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One year ago, at Money In The Bank 2017, the internet exploded when Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles had a brief staredown in the middle of the men's Money In The Bank ladder match.
Fans who had followed both men's careers couldn't believe that the prospect of seeing AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura in a WWE ring stood a very realistic chance of happening.
The two men had torn the house down when Shinsuke Nakamura defeated AJ Styles for the IGWP Intercontinental Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 10, and fans were desperate to see them share a ring again.
That wish was granted at WrestleMania 34 this year, and sadly, the two men couldn't deliver a match of the same calibre.
Many wrote that off as bad booking on the WWE's part, and a tired crowd in New Orleans, but the two men continued to disappoint at the next two major WWE shows, The Greatest Royal Rumble, and Backlash.
Generally speaking, the matches between the two men in the WWE have been far from bad, they have just failed to deliver on the hype from the fans or live up to their NJPW encounter.
The two men will meet once again at this Sunday's Money In The Bank, with the addition of a Last Man Standing stipulation.
If the gimmick is utilized correctly, the two men could finally deliver in Chicago this weekend, but the hype has died down considerably since their first encounter in April.
The two men's last two encounters have had screwy finishes, but this Sunday's gimmick should mean that we finally get to see the ending we all deserve. Let's take a look at four possible ways things could end at Money In The Bank.
#1: AJ Styles Retains
AJ Styles has now held the WWE title since November, and there is an argument to be made that he should hold the belt until at least SummerSlam.
Styles has made the belt feel important again following Jinder Mahal's disastrous reign, and the prospect of Samoa Joe vs AJ Styles, or Daniel Bryan Vs AJ Styles at SummerSlam is a mouthwatering one.
Having AJ defeat Shinsuke clean at Money In The Bank would draw a line under a feud which has failed to live up to expectations, and would allow Styles to move onto a new opponent.
As for Shinsuke, this would be his sixth failed attempt at winning the title, including his defeats to Jinder Mahal last year, and it would be difficult to imagine the King of Strong Style bouncing back from that.
#2: Shinsuke Nakamura Wins the WWE Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura's chances of winning the WWE title have grown slimmer after each of his failed attempts, and for many fans, this is his last realistic shot at winning the top prize for the foreseeable future.
The feud between AJ and Shinsuke has now been going on for a good few months, and a victory for Shinsuke means that we would, at the very least, see one more match between them, most likely at Extreme Rules.
Shinsuke has been excellent since turning heel and a feud with Daniel Bryan over the Summer would be the best way forward for the WWE.
The stipulation of the match also means that Shinsuke can pick up a victory by any means necessary, and his penchant for low blows will no doubt work in his favour on Sunday night.
Fingers crossed, though, AJ doesn't end up dropping the belt because of a low-blow. The feud started to go wrong when they become a focal point, and the WWE should avoid using it too heavily in the finish to this match-up.
#3: A Cash-In
While many fans have speculated that the women's title match between Ronda Rousey and Nia Jax could well end with a cash-in, most likely from Natalya, few fans have discussed the possibility of a cash-in during the WWE title match.
Fantasy bookers online have become convinced that The Miz is going to win the briefcase and cash in on Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam, but what if The Miz wins the briefcase on Sunday, and cashes in on the same night, potentially setting up a match with Bryan at SummerSlam for the belt.
The match's gimmick is perfect for a cash-in as well. A spot where both men are knocked out in the ring, with The Miz simply running down and either pinning one of them, or just standing there as they are both counted to ten, would be perfect, and it would fit his character perfectly.
Of course, this would depend on the running order of the show, but if the men's Money in the Bank isn't on last, then ruling this out would be foolish.
#4: A Double Count-Out
At first, I was excited when Shinsuke Nakamura announced that this would be a Last Man Standing match. The feud has been in desperate need of a decisive finish, and I thought the stipulation would supply that.
That was until it dawned on me that this stipulation could just lead to yet another terrible finish.
The two men have been at war since March now, and since Mania, neither one has been able to get the better of the other.
Their finish at Backlash, which saw both men hit a low-blow and fail to respond to the count of ten, could have just been a teaser for this Sunday's climax.
The 10-count stipulation means there is every chance that the two men could end up knocking each other out, meaning that the battle over the belt will have to rage on for at least one more month.
With Extreme Rules coming up after Money in the Bank, it seems likely that another match between the two men will take place at the event, and due to the gimmick of the event, it is highly likely a stipulation will be involved.
They may want to take a page out of NJPW's book and go for a two out of three falls match, or, they could decide to go for an iron-man match to finally decide who is the better man.
If you think that the WWE won't pull this trick again on Sunday, then frankly, you've not been paying enough attention.
What do you think will happen at Money In The Bank? Sound off in the comments section below!
