Who introduced WWE’s “Money in the Bank” series?
WWE Money in the Bank is arguably the most iconic single-match event apart from the Heavyweight Championship matches The event originally debuted as the Money in the Bank ladder match in, April 2005 and was featured at subsequent WrestleMania events.
In addition to being available as a PPV, the event has been aired on the WWE Network since 2014 and on Peacock since 2021. It has gained recognition as one of the company’s five biggest annual events, alongside the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series, often referred to as the “Big Five.”
Former Wrestler Chris Jericho and writer Brian Gewirtz came up with WWE’s Money in the Bank
Established in 2005 by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as an annual match at WrestleMania, the concept was the brainchild of two former WWE employees. Wrestler Chris Jericho alongside writer Brian Gewirtz has been credited with coming up with the idea initially.
Over time, the Money in the Bank match grew in popularity, leading to the creation of a standalone pay-per-view event.
In 2005, the Money in the Bank ladder match made its debut at WrestleMania 21, WWE’s marquee event. This unique match featured multiple Superstars battling atop ladders to retrieve a briefcase suspended above the ring. Inside the briefcase was a contract granting the holder a championship match opportunity at any time within a year.
Following WrestleMania XXVI in 2010, WWE decided to establish a separate Money in the Bank pay-per-view event, transforming it into a highly anticipated annual showcase. The inaugural Money in the Bank event took place on July 18, 2010, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
From 2010 to 2013, the Money in the Bank event was scheduled for July on WWE’s pay-per-view calendar. It was then moved to June from 2014 to 2018 before being held in May. In 2021, the event returned to its original July slot.
In mid-2016, the brand extension was reinstated, and the 2017 Money in the Bank event became exclusive to the SmackDown brand. The same year, however, the brand-exclusive events were continued, leading to Money in the Bank featuring prominently again. Since then, the Money in the Bank event has featured both male and female ladder matches, with the first women’s match taking place in 2017.
In 2023, the Money in the Bank event will be held in London, England, marking the first time it takes place outside of the United States. The participants for the men’s match include the likes of LA Knight, Damian Priest, and former YouTuber Logan Paul.
Watch the greatest WWE “Money In The Bank” Cash-Ins below:
