Four qualifying matches were scheduled on this week’s Smackdown to determine the next set of participants for the Money in the Bank 2023 ladder match. As reported earlier, Santos Escobar and Butch made it to the opportunistic ladder match from the men’s division and two female superstars also followed them to enter their counterpart of the match.
In the first qualifier, Bayley defeated “Michin” Mia Yim to qualify for the Women’s Money in the Bank 2023 Ladder Match. The O.C. including the leader AJ Styles was standing at ringside during the match. Once it was over, Scarlett confronted Styles and blew a red powder in his face, allowing Karrion Kross to put Styles in the Kross Jacket submission.
While Styles vs. Kross will continue on Smackdown, Bayley confirmed her spot in the Money in the Bank 2023 ladder match as she hopes to recreate history. “The Role Model” does have an interesting relationship with this Money in the Bank ladder match as she won the 2019 iteration and then cashed in the contract on that same night on Charlotte Flair to win her first SmackDown women’s title.
It was during that title reign that would eventually lead to her heel turn. Bayley would also eventually go on to become the longest-reigning Smackdown Women’s Champion of all time. On the flip side, she was scheduled to take on Bianca Belair for the SmackDown women’s title at the 2021 Money in the Bank PLE, before she tore her ACL. The injury would sideline her until the 2022 SummerSlam.
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IYO SKY qualifies for Money in the Bank 2023 ladder match
It was on that Summrslam night that Bayley returned to the WWE with Dakota Kai and IYO SKY as her allies. Eventually, SKY will also join her as a force as well as an opponent in the upcoming ladder match. On Smackdown, – IYO SKY defeated Shotzi to qualify for the Women’s Money in the Bank 2023 Ladder Match. This certainly teases the eventual breakup between SKY and Bayley, down the road.
SKY and Bayley join a field that already has Zelina Vega, Becky Lynch, and Zoey Stark in it with one more woman to be announced. The Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match takes place at the Money in the Bank 2023 premium live event on July 1 at the O2 Arena in London, England.
