Ranking All 8 WWE Money In The Bank PPVs
CM Punk's finest hour did quite well here... shock!
At first, I was going to suggest that Money in the Bank is one of WWE's brightest young pay per views. It doesn't have the history of the big four - or even a PPV like Backlash - but it remains one of the more highly-anticipated parts of the calendar year.
But is Money in the Bank as young as we might assume? It's only been around since 2010, but it's roughly the same age as many pay per views we regularly see these days: Hell in a Cell, TLC, Extreme Rules, and so on.
Yet compared to these pay per views, Money in the Bank has created far more of a legacy for itself. A major part of this is, of course, the titular stipulation. Money in the Bank ladder matches are unique, both as a spectacle in themselves, and as storytelling devices.
However, that's not the only reason. Over the years, Money in the Bank has played host to some fantastic regular matches too. Yes, we're all thinking of one in particular, but many more can be found peppering the PPV over the past eight years.
Time will tell whether this year's Money in the Bank excels or disappoints, but while we wait, let's take a look at what it has to live up to. Here's our ranking of every Money in the Bank pay per view, from worst to best.
WWE
Where: Sprint Center - Kansas City, Missouri
What: Proof that the quality of a Money in the Bank pay per view doesn't rest solely on the quality of its ladder matches. Okay, so neither briefcase race was particularly excellent, but they certainly weren't bad.
Sadly, the rest of this show was quite a slog to get through - particularly the main event Cage Match between Sheamus and John Cena. The Irishman retained in dubious circumstances, as the Nexus interfered and prevented Cena from exiting the cage.
Still, we witnessed the first instance of a cash-in on the same night the briefcase was won. Kane - having triumphed in a decent (but slow-paced) Ladder Match earlier in the night - stomped out to take the World Heavyweight Championship from an exhausted Rey Mysterio.
Star of the Show: Kane. The first Money in the Bank pay per view was short on show-stealing performances, but the Big Red Machine at least left his mark on the event. His Ladder Match showing didn't contain the razzle-dazzle of a Shelton Benjamin or Kofi Kingston figure, but still carried all the steady menace of Kane at his best.
WWE
Where: Scottrade Center - St. Louis, Missouri
What: A show that would have finished bottom of this ranking were it not for an excellent main event. There was plenty to dislike last year, from Jinder Mahal retaining his WWE Championship in a 20-minute slog against Randy Orton, to a catastrophically-booked women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
The Usos and New Day attempted to keep things on track with an entertaining tag match, but it was slightly spoiled by Jimmy and Jey's deliberate countout loss. It was a result that made sense in terms of heelishness, but didn't make for the most entertaining of spectacles.
Thankfully, the men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match was a true gem - even if internet darlings AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens lost out to Baron Corbin. The match is mainly remembered for Styles' stand-off with Nakamura, but Corbin's cheap victory made total sense in the context of the bout - even if his eventual cash-in is best forgotten.
Star of the Show: Shinsuke Nakamura. This was the former New Japan star's coming out party on the main roster. Having impressed in NXT, Shinsuke had flattered to deceive in his first few months as a SmackDown Superstar. This bout gave us a reminder of what Nakamura can do, as he decimated the competition with a series of crunching knees.
WWE
Where: TD Garden - Boston, Massachusetts
What: A perfectly acceptable show, but an ultimately frustrating one, because it could have been so much better.
Things got off to a hot start as The Usos and Wyatt Family tore each other apart. The Money in the Bank Ladder Match was a good one too - almost atop-tierr instalment in the stipulation's history. It was held back slightly by its finish, which saw Kane lumber out to cost Dean Ambrose, effectively handing the match to the Authority's golden boy, Seth Rollins.
Still, it was a good bout centred around the feud between the two former Shield brothers - and it was certainly better than the main event ladder match for the WWE Championship. Bryan had sadly been forced to vacate the title due to injury, and Cena's victory felt too much like a step backwards.
Star of the Show: Seth Rollins. He may have been essentially handed the Money in the Bank briefcase thanks to Kane's interference, but Rollins' performance in the match itself carried hints of his future greatness. He also took some nasty bumps, including a bone-crunching superplex from the top of a towering ladder.
WWE
Where: Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
What: A show full of twists and turns - some good, some not so much. The biggest was, of course, Paul Heyman turning on CM Punk towards the end of the latter Money in the Bank Ladder Match - smashing his "best friend" repeatedly with a ladder, and drawing blood in shockingly brutal fashion.
This paved the way for Randy Orton, whose victory felt quite surprising at the time, given The Viper's relative lack of relevance compared to others in the match. Of course, those question marks would be answered when he turned heel at SummerSlam, joining forces with Triple H and screwing Daniel Bryan out of the WWE Championship.
Elsewhere on this show, the all-heel show-opener was a sleeper hit, and featured strong performances from the likes of Dean Ambrose, Antonio Cesaro, and briefcase-winner Damien Sandow.
The non-ladder based action wasn't anything to write home about, sadly. Ryback and Curtis Axel picked up fairly lacklustre wins over Chris Jericho and The Miz respectively, while AJ Lee caused a DQ in the World Heavyweight Championship match between Del Rio and Ziggler.
Star of the Show: Cody Rhodes. Of all the impressive showings in the first of the night's two ladder matches, the brightest was that of Cody. The dashing one got the crowd behind him with a breakout performance, dishing out big moves left, right, and centre - before being screwed by tag team partner Sandow. Heartbreaking.
WWE
Where: US Airways Center - Phoenix, Arizona
What: A mixed bag, centred around a long mid-show title match between indy favourites CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. The pair put on a great (and long) contest, but AJ Lee's involvement as Special Guest Referee could be seen as overshadowing the action. That's no knock on AJ herself - she played her role to a tee - but the very decision to have a guest referee in such a potentially great match is an odd one.
The show's two ladder matches had very different feels, but both were pretty decent. The first started slowly, but picked up a furious pace along the way, and Dolph Ziggler's eventual win had the crowd leaping out of their seats (although judging by their earlier reactions, they really wanted Christian to win).
The main event was a weird change of pace for Money in the Bank, as just five Superstars put on a ponderous, Sports Entertainment-style version of the usually-anarchic stipulation. That's not to say it wasn't good; it was a perfectly enjoyable match, even if the ending was a little slapstick. The idea is to unhook the briefcase, John - not rip it off the cable with your freakish man-strength.
Star of the Show: Daniel Bryan. He and Punk went almost half an hour in a fantastic no-DQ match - one which also featured the opinion-dividing presence of special guest referee AJ Lee. Credit to Bryan, his reactions to AJ's confusing behaviour all made sense, and his ringwork was obviously excellent too.
WWE
Where: Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
What: This was perhaps the weirdest of any Money in the Bank pay per view so far, as the stipulation took a back seat to various other matches. It actually opened the main portion of the show, and didn't exactly impress. Reigns was booed, Sheamus proved a baffling winner, and Bray Wyatt's climactic interference smacked of lazy writing. He'd last been seen feuding with Ryback in the midcard; why was he now costing Roman the briefcase?
Things got back on track in a big way later on, as Kevin Owens and John Cena put on another excellent bout. KO had won the first contest between the two at Elimination Chamber, but Cena got his win back here in a very entertaining back-and-forth battle.
The main event dragged in parts - as most 35-minute matches will - but was punctuated with big set-piece moments. Ambrose and Rollins pushed one another to the limit in a gruelling ladder match, but it was ultimately the latter who just managed to keep ahold of his WWE Championship.
Star of the Show: Kevin Owens. The NXT Champion again showed why he was set for main roster stardom, delivering a performance that was not only excellent in terms of action, but full of intensity and charisma as well.
WWE
Where: T-Mobile Arena - Paradise, Nevada
What: A show in which the good outweighed the bad by some margin. Yes, there were filler matches, but the overriding feel of this PPV was one of quality, thanks to three excellent bouts.
The first of these was a wonderful showdown between John Cena and AJ Styles - albeit one that has since been lost to history, overshadowed by their subsequent matches at SummerSlam and the Royal Rumble.
Following this was an all-time great Money in the Bank Ladder Match, featuring some of the most talented Superstars on the roster. The winner was Dean Ambrose, although Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn threatened to steal the spotlight with a series of painful exchanges.
Finally, the main event saw a returning Seth Rollins shockingly defeat Roman Reigns to win his second WWE Championship. We would later learn that Reigns had violated the wellness policy, and would be forced to take time off due to suspension - but news of this hadn't broken at the time of the event, making the finish all the more shocking and dramatic.
However, it wasn't as shocking or dramatic as the events that followed the final bell, as Ambrose blindsided Rollins with a briefcase shot and immediately cashed-in. Yes, the WWE Championship had changed hands between all three Shield members in the same night.
Star of the Show: Dean Ambrose. This was a close one, and could easily have gone to Cena, Styles, or the rabidly popular Rollins (despite his heel status). Instead, though, this was the Lunatic Fringe's night. He - along with others - turned in a magnificent Money in the Bank performance, before stealing the show with one of the better cash-ins in the history of the stipulation.
WWE
Where: Allstate Arena - Rosemont, Illinois
What: Not just the best Money in the Bank pay per view of all time, but a show widely regarded as one of the best in WWE history.
The main reason for this was, of course, the astonishing main event between WWE Champion John Cena and hometown hero CM Punk. It was the perfect culmination of storytelling and action, and earned the first Dave Meltzer five-star rating in WWE since the first Hell in a Cell match back in 1997.
The match was backed up by a fantastic supporting cast. We were treated to two excellent Money in the Bank ladder matches, although the anarchic opener (won by Bryan) was probably a cut above its more strategic cousin (won by Del Rio).
The World Heavyweight Championship also changed hands in entertaining fashion, as wily heel Christian provoked Randy Orton into losing his temper - violating the special DQ rules in the process.
Star of the Show: CM Punk. This event will live on as the defining night of Punk's career, as he not only pulled off a memorable underdog victory in his hometown, but also changed the entire zeitgeist of professional wrestling. The angle would ultimately fizzle out due to poor booking decisions, but for a while, wrestling felt dangerous and exciting again.
But is Money in the Bank as young as we might assume? It's only been around since 2010, but it's roughly the same age as many pay per views we regularly see these days: Hell in a Cell, TLC, Extreme Rules, and so on.
Yet compared to these pay per views, Money in the Bank has created far more of a legacy for itself. A major part of this is, of course, the titular stipulation. Money in the Bank ladder matches are unique, both as a spectacle in themselves, and as storytelling devices.
However, that's not the only reason. Over the years, Money in the Bank has played host to some fantastic regular matches too. Yes, we're all thinking of one in particular, but many more can be found peppering the PPV over the past eight years.
Time will tell whether this year's Money in the Bank excels or disappoints, but while we wait, let's take a look at what it has to live up to. Here's our ranking of every Money in the Bank pay per view, from worst to best.
8. Money In The Bank 2010
WWEWhere: Sprint Center - Kansas City, Missouri
What: Proof that the quality of a Money in the Bank pay per view doesn't rest solely on the quality of its ladder matches. Okay, so neither briefcase race was particularly excellent, but they certainly weren't bad.
Sadly, the rest of this show was quite a slog to get through - particularly the main event Cage Match between Sheamus and John Cena. The Irishman retained in dubious circumstances, as the Nexus interfered and prevented Cena from exiting the cage.
Still, we witnessed the first instance of a cash-in on the same night the briefcase was won. Kane - having triumphed in a decent (but slow-paced) Ladder Match earlier in the night - stomped out to take the World Heavyweight Championship from an exhausted Rey Mysterio.
Star of the Show: Kane. The first Money in the Bank pay per view was short on show-stealing performances, but the Big Red Machine at least left his mark on the event. His Ladder Match showing didn't contain the razzle-dazzle of a Shelton Benjamin or Kofi Kingston figure, but still carried all the steady menace of Kane at his best.
7. Money In The Bank 2017
WWEWhere: Scottrade Center - St. Louis, Missouri
What: A show that would have finished bottom of this ranking were it not for an excellent main event. There was plenty to dislike last year, from Jinder Mahal retaining his WWE Championship in a 20-minute slog against Randy Orton, to a catastrophically-booked women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
The Usos and New Day attempted to keep things on track with an entertaining tag match, but it was slightly spoiled by Jimmy and Jey's deliberate countout loss. It was a result that made sense in terms of heelishness, but didn't make for the most entertaining of spectacles.
Thankfully, the men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match was a true gem - even if internet darlings AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens lost out to Baron Corbin. The match is mainly remembered for Styles' stand-off with Nakamura, but Corbin's cheap victory made total sense in the context of the bout - even if his eventual cash-in is best forgotten.
Star of the Show: Shinsuke Nakamura. This was the former New Japan star's coming out party on the main roster. Having impressed in NXT, Shinsuke had flattered to deceive in his first few months as a SmackDown Superstar. This bout gave us a reminder of what Nakamura can do, as he decimated the competition with a series of crunching knees.
6. Money In The Bank 2014
WWEWhere: TD Garden - Boston, Massachusetts
What: A perfectly acceptable show, but an ultimately frustrating one, because it could have been so much better.
Things got off to a hot start as The Usos and Wyatt Family tore each other apart. The Money in the Bank Ladder Match was a good one too - almost atop-tierr instalment in the stipulation's history. It was held back slightly by its finish, which saw Kane lumber out to cost Dean Ambrose, effectively handing the match to the Authority's golden boy, Seth Rollins.
Still, it was a good bout centred around the feud between the two former Shield brothers - and it was certainly better than the main event ladder match for the WWE Championship. Bryan had sadly been forced to vacate the title due to injury, and Cena's victory felt too much like a step backwards.
Star of the Show: Seth Rollins. He may have been essentially handed the Money in the Bank briefcase thanks to Kane's interference, but Rollins' performance in the match itself carried hints of his future greatness. He also took some nasty bumps, including a bone-crunching superplex from the top of a towering ladder.
5. Money In The Bank 2013
WWEWhere: Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
What: A show full of twists and turns - some good, some not so much. The biggest was, of course, Paul Heyman turning on CM Punk towards the end of the latter Money in the Bank Ladder Match - smashing his "best friend" repeatedly with a ladder, and drawing blood in shockingly brutal fashion.
This paved the way for Randy Orton, whose victory felt quite surprising at the time, given The Viper's relative lack of relevance compared to others in the match. Of course, those question marks would be answered when he turned heel at SummerSlam, joining forces with Triple H and screwing Daniel Bryan out of the WWE Championship.
Elsewhere on this show, the all-heel show-opener was a sleeper hit, and featured strong performances from the likes of Dean Ambrose, Antonio Cesaro, and briefcase-winner Damien Sandow.
The non-ladder based action wasn't anything to write home about, sadly. Ryback and Curtis Axel picked up fairly lacklustre wins over Chris Jericho and The Miz respectively, while AJ Lee caused a DQ in the World Heavyweight Championship match between Del Rio and Ziggler.
Star of the Show: Cody Rhodes. Of all the impressive showings in the first of the night's two ladder matches, the brightest was that of Cody. The dashing one got the crowd behind him with a breakout performance, dishing out big moves left, right, and centre - before being screwed by tag team partner Sandow. Heartbreaking.
4. Money In The Bank 2012
WWEWhere: US Airways Center - Phoenix, Arizona
What: A mixed bag, centred around a long mid-show title match between indy favourites CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. The pair put on a great (and long) contest, but AJ Lee's involvement as Special Guest Referee could be seen as overshadowing the action. That's no knock on AJ herself - she played her role to a tee - but the very decision to have a guest referee in such a potentially great match is an odd one.
The show's two ladder matches had very different feels, but both were pretty decent. The first started slowly, but picked up a furious pace along the way, and Dolph Ziggler's eventual win had the crowd leaping out of their seats (although judging by their earlier reactions, they really wanted Christian to win).
The main event was a weird change of pace for Money in the Bank, as just five Superstars put on a ponderous, Sports Entertainment-style version of the usually-anarchic stipulation. That's not to say it wasn't good; it was a perfectly enjoyable match, even if the ending was a little slapstick. The idea is to unhook the briefcase, John - not rip it off the cable with your freakish man-strength.
Star of the Show: Daniel Bryan. He and Punk went almost half an hour in a fantastic no-DQ match - one which also featured the opinion-dividing presence of special guest referee AJ Lee. Credit to Bryan, his reactions to AJ's confusing behaviour all made sense, and his ringwork was obviously excellent too.
3. Money In The Bank 2015
WWEWhere: Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
What: This was perhaps the weirdest of any Money in the Bank pay per view so far, as the stipulation took a back seat to various other matches. It actually opened the main portion of the show, and didn't exactly impress. Reigns was booed, Sheamus proved a baffling winner, and Bray Wyatt's climactic interference smacked of lazy writing. He'd last been seen feuding with Ryback in the midcard; why was he now costing Roman the briefcase?
Things got back on track in a big way later on, as Kevin Owens and John Cena put on another excellent bout. KO had won the first contest between the two at Elimination Chamber, but Cena got his win back here in a very entertaining back-and-forth battle.
The main event dragged in parts - as most 35-minute matches will - but was punctuated with big set-piece moments. Ambrose and Rollins pushed one another to the limit in a gruelling ladder match, but it was ultimately the latter who just managed to keep ahold of his WWE Championship.
Star of the Show: Kevin Owens. The NXT Champion again showed why he was set for main roster stardom, delivering a performance that was not only excellent in terms of action, but full of intensity and charisma as well.
2. Money In The Bank 2016
WWEWhere: T-Mobile Arena - Paradise, Nevada
What: A show in which the good outweighed the bad by some margin. Yes, there were filler matches, but the overriding feel of this PPV was one of quality, thanks to three excellent bouts.
The first of these was a wonderful showdown between John Cena and AJ Styles - albeit one that has since been lost to history, overshadowed by their subsequent matches at SummerSlam and the Royal Rumble.
Following this was an all-time great Money in the Bank Ladder Match, featuring some of the most talented Superstars on the roster. The winner was Dean Ambrose, although Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn threatened to steal the spotlight with a series of painful exchanges.
Finally, the main event saw a returning Seth Rollins shockingly defeat Roman Reigns to win his second WWE Championship. We would later learn that Reigns had violated the wellness policy, and would be forced to take time off due to suspension - but news of this hadn't broken at the time of the event, making the finish all the more shocking and dramatic.
However, it wasn't as shocking or dramatic as the events that followed the final bell, as Ambrose blindsided Rollins with a briefcase shot and immediately cashed-in. Yes, the WWE Championship had changed hands between all three Shield members in the same night.
Star of the Show: Dean Ambrose. This was a close one, and could easily have gone to Cena, Styles, or the rabidly popular Rollins (despite his heel status). Instead, though, this was the Lunatic Fringe's night. He - along with others - turned in a magnificent Money in the Bank performance, before stealing the show with one of the better cash-ins in the history of the stipulation.
1. Money In The Bank 2011
WWEWhere: Allstate Arena - Rosemont, Illinois
What: Not just the best Money in the Bank pay per view of all time, but a show widely regarded as one of the best in WWE history.
The main reason for this was, of course, the astonishing main event between WWE Champion John Cena and hometown hero CM Punk. It was the perfect culmination of storytelling and action, and earned the first Dave Meltzer five-star rating in WWE since the first Hell in a Cell match back in 1997.
The match was backed up by a fantastic supporting cast. We were treated to two excellent Money in the Bank ladder matches, although the anarchic opener (won by Bryan) was probably a cut above its more strategic cousin (won by Del Rio).
The World Heavyweight Championship also changed hands in entertaining fashion, as wily heel Christian provoked Randy Orton into losing his temper - violating the special DQ rules in the process.
Star of the Show: CM Punk. This event will live on as the defining night of Punk's career, as he not only pulled off a memorable underdog victory in his hometown, but also changed the entire zeitgeist of professional wrestling. The angle would ultimately fizzle out due to poor booking decisions, but for a while, wrestling felt dangerous and exciting again.
Written by Jack King
jack.king@cultaholic.com Twitter: @JackTheJobber
