The Money in the Bank briefcase is designed to kick start careers but it’s not always the good luck charm every superstar needs it to be. Most Money in the Bank briefcase holders have good luck but others, not so much. Take a look at how the Money in the Bank briefcase effected the careers of these WWE superstars as we rank the cash ins from worst to best.
John Cena
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This was the first time that a briefcase winner cashed in and didn’t win the title. We knew that was going to happen eventually but having it happen with John Cena and on a disqualification just made it seem like a waste of a briefcase.
Damien Sandow
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The only other money in the bank briefcase winner who has cashed in and lost, Damien Sandow has been on a losing streak ever since. Sandow challenged John Cena for the World Heavyweight Championship and fought one hell of a match only to get beat by Cena. Sandow is currently dressing up as a different (and completely stupid) gimmick every week because the creative team obviously hates him.
Jack Swagger
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When Jack Swagger won the money in the bank briefcase at WrestleMania 26 it came out of nowhere. No one expected it to happen because he had been jobbing to Santino for months before winning the briefcase. He ended up cashing in on Jericho but his title reign was lackluster and didn’t last long.
Alberto Del Rio
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After months of talking about how becoming WWE Champion was his destiny, Alberto Del Rio finally won the big one when he cashed in on CM Punk at SummerSlam 2011. The biggest problem with this one is that CM Punk was on fire at the time and no one wanted to see Del Rio hold the title. Eventually WWE learned to error of their ways when Del Rio failed to get a reaction and they gave the title back to Punk at Survivor Series.
Daniel Bryan
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For months WWE was promoting the idea that Daniel Bryan would cash in at WrestleMania but that all changed when he cashed in on Big Show at TLC 2011. This is arguably the moment that started it all for Daniel Bryan and gave birth to the character that would take him to the top. Bryan would hold on to the title for a few months and then drop it to Sheamus in 18 seconds during the opening match of WrestleMania 28.
CM Punk
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CM Punk’s first cash in on Edge was great and unpredictable. After being beat down by Batista, Edge lost his World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk who was making the most of a convenient situation. Punk got a great reaction upon winning the World Heavyweight Championship but WWE just didn’t seem to be behind his title reign at the time.
Dolph Ziggler
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Easily one of the most epic moments of 2013, Dolph Ziggler cashing in on Alberto Del Rio got one of the biggest pops that year. Dolph Ziggler held out for a long time and then finally won the big one the day after WrestleMania 29. Unfortunately for him all his momentum was stopped dead when he suffered a concussion a few weeks later and had to drop the title back to Del Rio. We’re still hoping to see Ziggler get his time in the sun before it’s all said and done.
Kane
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In 2010 Kane became the first Money in the Bank winner to cash in on the same night he won the briefcase. Kane defeated Rey Mysterio after Mysterio had just successfully defended his title against Jack Swagger. Kane went on to hold the World Heavyweight Championship for 154 days.
The Miz
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The Miz had some major momentum on his side when he cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to become WWE Champion. The Miz beat Randy Orton to win the title and he held it all the way through WrestleMania 27 and beyond. This was undoubtedly the peak of his career so far.
Edge
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Mr. Kennedy was the first person to lose his Money in the Bank briefcase to someone else and Edge was the man he lost it to. Edge defeated Mr. Kennedy in a match on Raw and cashed in his second briefcase on The Undertaker the next night at a SmackDown taping. Edge also became the first person to successfully cash in twice.
CM Punk
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CM Punk’s first Money in the Bank cash in didn’t do much for him but his second cash in gave his career just the boost he needed. CM Punk cashed in on Jeff Hardy after Jeff had just competed in a brutal ladder match against Edge. CM Punk took Jeff’s newly won World Heavyweight Championship for himself thus making a heel turn in the process. Punk and Hardy ended up having arguably the best feud of the year thanks to this cash in.
Randy Orton
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Randy Orton had perfect timing as he broke the hearts of wrestling fans everywhere qnd cashed in on Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam 2013. The WWE created a moment designed to take you from one extreme to the next in a matter of minutes as one of the most joyous moments in recent memory quickly turned tragic.
Rob Van Dam
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Rob Van Dam’s cash in is unique because he was the first and one of the only people to announce his cash in ahead of time. Rob Van Dam challenged John Cena to a match at ECW One Night Stand 2006 and defeated him to become WWE Champion for the first time ever.
Edge
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Edge was the first man to ever cash in a Money in the Bank briefcase and he set the standard on how it should be done. Edge seized the ultimate opportunity when he cashed in on John Cena after Cena had just defended his title in an Elimination Chamber match. Cena, bloody and powerless was defenseless and ripe for the picking. Edge took Cena down with a spear for the win and cemented his legacy by becoming WWE Champion.
Edge’s first cash on was awesome, but Ziggy’s was freakin fantastic. I almost jumped out my seat when that happened. The crowd obviously loved it as much as I did.