WWE: Top 5 Money in the Bank moments

As we roll into the last week before the Money in the Bank PPV, we take a look at some of the greatest Money in the Bank moments. Whether it is the PPV or the Money in the Bank match itself, there have been some great moments in the past.

Since the initiation of the concept back in ’05, the Money in the Bank match has become a valuable opportunity where the upcoming talents get a shot at glory, by getting the briefcase and cashing it in at a point when the champion is in his most vulnerable situation.

Money in the Bank matches have delivered in the past, and there is little doubt in the fans’ minds that this year’s edition of Money in the Bank PPV will live up to its hype. With ‘Mr. Monday Night’ Rob Van Dam returning at the PPV, this year’s edition of Money in the Bank PPV looks all set to be a night that the fans won’t forget. So without further ado, let us look at the top 5 Money in the Bank moments.

5. Dolph Ziggler wins the Smackdown Money in the Bank ladder match in 2012

For a couple of years now, Dolph Ziggler is seen as someone who is kept on the side burner for no apparent reason. Most of the WWE Universe as well as the Internet Wrestling Community has been clamoring for Dolph Ziggler to be the face of the company, and that escalated after Ziggler put Ryder over at the tail end of ’11.

When Ziggler dropped the US title to Ryder, people thought that would be the time for Ziggler to be pushed into the main event scene for the WWE/World title. So when Ziggler won the Smackdown MitB match last year, people were overjoyed, and this was seen as one of the biggest wins in the history of the Money in the Bank match.

Sure enough, Ziggler cashed it in on Alberto Del Rio on the RAW post WrestleMania, and won the World Heavyweight Championship, and is currently involved in a feud with Del Rio for the title.

4. Rob Van Dam wins the Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 22

When WWE came up with the idea of starting a PPV for ECW, their first attempt to test the waters became a huge success. So what did the WWE do? They did yet another “ECW: One Night Stand” PPV, and to make it more memorable, they had to do something that the fans would invest in, and that resulted in RVD getting a legitimate shot at the WWE title after years of toiling in the WWE.

RVD won the second ever Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania, and was the first person to ever schedule a time and a date to cash it in, as he did it at the One Night Stand PPV, and defeated John Cena in what can only be described as a monumental PPV. Although RVD lost the title soon, he won the WWE title for the first time in a ‘home environment’, with all the ECW faithful chanting his name.

3. CM Punk wins the Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 24

CM Punk was an ‘indy darling’, one of those wrestlers who made a name for themselves not in the WWE, but in the independent scene. With WWE not generally behind the idea of pushing someone who isn’t made by the corporate machine, most of the fans said Punk wouldn’t be anything in the WWE. So when Punk participated in the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania, no one gave him a shot to win the briefcase, but in the end, Punk won the match and successfully cashed it on Edge to win the World Heavyweight title for the first time in his career. Punk would also win the next edition of the Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 25, but this WrestleMania set him up as a legitimate main eventer, and was responsible for his main event status.

2. Daniel Bryan wins the Smackdown! Money in the Bank ladder match in 2011

Like CM Punk, many thought Daniel Bryan wouldn’t make it big in the WWE. Those fears were proven to be correct when Bryan was fired from the WWE because of the ‘tie gate’, but Bryan was rehired after the 90 day clause ended, and he came back to win the WWE United States championship.

Bryan then participated in the Money in the Bank ladder match for the World Heavyweight championship at MitB PPV in Chicago, and when no one expected him to win, Bryan climbed up the ladder and retrieved the briefcase, which sent the Chicago crowd into frenzy. It was probably the greatest moment till then for Daniel Bryan, and he soon cashed it in successfully to become the World Heavyweight champion.

1. ‘Summer of Punk’ storyline

In 2011, the biggest story of the year was one which involved a certain CM Punk, as reports surfaced during WrestleMania time that Punk might soon be on his way out of the company. Punk voiced his opinions about the company and his dislike for the direction they were going in.

This resulted in a match at the Money in the Bank PPV in his hometown which saw Punk winning the WWE title and leaving the company (kayfabe) with it. Although the storyline ended abruptly, it gave the fans a chance to enjoy the product once again, and ushered a change in the company, which saw Ryder, Bryan, the team of Air Bourne and Beth Phoenix winning titles and being at the top of their respective divisions.