In this case, however, this entire PLE is built around the Money in the Bank ladder matches, so I guess this would be a stew that’s all bay leaves? I’ll work on the metaphor.
Regardless, the MITB matches are always fun car crashes and a great way to highlight potential main-eventers and exciting up-and-comers (except in 2013 when one MITB match was all main eventers and the other was just mid-card talent). Let’s take a closer look at the competitors this year and what it would mean for them to win the briefcase.
Bron Breakker
The Unpredictable Badass is riding high after leaving Oba Femi laying in the ring (with Bronson Reed’s help) at Sunday Night’s Main Event. The second-generation superstar, and one of the crown jewels of The Vision, recently became one half of the World Tag Team Champions. Now, he has a chance to add another accolade to his already impressive resume. He defeated Ethan Page and Rey Mysterio to become the first man to enter the ladder match. Now, he looks to skewer any competitor that gets in the way of him and the briefcase.
Je’von Evans
Because of his self-proclaimed bounciness (it sounds cooler when he says it), Evans is probably the man best equipped for this kind of match. The Young OG became the second man to win a spot in the MITB match by defeating the other half of the World Tag Champions Austin Theory and a returning Big Cass. He has been a wonderful standout since his days in NXT and has already gotten endorsements from the likes of Randy Orton and John Cena. He already has ladder match experience on the main roster, participating in the IC Title ladder match at Wrestlemania 42, and shone on the big stage. Look for him to do more of the same here.
Trick Williams
As soon as the “Whoop That Trick” chants began shaking arena walls, you knew Trick Williams was main roster bound. Trick is another gifted athlete who made the effortless transition from collegiate athlete to pro wrestler. After finishing his NXT tenure as a two-time NXT Champion, North American Champion, and TNA World Champion for good measure, he made his main roster debut in January. Since then, he’s competed in the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, Wrestlemania, and also had Lil Yachty as his manager until recently. The current Men’s United States Champion took advantage of a distracted Randy Orton to pin the AAA Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fénix to become the third man to enter MITB. I’m sincerely hoping that, if he wins it, he also fur-lines the briefcase.
Penta
After a spectacular showing against Roman Reigns for the World Championship, Penta carried that momentum into a qualifying match against Dominik Mysterio and Dragon Lee. Now, Cero Miedo es la cuarta persona en el MITB. Penta already has ladder match experience in the WWE, successfully defending the Intercontinental Championship in one at Wrestlemania 42. The poise and grit needed to survive and outlast everyone in a multi-man ladder match is something he already possesses, so look for him to be a favorite to win the briefcase this year.
CM Punk
It’s been thirteen years since CM Punk was last in a MITB match. Though he’s the man who needs the briefcase the least, it would admittedly be cool to see him become the only three-time MITB winner. That being said, he will be going up against a plethora of young and hungry competitors who see the decorated former WWE Champion as a major target. Still, experience is a major factor for a match like this, and Punk has that in spades. He will look to exploit weaknesses and lapses in judgment from the other entrants, though he will especially have to look out for the final man in this match.
Kevin Owens
KO’s return at Summerslam was unexpected and cathartic. It’s always tragic when a wrestler’s career is cut short due to a severe injury— especially a neck-related one— and so it was great to see him back in the ring. He quickly entered a feud with CM Punk after winning a number one contender’s match at Summerslam, though he was unsuccessful in his attempt to win the WWE Championship due to interference by Sami Zayn. On his next attempt, he would lose to Sami Zayn for the championship due to interference by CM Punk. Though, the only reason Punk interfered was because Owens cost him the championship against Zayn. It’s a whole thing. Regardless, Owens looks to grab the briefcase for the first time in his career, and if he can do so while Punk is looking up at him, that would make it all the sweeter.
Oba Femi vs. Bronson Reed
As someone who’s never seen them, the best part about any Godzilla movie is the elite roster of kaiju he can fight and the carnage he reaps. “The Conqueror” Oba Femi put his feud to rest with “The Beast” Brock Lesnar at Summerslam, and then found himself locking horns with Bron Breakker next. At Sunday Night’s Main Event in September, the two faced off in a deeply physical match. As Oba looked to put away Breakker, however, he was attacked and thoroughly demolished by a returning Bronson Reed. The Aus-Zilla (oh hey, that’s fitting) was out of action for months with a severe biceps tear and returned looking slimmed down and angry at the world. He smashed a steel chair into Femi’s back, hit him with five Tsunamis, and stood tall with his Vision co-hort, Bron.
Femi would not take this assault lying down. The very next night, he sought revenge against Reed and the rest of The Vision, taking the fight to them on Raw. However, the numbers would overwhelm him and Reed once again stood tall over the current King of the Ring. A few weeks later, Femi decided to talk business rather than brutality, and formally called out Bronson Reed for a match at Money in the Bank. Before signing the contract, Reed made it clear that he is dead set on “dethroning” The Ruler. After the contract was signed, Femi made it clear that he was a mountain Reed would not be able to climb.
There’s not too much depth in this feud because there doesn’t need to be, it’s two alpha males going at it to prove who is the superior fighter. Reed and Femi bring an intensity to the ring that makes this basic feud not only work, but also makes it intriguing television. I cannot wait to see what these two do when the bell rings. Solely because of the time-tested method of “big meaty men slapping meat”, this is my pick for the match of the night.
Stephanie Vaquer vs. Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan–
Women’s World Championship Match
At Wrestlemania 42, the Royal Rumble winner Liv Morgan defeated Stephanie Vaquer to become the Women's World Champion. She would go on to lose the Queen of the Ring tournament, defend the championship twice, and then drop it back to Vaquer five months later at a house show in Chile. It was an underwhelming run for someone who promised to be the greatest women's champion of all time. Now, however, she gets a shot at redemption due in part to the other two women in this match.
Stephanie Vaquer has had a meteoric rise since joining the WWE in 2024. In just two years, she has become the only woman to hold the NXT Women’s and North American Championships at the same time, the first Chilean and South American woman to win a world championship in the WWE, and the second ever Women’s Crown Jewel Champion. WWE has trusted her to deliver, and every time she gets in the ring, that’s what she does. After losing the World Championship to Morgan at Wrestlemania 42, Vaquer took some time off and then returned to Raw in August to attack the Judgment Day and declare in the ring that she was back for her championship. However, she was not alone in that ring.
Becky Lynch, the wild card of this match, returned from her own two-month hiatus on the same night as Vaquer to make her own championship intentions clear. The Man has had a perennial bone to pick with Liv Morgan, and Morgan declaring herself the greatest women’s champion made Lynch’s grudge that much stronger. At the Chile house show, Lynch inserted herself as spoiler and special guest referee, screwing Morgan out of the championship. Then, on subsequent attempts to establish herself as the new number one contender, Morgan stepped in her way. With tensions rising, Morgan and Lynch sqaured off to decide the definitive contender for Vaquer’s title, but Vaquer was so frustrated with both women’s egos that she attacked them both during the match and declared that she would face them both.
A championship match with three great workers that all have legitimate claims to the title. This is my sleeper hit for the PLE because I think it risks being overshadowed by the spectacle of the ladder matches, and I don't want to see that happen. Go out of your way to watch this triple threat, I'm certain it's going to be a good time.
Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
A wise man once said— oh wait, I already used this line.
In all seriousness, this is shaping up to look like a much more intriguing MITB match given the women involved. The future of the women’s division is on full display. Let’s take a closer look at the competitors this year and what it would mean for them to win the briefcase.
Sol Ruca
Former Women’s North American Champion, former Women’s Speed Champion, former Women’s Intercontinental Champion, and a selected participant of John Cena’s “The Last Time Is Now” event. Suffice to say, WWE sees potential in Sol Ruca, and now she gets a shot to add another major accolade to her already impressive rookie year. She defeated Lyra Valkyria and Maxxine Dupri to become the first woman to qualify for the MITB match. Expect a highlight reel moment of her doing a Sol Snatcher of a ladder, and maybe turning the briefcase into a surfboard if she wins.
Lola Vice
A fourth-degree black belt with a 4-1 MMA record, Lola Vice knows more than one way to kick your ass. She made her NXT debut in 2023 and gained popularity with her martial arts prowess, pride in her Cuban lineage, and nearly undefeated streak in NXT Underground matches. Earlier this year, Vice finally secured gold, defeating Jacy Jayne and Kendal Grey for the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver. In her debut match on Monday Night Raw, she defeated Raquel Rodriguez and Kelani Jordan to become the second woman to qualify for MITB.
Jacy Jayne
Another long-tenured NXT star, Jacy Jayne made her debut on the third brand all the way back in 2021. She was part of the highly successful stable Toxic Attraction before creating her own group called Fatal Influence. She is an expert on capitalizing on opportunities, winning the NXT Women’s Championship twice, the TNA Knockouts Championship for good measure, and the Women’s United States Championship on her first attempt. She sneaked out a victory against Alexa Bliss and Jade Cargill to get into the MITB match and looks to capitalize on one more opportunity in her already impressive career.
Roxanne Perez
The Prodigy was the fourth woman to win a spot in the MITB match, defeating the former Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky and the current AAA Reina de Reinas Champion La Catalina. This proves what Roxanne has known for a while: that she can hang with the best in the business. The two-time NXT Women’s Champion (and also the inaugural ROH Women’s Champion) put the third brand on her back, and when there were no more worlds left to conquer, the Tiny Chief made her main roster debut in 2025. She set the record for the longest time spent in the Women’s Royal Rumble, entered the Elimination Chamber, made it to the semifinals in the Queen of the Ring Tournament. Now a mainstay with the Judgment Day, Perez looks to bring the MITB briefcase back to the clubhouse.
Lash Legend
A successful collegiate athlete, Lash Legend made her wrestling debut during the early days of NXT 2.0. In 2023, joining the eclectic stable known as Meta Four. Known for her impressive size and strength, it was only a matter of time before the main roster took notice. She showed out in the 2026 Royal Rumble by eliminating five women in a short amount of time, and then formed a team with Nia Jax known as The Irresistible Forces. She took advantage in a match involving Giulia and Charlotte Flair to become the fifth women in this year’s MITB.
Tiffany Stratton
The final woman to punch her ticket in the MITB match is the decorated success story of the new NXT. Stratton is another athlete who made the transition to wrestling and took to the industry like a bedazzled fish to sparkling waters. She is not the only woman in this match with MITB experience, but she is the only one to win it. Back in 2024, months after making her Smackdown debut, Stratton won the briefcase and successfully cashed it in on her former ally Nia Jax to win the Women’s Championship. She defeated Candice Lerae and Tatum Paxley to return to this ladder match, and now she looks to become only the third person to win the briefcase multiple times (fifth if you count Edge and The Miz winning the briefcase in non-MITB matches).
Other Things To Look Out For:
I’m putting this guide out before Smackdown tonight because I always like to make sure you guys have these guides a day before a PLE. Chances are they’ll probably announce another match tonight, maybe something between Cody and Randy, because it feels like this card could use at least one more match.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria have been engaged in a blood feud since Lyra turned on Bayley. They’re not scheduled for a match on this PLE at the time of writing, but I do think they will play some part. Maybe they brawl backstage, who knows?
The 946, the badass group consisting of Royce Keys, Lucien Price, Bronco Nima, and Jaida Parker is also engaged in a blood feud with The Bloodline. People have been run over, things have been set on fire, bodies have been dropped. Last Monday, Solo Sikoa begrudgingly and temporarily rejoined The Usos to take the fight to The 946. Though, who’s to say that they don’t take the fight to New Orleans? Especially since The OTC is defending his championship.
Where is Danhausen?
Jhuvin P is a writer for CBC/DSR. He has previous experience as a ghostwriter, has published several short stories, and is perpetually working on a novel. In addition to writing, he is also a comedian based out of Colorado Springs. He posts clips of his stand-up along with his other goofy antics on TikTok and Instagram.