When the Money in the Bank ladder match was created in 2005, the idea was simply to get guys who didn’t have an ongoing storyline on the WrestleMania card.
As time passed, the Money in the Bank ladder match evolved into its own pay-per-view, separate from the extravaganza that is WrestleMania.
I love everything about the Money in the Bank ladder match. Ladder matches are always a thrill ride, but the prize for this particular match is a WWE Championship opportunity to be redeemed at any time, making it even more exciting.
Some of the greatest moments in recent history would not have occurred without that little briefcase being cashed in to create epic chaos.
That being said, I think it’s time for the Money in the Bank ladder match to return to WrestleMania.
Now that we have two brands again, superstars from both Raw and SmackDown Live deserve the chance to claim the Money in the Bank briefcase.
With this year’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view being a SmackDown Live-only event, many Superstars from the Raw brand are being robbed of an opportunity to create a legendary moment in WWE history.
If the match returned to WrestleMania, eight Superstars from each brand could compete in qualifying matches for a chance to perform on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Just for funsies, I decided to put on my booking hat to see if I could create something special. The bracket below breaks down the qualifying matches that occur on both Raw and SmackDown Live to determine the eight participants:
After WWE’s version of March Madness concludes, you have an elite 8 featuring Finn Bálor, Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe, Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, Tyler Breeze, Luke Harper, and Apollo Crews.
Now the opening contest for WrestleMania 33 is an 8-man Money in the Bank ladder match, preserving the tradition of the multi-man ladder match kicking off the show, as well as giving eight hard-working guys a better spot on the card.
As far as a winner is concerned, I think Finn Bálor is the perfect candidate.
Technically, Bálor already has a rematch for the WWE Universal Championship, but adding “Money in the Bank ladder match winner” to his resume is too great an opportunity to pass up.
Here’s where things get interesting. Immediately following the show, Bálor announces that he’s cashing in the briefcase on Raw the next night for a championship match against the winner of Brock Lesnar versus Goldberg.
Although this isn’t as exciting as the random cash-in, it still creates a lot of buzz and should help to boost the Raw ratings a bit.
This route also provides the option of getting the championship away from Brock Lesnar and into the hands of someone who will be around on a weekly basis.
The Raw after WrestleMania crowd is always rowdy, but it’s in this kind of moment that legends are born, and I think they will appreciate what they’re taking part in.
What do you think? Should the Money in the Bank ladder match return to WrestleMania? Do you prefer the current format? Let us know on twitter, @TheRumbleRamble.
