TheWWEMoney in the Bank briefcase has truly blessed us with rising stars as they crown themselves champions, or at other times, fade into obscurity with a failed cash-in match. Sorry, Theory.
Whether it was the briefcase hanging tall at a2000s-era WrestleManiaor its own PLE show, we’ve truly gotten some awe-inspiring champions crowned from it,some of whom have gone on to cement their status as the greatest in the wrestling world.
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A whole lot of stinkers but also a whole lot of bangers.
So, join me as we discuss today the best WWE Money in the Bank cash-in moments, where wrestlers cashed in this notorious briefcase, literally stole the show on the respective nights, and reached a new breaking point for their careers.
10Randy Orton
Summerslam 2013
We’re kicking things off with a special night when Daniel Bryan dethroned John Cena to become the WWE Champion at Summerslam 2013. It was a memorable victory, for sure, until Randy Orton’s music kicked in.
Randy teased the crowd while Bryan overlooked him from the ring, ready to throw it down in his first defense. But that’s when the truly unexpected happened. Triple H, who was the guest referee in the prior championship match, turned on Bryan and gave him a Pedigree.
It would lead to Orton slithering away with the championship, and this cash-in event would eventually mark the start of the Authority storyline with Orton and Punk until WrestleMania 30, when Bryan overcame all odds to win back the gold on the grandest stage.
This cash-in was certainly memorable, but it’s at the bottom here solely because it wasn’t a huge feat for Orton, since he’d accomplished more than enough in his career at this point. This victory was only a stepping stone to agrander scheme involving Bryan’s inevitable push.
9Daniel Bryan
The ‘10 to ‘11 run of WWE was something else, from the Summer of Punk to some absurdly weird bookings involving the Nexus and Alberto Del Rio. Most importantly, it was the time when big stars like Batista and Chris Jericho departed the company, and Undertaker and Triple H became part-time workers.
It was also the time when Daniel Bryan became red-hot in the WWE universe with his ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ gimmick. During this time, Bryan cashed in his SmackDown MITB briefcase on the Big Show at the TLC 2011 show to become the new World Heavyweight champion.
It certainly elevated Bryan’s status with a long-overdue main event belt at his waist,even though he lost it in that iconic 18-second bout against Sheamus at Mania 28. But hey, at least this meant that bigger things were possibly coming, since it would eventually lead to his legendary miracle moment at WrestleMania 30.
A Cleveland Kid’s Dream Come True
The Miz was the most detestable heel wrestler of all time, as proven during his 2010s work, where every fan despised the sight of him,but if you knew the work he was putting in at that time, you might’ve said that his Raw MITB victory was well-deserved.
But if you didn’t think that way, well, good for you, because I would’ve loved to see the expression on your face when he cashed in the briefcase against Randy Orton on RAW to win the WWE championship in one of the most shocking title changes of all time.
Although I adore what The Miz has become now with all his accomplishments and being a wrestler ready to work with anything and anyone, hisinitial WWE championship win was definitely special, but the run itself? I’d say it’s questionable at some points.
He got to be in the main event of WrestleMania 27 (despite getting overshadowed by the Rock) and had a good rivalry against Cena before dropping the title to him.
On the flip side, we also can’t ever forget that iconic image of the girl fuming at The Miz’s WWE championship win, whoeven later had a segment with the Miz at the Slammy Awards.
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7Damian Priest
WrestleMania 40
Señor Money in the Bank was being mocked left and right by every fan for being one of the weakest and most prolonged briefcase holders of all time, but some of us knew that it would be a good one when he cashed in at the opportune time, but no one anticipated that it’d be at WrestleMania.
Damian Priest’s cash-in at WrestleMania 40 was the second time a wrestler cashed in the MITB at a Mania show and walked out as champion.Although this would also advance the heated feud between Punk and Drew, the Lincoln stadium was overjoyed for Priest’s crowning moment.
It was also perfectly booked to be unexpected since Punk had just finished a sneak attack on Drew after his victory against Seth Rollins. Although the run was short-lived, it showed that Priest had the potential and makings to be a main-event talent, just as long as his gimmick sticks the landing with the WWE universe.
It’s a New Day. Yes, it is!
The New Day is one of the most beloved factions in WWE, so when Big E got drafted during the COVID era, it was a bittersweet feeling for fans to see him be separated. However, it also meant that we may finally see Big E get his long-awaited singles re-run.
Fortunately, we got to witness it sooner rather than later.In 2021, Big E cashed in his Money in the Bank contract against Bobby Lashley on RAW to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion, with adoring cheers pouring love out to him as he celebrated the win with his New Day brethren.
Although Big E would lose the title in abutterfly effect-turned scenario at the Day 1 event, he had a solid WWE championship run, but one where I wish he could’ve gotten a second chance had it not been for his career-threatening neck injury.
But regardless, here’s to hoping we see him return to the squared circle once he’s medically cleared to compete. A triple threat with him, Kofi, and Xavier would’ve been awesome to experience at WrestleMania 41 after the latter duo betrayed Big E.
New Year’s Revolution 2006
The Rated R Superstar Edge’s first MITB cash-in to win the WWE Championship against John Cena etched his status as a main-event star. And it wouldn’t be the best money in the bank cash-in moments list without the man who made the briefcase feel so ingenious in its debut.
Edge won the briefcase in the first-ever Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 21, and considering how much of a despicable heel he was at that time, the cash-in against a brutalized John Cena after his Elimination Chamber matchticked everything to make him feel like the ultimate opportunist in WWE.
Although that moniker would be used to full effect later on when he weaseled his way and toppled insurmountable odds, you’re able to’t help but appreciate what he’s accomplished in his career with WWE, from memorable title reigns, legendary entrance music, to being the most loathsome heel wrestlers of all time.
4Rob Van Dam
ECW One Night Stand 2006
Rob Van Dam was the first wrestler ever to declare when he’d challenge the champion via the MITB contract,and the venue couldn’t have been more epic; RVD chose to make the cash-in match take place at ECW’s deadly home turf event, One Night Stand.
Specifically, the 2006 show is infamous in the wrestling world as the event where the crowd hijacked everything and voiced their ‘strong’ opinions during matches, noticeably apparent from the entrances of various WWE wrestlers in contrast to the ECW stars.
From Cena’s absolutely iconic entrance through a sea of berating fans to an epic match where Paul Heyman came in clutch as the enforcer and counted the pinfall victory, this cash-in match was nothing short of extraordinary,especially when it cemented RVD as a top talent in ECW’s personal backyard.
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3Dolph Ziggler
The RAW after Mania 29
Earlier, I mentioned how Damian Priest’s MITB contract felt like the most overdue thing ever,but if you knew the run that Dolph Ziggler had holding the case, you know this was a whole different ball game because the guy went through hell and back.
Ziggler had an insane amount of potential. He sold moves like an absolute ragdoll, and his promo game and in-ring ability were universally praised. Most of all, despite being a distasteful heel, he was tremendously over with fans; the stars felt aligned with him at every moment.
And rightfully so, his cash-in on the RAW after WrestleMania 29 show had the loudest pops of all time,becoming the most memorable crowd reaction in the company as Ziggler (at long last) celebrated with his new World Heavyweight championship.
This Fire Burns, Always
I hope you pay no mind to the fact that this placement is primarily due to the young and obsessed CM Punk fan in me, and rightfully so, because ‘09 Punk was extremely over with the WWE universe, from his ring ability to his Straight Edge gimmick.
Most importantly, Punk is the only wrestler to have won two Money in the Bank Ladders back-to-back at WrestleMania 24 and 25,and his first cash-in against Edge following the prior Mania show for the World Heavyweight title had everyone cheering for the Chicago-made wrestler.
The first title reign was short-lived, but the second one was truly special, as it was followed by an amazing feud between Punk and Jeff Hardy over the course of the next months, which made Punk one of the most hated heel wrestlers during that time period.
1Seth Rollins
WrestleMania 31
The Money in the Bank cash-in that lives rent-free in every fan’s head, and,as Michael Cole said it best on commentary during that time, Seth Rollins’ cashing in to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania 31 was the Heist of the Century.
The main event saw Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar in a decent-at-best slugfest with one another, notably Brock pulling out his iconic suplex city spams on Roman and the two wrestlers kicking out after back-and-forth near-falls. But everything changed when Seth’s music hit at the climax of the bout.
In his prime, Rollins was the textbook definition of a wrestler with star power. To see him finally achieve the unthinkable at the grandest stage of them all against Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, no one in their right mind saw this cash-in coming, and to see the finish unfold like that.
It’s arguably one of the most iconic cash-in moments in WWE,and in discussing how the Money in the Bank briefcase is used to help build stars, Seth often comes up during that debate, especially when you consider his current resume of accomplishments and feats in the WWE.
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