8: Daniel Bryan – TLC 2011
Daniel Bryan’s initial cash in at the end of TLC was a sweet moment, it’s just a shame that it had to happen while he was a heel.
Bryan had actually cashed in his case on an episode of SmackDown, but GM at the time, Teddy Long, had declared the result void due to the champion Mark Henry not being medically cleared to fight.
Bryan would cash it in at the following PPV after The Big Show finally brought an end to Mark Henry’s reign of terror. Enraged by the result, Henry would attack Show after the match, leading to Bryan cashing in the case for his first ever World title reign.
7: CM Punk – Extreme Rules 2009
As I’ve already mentioned – Punk’s first cash in came a little too early. His second one, though, was perfectly executed.
Having battled a brutal ladder match with Edge at the first ever Extreme Rules event in 2009, Jeff Hardy had finally won the World Heavyweight Title. His moment was short-lived though as Punk cashed in straight after and took the title from him. It was a perfectly executed cash in that give us a great feud between Hardy and Punk in the summer of 09.
6: Randy Orton – SummerSlam 2013
Most fans were pretty angry when Orton was given the Money in the Bank briefcase back in 2013. The briefcase, for the most part, has been used to help establish new stars, and giving it to Randy Orton felt like a massive waste.
The reason this cash-in ranks so highly, though, is what came after it. Orton cashed in his opportunity against Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam of that year. Bryan had finally reached the mountain top having wrestled a classic with John Cena. As he was celebrating in the ring the special guest ref Triple H betrayed Bryan and Orton came out for the cash in, and thus, the Authority was born.
More importantly, though, this was the moment that would start the chain of events that would lead to the Yes movement and Daniel Bryan’s big victory at WrestleMania XXX.
5: Dean Ambrose – Money in the Bank 2016
The most recent cash in on this list, Dean Ambrose became the second ever person to cash in the briefcase on the same night and become champion at last year’s Money in the Bank PPV.
What makes this cash-in so great is the story that comes with it. Seth Rollins, having just returned from victory, picked up a surprise win over WWE Champion Roman Reigns in the night’s main event. Fans were noticeably shocked that Roman, who had been booked to look unstoppable, had been beaten clean by a heel until moments later when Ambrose came down and cashed in his shot, defeating Rollins to win his first ever WWE title.
The night will always be remembered as the night all three members of The Shield held the WWE title. It also led to a triple threat between the men a month later at Battleground, a match that really should have been held off for SummerSlam.
4: Rob Van Dam – ECW One Night Stand 2006
Rob Van Dam’s cash-in story is unique as he is the first competitor to both announce when he was going to cash in his shot and then win the resulting match-up.
RVD’s title win over John Cena at One Night Stand is memorable for many reasons – the match itself was great, but the best thing is the red-hot crowd who would have quite literally rioted had John Cena walked away the victor.
The moment was such a feel good one for Van Dam and the ECW faithful, even if it was sadly tainted by RVD getting caught with marijuana a few weeks later, forcing the WWE to end his reign short.
3: Edge – New Year’s Revolution 2006
The standard setter for Money in the Bank cash-ins, Edge’s first cash in at New Year’s Revolution 2006 is one of the most iconic moments in the history of the briefcase.
With Super-Cena laying beaten in the ring, having just survived a brutal Elimination Chamber match-up, Vince McMahon came out on stage and announced to the audience that ‘this individual, is cashing in his Money in the Bank privilege’ to a rapturous reception.
Edge then came to the ring and despite a near miss when Cena kicked out of his first spear, ultimately won the title with the next one. This was so essential for the case as a story telling device in the company and Edge executed it perfectly. It would also prove to be the launching pad for the last six years of the Rated-R Superstar’s Hall of Fame career.
2: Dolph Ziggler – Raw 2013
Dolph Ziggler had tried, and failed on several occasions to cash in his Money in the Bank contract after he won it in 2012, so when Alberto Del Rio lay prone in the ring, getting treated by medical staff after a match with Jack Swagger on the Raw after WrestleMania – fans knew something special was coming.
The Raw after Mania is one of the biggest nights of the year and is always full of great moments, but hearing ‘I’m Here to Show the World’ hit and the fans explode is one of the best in the episode’s history.
Ziggler came down, hit a zig-zag and won his second ever World Heavyweight Championship. Sadly, for poor Ziggles, the reign was cut short when he suffered a concussion a few weeks later, but that still doesn’t take anything away from what is arguably the best moment in the Show-Off’s career.
1: Seth Rollins – WrestleMania 31
Sooner or later, someone was going to cash in their Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania, but no-one expected it to be done in quite the way it was back in 2015.
Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns were in the midst of one of the most physically punishing Mania main events of all time, and as both men lay in the ring, Seth Rollins ran down to the ring and cashed in his briefcase. Following a few will he, won’t he moments, Rollins hit the now banned Curb Stomp on his former Shield teammate and took home the gold.
It was a perfect piece of storytelling from the WWE and one of the most memorable closes to Mania ever. Rollins standing at the top of the runway, grinning like a mad-man while holding the WWE title above his head is likely to go down in history as one of the most iconic WrestleMania images ever. Mr Money in the Bank 2017, you’re up next.
What is your favourite Money in the Bank cash-in? Let us know in the comments below, and let Liam know on Twitter @liamhoofe
