The MITB package, which stands for Money in the Bank, is one of the most exciting and anticipated matches in WWE every year. It involves a multi-person ladder match with a guaranteed title opportunity up for grabs. The winner of the MITB ladder match gets a contract that allows them to have a championship match anytime, anywhere, over the next year. This leads to a lot of drama and unpredictability in WWE storylines.
History of MITB in WWE
The Money in the Bank concept was introduced in WWE at WrestleMania 21 in 2005. It was the idea of Chris Jericho, who pitched it as a six-man ladder match with a contract for a world title match up for grabs. The first MITB ladder match at WrestleMania 21 featured Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Christian, Kane, Edge, and Chris Benoit. Edge emerged victorious to win the inaugural MITB contract.
The following year at WrestleMania 22, there were two MITB ladder matches – one for Raw and one for SmackDown. Rob Van Dam won the Raw contract, while Mr. Kennedy won the contract for SmackDown. Having two ladder matches, one for each brand, became the norm for the next few years. After the brands were unified, WWE went back to having one MITB ladder match at WrestleMania with the contract guaranteeing a championship match for either brand.
Over the years, several top WWE superstars have won the coveted MITB contract and gone on to successfully cash in to win a world championship. These include big names like CM Punk, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar among others.
Rules and Format of the MITB Match
The MITB ladder match has some unique rules and formats that make it different from a standard singles or tag team match in WWE:
- It is contested by 4-10 participants, usually top contenders from the Raw and SmackDown brands.
- To win the match, a participant must climb a ladder and retrieve a briefcase hanging above the ring which contains a contract for a championship match.
- There are no pinfalls, submissions or disqualifications. The only way to win is by retrieving the briefcase.
- Ladders are permitted as weapons and various objects around the ringside area can also be used as weapons.
- Interference by non-participants is common as other superstars try to prevent winners they don’t want.
- There are often surprise entries added to the match to increase the drama and unpredictability.
The risky high-flying stunts and creative weapon usage with ladders makes the MITB match one of the most exciting spectacles in WWE programming. It provides an opportunity for superstars to showcase their skills and create career-defining moments.
Cash-In Rules for the MITB Contract
The MITB contract gives its holder certain privileges when it comes to cashing it in for a championship match:
- The contract holder can “cash in” their title match at any point within the next calendar year from the time of winning the contract.
- They can cash in on either the WWE Champion or Universal Champion from any brand.
- The contract holder can cash in before, during or after a world championship match.
- They don’t need to give any advance warning or notice for the cash-in.
- Most cash-ins happen by surprise when the champion is vulnerable after a grueling match.
- However, the champion must agree to the match before a referee can call for the bell and make it official.
The element of surprise gives the MITB holder a huge advantage when cashing in. It becomes almost impossible for the champion to prepare for the title defense. However, the risk is that the cash-in attempt can also backfire if the champion manages to overcome the odds.
Most MITB Wins in WWE
Here are the WWE superstars with the most MITB match victories:
Superstar | Number of MITB Wins |
---|---|
Edge | 2 |
CM Punk | 2 |
Randy Orton | 2 |
John Cena | 2 |
Brock Lesnar | 2 |
Kane | 1 |
The Miz | 1 |
Daniel Bryan | 1 |
Dolph Ziggler | 1 |
Seth Rollins | 2 |
As we can see, Edge and CM Punk lead the list with 2 MITB wins each during their careers. Randy Orton, John Cena, Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins are the other 2-time winners so far. The Miz was the first superstar to cash in successfully and win a world title the same night as winning the contract.
Most Successful MITB Cash-Ins
The following superstars had the most successful cash-ins of their MITB contracts:
Superstar | Cash-In Success Rate |
---|---|
Baron Corbin | 100% (1/1) |
Braun Strowman | 100% (1/1) |
Brock Lesnar | 100% (2/2) |
Dean Ambrose | 100% (1/1) |
Dolph Ziggler | 100% (1/1) |
Edge | 100% (2/2) |
The Miz | 100% (1/1) |
Randy Orton | 100% (2/2) |
Seth Rollins | 100% (2/2) |
All these superstars managed to convert their MITB opportunities into championship wins successfully. Brock Lesnar in particular cashed in very quickly after winning in dominant fashion. The Miz and Dean Ambrose had the fastest cash-ins, doing it on the same night they won their MITB contracts.
Most Unsuccessful Cash-Ins
Here are the superstars who were unsuccessful when trying to cash in the MITB contract:
Superstar | Cash-In Success Rate |
---|---|
Braun Strowman | 0% (0/1) |
Cena | 0% (0/1) |
Damien Sandow | 0% (0/1) |
John Morrison | 0% (0/1) |
Kennedy | 0% (0/1) |
John Cena is the only superstar in WWE history to successfully cash in his contract but lose the title match. Meanwhile, Damien Sandow failed his cash-in against Cena in one of the most heartbreaking losses. Kennedy and Morrison also both got injured before they could capitalize on their victories.
Biggest MITB Cash-In Moments
Some of the most memorable and impactful MITB cash-ins in WWE history are:
Edge’s First Cash-In (2006)
Edge cashed in his contract won at WrestleMania 21 on John Cena after a vicious Elimination Chamber match at New Year’s Revolution in January 2006. This was the first ever successful cash-in and started the era of shocking MITB cash-ins.
CM Punk’s Two Time World Champion Cash-In (2008)
CM Punk cashed in his MITB contract on Edge right after Batista had attacked him on an episode of Raw in June 2008. This made Punk a two time world champion and cemented his status as a top star.
Daniel Bryan’s WrestleMania Cash-In (2011)
Bryan cashed in his MITB contract won at WrestleMania 27 on The Miz at WrestleMania 28 next year. This was an extremely cathartic moment for fans as the underdog Bryan finally got his WrestleMania coronation.
Dean Ambrose’s Cash-In on Rollins (2016)
Ambrose wasted no time cashing in his contract on Seth Rollins minutes after winning it due to Rollins attacking Roman Reigns. He managed to get instant karma and revenge in an unforgettable shield moment.
Braun Strowman’s Cash-In on Lesnar (2018)
In one of the most dominant cash-ins, Strowman brutally attacked Lesnar during his match and easily won the Universal Championship to establish himself as an unstoppable force.
Controversial MITB Cash-In Moments
There have also been some controversial and questionable cash-ins of the MITB contract over the years:
Vince McMahon winning the ECW Title (2007)
Vince cashed in the contract won by Edge to take the ECW title from Bobby Lashley. This unusual cash-in ended the fan favorite Lashley’s reign prematurely.
Kane’s Cash-In on Mysterio (2010)
Kane used the contract just an hour after Rey Mysterio had won the WWE Championship, cutting his big title victory short to just a matter of minutes.
Corbin’s Failed Cash-In on Jinder (2017)
Baron Corbin’s cash-in failed when he lost focus and got distracted by Nakamura’s entrance music, allowing WWE Champion Jinder Mahal to get an unfair win.
Brock Lesnar’s Quick Cash-Ins
Brock Lesnar earned criticism for his hasty cash-ins on extremely vulnerable and exhausted champions just minutes after winning the MITB contract on both occasions.
Does MITB Elevate New Stars?
The impact of the MITB contract on elevating superstars into main event stars has varied over the years:
- In the initial years, it did help elevate the likes of Edge, CM Punk and RVD into the world title picture after their MITB wins.
- However, more recently, the contract has been used to mostly give established main eventers like Lesnar, Cena and Orton another world title run.
- Superstars like Damien Sandow, Baron Corbin, Braun Strowman and Otis failed to sustain their main event pushes after falling short in their cash-ins.
- Younger superstars like Mr. Kennedy and John Morrison also lost momentum after premature cash-in failures due to injuries.
- But superstars like Seth Rollins and The Miz did use MITB successfully as a launchpad for their first world title reigns.
Overall, MITB has proven to be a bit of a hit or miss when it comes to creating new bonafide main event superstars who can carry the company. The failures have outweighed the success stories in terms of long term elevation.
Future of MITB in WWE
Going forward, the Money in the Bank match is likely here to stay as an annual staple at WrestleMania due to its popularity among fans. There are several possibilities on how WWE can keep it fresh and exciting in the future:
- Have two MITB ladder matches at WrestleMania – one for the men and one for the women.
- Increase the number of participants to 8 or 10 superstars/women in each match.
- Introduce hardcore stipulations like tables, ladders and chairs to amp up the risky high spots.
- Have NXT talent get opportunities in the match to break out as new stars.
- Move the match to SummerSlam or other Big 4 PPVs to make those shows more must-see.
- Have occasional unsuccessful cash-ins to break the predictable pattern and increase shock value.
The Money in the Bank briefcase will continue sparking imagination among WWE fans as they speculate about when, where and how it could be cashed in. It adds an element of uncertainty that keeps WWE programming intriguing and engaging for the audience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the MITB ladder match has become a prime showcase of WWE’s blend of wrestling, high-flying spots and sports entertainment drama. It provides many iconic moments that fans remember fondly over the years. The winners get a golden opportunity to reach greater heights and cement their legacies. When used effectively, it can propel rising stars into the main event spotlight or reinvigorate veterans into championship glory. Though controversies exist, Money in the Bank will continue being one of WWE’s most unique and entertaining concepts for years to come.