Ranking The Money in the Bank Matches

Just to clarify, I did not count the 2014 WWE title MITB as it was for the title and not the briefcase.

#16 John Cena vs The Miz vs Big Show vs Kane vs Chris Jericho – Money in the Bank 2012

This match struggled because of who was involved. You’ve got John Cena, who is a generally cautious wrestler. Kane and Big Show, both already pretty old at this point and also fairly cautious workers. You’ve got Miz, coming back from a two month absence and not much of a ladder guy. And then Chris Jericho, who in his heyday was a great ladder guy, but is pretty aged at this point. The match revolves around taking out Big Show and covering him in ladders. Then he manages to get up and destroy everyone except Cena. Cena bashes the briefcase off Big Show’s head, breaking it off and winning. It’s not the worst match in the world but it’s pretty lackluster.

#15 Jack Swagger vs Drew McIntyre vs Christian vs Evan Bourne vs Kofi Kingston vs Kane vs Matt Hardy vs Dolph Ziggler vs MVP vs Shelton Benjamin – Wrestlemania 26

This match suffered by having way too many people in it. The entire thing felt a bit congested and at almost all times there’s 5 or 6 guys just lying around on the outside. This is the only ten man MITB there is because I think they realized it was to much. Evan Bourne bumped like crazy and had some cool spots in it, as did Matt Hardy. Matt Hardy actually takes some of the nastier looking falls in this one. Jack Swagger ultimately manages to win it, actually a bit similar to how Cena won in the previous match, using the briefcase to hit Matt Hardy in the face. It’s not bad, per say, it’s just not particularly good either.

#14 Dolph Ziggler vs Tensai vs Tyson Kidd vs Christian vs Sin Cara vs Santino Marella vs Cody Rhodes vs Damien Sandow – Money in the Bank 2012

This is definitely one of the weaker MITB matches but it actually has a variety of cool things in it. Tensai nails Sin Cara with a powerbomb on a suspended ladder on the outside and it looks brutal. And following that he throws Dolph over the announce tables, right onto one of the computer chairs in one of the most brutal things I’ve ever seen. There’s an awesome spot earlier in the match where Dolph is on a ladder and Tyson Kidd springboards with another ladder, using it as a bridge and jumping off, hitting a sunset flip powerbomb on Ziggler. It doesn’t come off completely clean but it still looks amazing. Just nice to see Tyson Kidd in a high profile match. After taking a crazy amount of damage, Dolph manage to sneak back into the ring and win the MITB.

#13 Sheamus vs Neville vs Dolph Ziggler vs Roman Reigns vs Randy Orton vs Kofi Kingston vs Kane – Money in the Bank 2015

My favorite portions of this match were the one on one instances where people were alone in the ring. Kofi and Sheamus have an awesome exchange, followed by a great Neville and Kofi exchange. Reigns hits two nasty looking powerbombs to Kofi and Neville on ladders. Reigns flying over the ropes and then later powerbombing Kofi onto everyone was really cool. Bray coming out to screw over Reigns was fantastic. The sadistic look on his face was great. Sheamus gets the win after that, sending Neville off the ladder. Definitely a fun match.

#12 Alberto Del Rio vs Rey Mysterio vs The Miz vs Jack Swagger vs Alex Riley vs Evan Bourne vs R-Truth – Money in the Bank 2011

Top highlight of this match is Evan Bourne, climbing a large ladder outside the ring and landing a Shooting Star Press on everyone. A lot of generic ladder spots in this one but some unique ones too, such as Rey Mysterio’s 619 using a ladder instead of the ropes. Rey Mysterio are the last two up, both standing on ladders. Del Rio thinks smart and pulls off Mysterio’s mask, causing Rey to cover his face. Del Rio sends Rey off the ladder and in a bit of a botch, falls off himself! But Del Rio manages to ascend to the top and win MITB. Probably the least unique of all the MITB matches but still good.

#11 CM Punk vs Christian vs Mark Henry vs Kane vs Finlay vs Kofi Kingston vs MVP vs Shelton Benjamin – Wrestlemania 25

A very cool spot in the early going where the six smaller guys team up to send out Mark Henry & Kane. As the all climb ladders, Kane and Henry come back in and take out all of them. We get some cool diving spots on the outside where each guy gets their chance to take everyone out. Shelton Benjamin steals the show, diving off a giant ladder onto everyone. Mark Henry goes to get his chance but Finlay takes him out and Hornswoggle dives off Henry onto everyone. MVP and Benjamin trade a few very cool powerbomb spots. Comes down to Christian and Punk on the ladder and Punk gets his leg caught in the ladder, a callback to Punk and Jericho’s battle from the previous year. Kane, however, chokeslams Christian off the ladder, allowing Punk to regain his composure and kick Kane off, winning his second straight MITB!

#10 Kane vs Dolph Ziggler vs Big Show vs Cody Rhodes vs Kofi Kingston vs Drew McIntyre vs Matt Hardy vs Christian – Money in the Bank 2010

Early on in this one, Big Show tries to climb the ladder and his foot goes right through the rungs. This will be important later. Much of this match is everyone ganging up on a dominant Big Show, making for a very fun dynamic. In the spot of the match, Kofi sets up Drew McIntyre on the announce table and leg drops him through it off a ladder. Big Show manages to reach under the ring and pull out an enormous gold ladder, big enough to fit him and half the roster. Big Show climbs but gets thrown off by Kane and sent out of the ring. The rest of the wrestlers cover Big Show in ladders and Kane slams Ziggler onto them. Kane manages to climb up and retrieve the briefcase.

#9 Rob Van Dam vs Matt Hardy vs Finlay vs Ric Flair vs Bobby Lashley vs Shelton Benjamin – Wrestlemania 22

A very unique field here, with some older guys, some extremely athletic guys and a powerhouse. Benjamin gets the crowd going early, running up a ladder and diving onto everyone outside the ring. In a pretty surreal spot, Matt Hardy superplexes Ric Flair off a ladder, causing Flair to leave the match for a bit. Just as Finlay thinks he has it won, Ric Flair comes back down to the ring and takes him out. Flair nearly has it won but Finlay hits him with the shillelagh, causing him to fall off the ladder, a fall that Ric doesn’t even try to brace for. Matt Hardy hits a diving leg drop off the ladder to Lashley and a Side Effect off a ladder with Finlay. RVD nails a legendary Five Star Frog Splash off a ladder to Finlay. RVD has it won but Benjamin springboards onto the ladder. Matt Hardy pulls up a ladder next to them. Shelton transfers to the other ladder, which RVD knocks over, sending them out of the ring. RVD gets the win in this fantastic match!

#8 Mr Kennedy vs Edge vs Randy Orton vs Matt Hardy vs Jeff Hardy vs CM Punk vs King Booker vs Finlay

This might be the most star studded field in Money in the Bank history and it certainly lives up to it. Cool part about this match is that literally everyone gets their time to shine. Booker spinebusters everyone, Orton RKOs everyone and Edge gets to spear everyone. Punk manages to do the classic Terry Funk airplane spin ladder spot. Mr Kennedy Green Bay Plunge’s Hornswoggle off a ladder. Jeff Hardy leg drops Edge off a ladder and through a ladder. Randy Orton RKOs CM Punk off a ladder. Shortly after Booker gives Orton the Book End off the ladder. In the end, Punk and Kennedy are at the top. Punk knocks Kennedy off but Kennedy picks up and hits Punk with a ladder, allowing himself to get the victory.

#7 The Miz vs Mark Henry vs Evan Bourne vs John Morrison vs Edge vs Chris Jericho vs Randy Orton vs Ted DiBiase Jr – Money in the Bank 2010

Early on in this one, Mark Henry uses his power to shove down two ladders holding multiple superstars. As everyone is knocked out, Maryse climbs up the ladder for DiBiase but John Morrison pulls her down and makes her leave. Morrison sets up a bridge system with the ladders, allowing him to get from the floor outside the ring all the way to the ladder in the middle. Orton and Edge manage to stick Morrison in between the rungs and beat the hell out of him. Mark Henry goes on a rampage, Worlds Strongest Slamming multiple people until Jericho and Edge dispatch of him with a Codebreaker and Spear. Orton goes on an RKO rampage until Bourne hits him with the Shooting Star Press. Orton nearly has it won but Miz shoves him off and grabs the briefcase!

#6 Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose vs Jack Swagger vs Dolph Ziggler vs Rob Van Dam vs Kofi Kingston – Money in the Bank 2014

This match features a lot of that classic RVD offense that we all love. Ambrose and Rollins brutally battle on and off through this whole match. Ambrose hits a superplex off the ladder to Rollins, only for Ambrose to be helped off by doctors. Rollins takes an insane spot, getting back body dropped off a ladder by Kofi onto another ladder being suspended by the ropes and the standing ladder. Just as Seth seems to have the match one, Ambrose comes back and tees off on Rollins with a chair in very similar fashion to the way Seth did when he turned on The Shield. Ambrose climbs the ladder but Kane comes out, chokeslams and Tombstones him, allowing Rollins to climb the ladder and win.

#5 Randy Orton vs CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan vs Rob Van Dam vs Sheamus vs Christian – Money in the Bank 2013

The MVP of this match, in my opinion, is Sheamus. Sheamus takes three bumps in this match that are brutal. He goes off the ropes through a ladder, falls off a ladder onto the edge of a ladder and gets crushed by a falling ladder that CM Punk rode from the turnbuckle onto him. Sheamus’ thigh after this match is disgusting. The crowd is insanely hot for RVD in this one as it’s in Philadelphia. Towards the end of the match, Daniel Bryan goes on a rampage and takes out everyone. He nearly has it won until Curtis Axel comes out and stops him. Axel, like Punk, is a Paul Heyman guy. Heyman comes out angry and tries to help Punk but ultimately betrays him, busting him open with a ladder. Meanwhile, Randy Orton manages to ascend to the top and win the briefcase.

#4 Daniel Bryan vs Wade Barrett vs Sheamus vs Kane vs Sin Cara vs Justin Gabriel vs Heath Slater vs Cody Rhodes – Money in the Bank 2011

Something fantastic about this match is that it’s quite possibly the only time on PPV that Gabriel and Slater were allowed to show who they are and what they have to offer as wrestlers. Both of them were huge standouts in this match, hitting high spots all over the place. In a brutal spot, Sheamus powerbombs Sin Cara off the apron through a ladder being suspended by the ring and announce table. Later Sheamus gets chokeslammed of a ladder, onto a ladder by Kane. This match features a lot of great counter sequences, especially involving Bryan, Rhodes and Barrett. Bryan manages to scratch and claw his way to the top of the ladder and get the victory in a fantastic showing.

#3 Damien Sandow vs Cody Rhodes vs Dean Ambrose vs Fandango vs Cesaro vs Jack Swagger vs Wade Barrett – Money in the Bank 2013

This match had the unique feature of having two tag teams in it, despite being every man for themselves. It also is the only heels only MITB match ever. Fandango hits an absurdly smooth sunset flip powerbomb off a ladder to Barrett. Cody hits a muscle buster to Cesaro on a ladder draped in the corner. In an interesting concept, Cesaro stands on Swagger’s shoulders and tries to reach the briefcase, before Cody dropkicks Swagger, sending both to the ground. At one point Barrett rips a rung off the ladder and beats everyone down with it. The match goes into chaos with Reigns & Rollins interfere on Ambrose’s behalf. The Usos, who they faced on the pre-show, come in to even the odds. Cody Rhodes goes on a rampage and takes out everyone. But while all this was going on, Damien Sandow was hiding and watching. As Rhodes climbs the ladder, his fellow Rhodes Scholars partner throws him off the ladder and wins MITB for himself. Sadly Sandow would go on to unsuccessfully cash in on John Cena.

#2 Edge vs Chris Benoit vs Shelton Benjamin vs Chris Jericho vs Christian vs Kane – Wrestlemania 21

The original match that created the very unique concept. Shelton Benjamin stole the show in this match, not only flying over the ropes onto everyone, but also running up a ladder and clotheslining Chris Jericho off another. The action in this match is phenomenal. Benoit hits a diving headbutt off a ladder to Kane that is hard to watch. Christian tries to get help from his bodyguard, Tyson Tomko, only for both of them to be sent packing. Edge and Christian reform for a moment, using the ladders for a concerto instead of the usual chairs. Benoit nearly has it won but Edge comes in and smashes his previously worked over arm with a steel chair. Edge ascends the ladder and becomes the first ever MITB winner.

#1 CM Punk vs Chris Jericho vs John Morrson vs MVP vs Carlito vs Mr Kennedy vs Shelton Benjamin – Wrestlemania 24

If you want to know why the midcard was so fantastic in 2008, look no further than this match. You know this match is going to be wild when Morrison moonsaults out of the ring with a ladder in his hand onto everyone in the opening minutes. Mr Kennedy is about to superplex John Morrison off a ladder. However Shelton Benjamin dives off another ladder, creating a sunset flip tower of doom, taking out both of them and himself. Shelton Benjamin climbs the ladder, however Carlito and Kennedy tip it, sending Shelton through a ladder on the outside of the ring. Chris Jericho locks in the Walls of Jericho to Morrison on top of a ladder and Carlito manages to land a Backstabber off a ladder to Jericho. MVP is the only man up and nearly has it won until Matt Hardy returns. MVP injured Matt months earlier and Matt gets his revenge, hitting a Twist of Fate off the ladder. In a fantastic call back spot to the previous year, Kennedy is at the top of the ladder and Punk knocks him off with a ladder. Punk and Jericho battle atop the ladder and Jericho wins the fight. However, from the bottom of the ladder, Punk grabs Jericho’s leg and wedges it between the rungs, hanging him upside down. Punk climbs the ladder and wins the Money in the Bank!