Don’t let the suspenseful ladder leaps and relentless (bordering on insane) risks distract you from the history being made in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match. The real story behind the most celebrated Ladder Match in sports-entertainment and the coveted World Title opportunity awaiting the winner is best told by going inside the numbers.
Here are 17 notable statistics and fun facts that demonstrate the importance of Money in the Bank — one for every Money in the Bank Ladder Match to date
Chris Jericho first introduced the idea of a Money in the Bank Ladder Match in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 21. The bout occurred annually at The Showcase of the Immortals until 2010, the first year a Money in the Bank pay-per-view took place.
All 52 of those Superstars are male. In 2017, five female Superstars will become the first women to officially compete in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
Edge won the bout’s first iteration at WrestleMania 21, making him the inaugural Mr. Money in the Bank. Dean Ambrose became the latest Superstar to join the exclusive club in 2016.
In 2010, Kane managed to convert one of his appearances into a Money in the Bank Ladder Match victory. At six apiece, Christian and Kofi Kingston are tied for the most Money in the Bank Ladder Match appearances without a win in the supersized bout.
Six of those Money in the Bank contract carriers successfully cashed in and clinched the WWE Championship as their first World Title, the most recent being Dean Ambrose in 2016. Meanwhile, Daniel Bryan was the last of three Superstars who cashed in and claimed the now-retired World Heavyweight Title.
When he became Mr. Money in the Bank in 2010, Jack Swagger was one month younger than Seth Rollins when he won the contract five years later at the age of 28 years, one month and one day.
Age eventually becomes just another statistic in the WWE Universe. Still, Ric Flair deserves recognition for competing in one of WWE’s most arduous battles nearly 34 years after this stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing , wheelin' n' dealin' son of a gun made his professional debut in sports-entertainment.
Three of those Superstars successfully retained their rights to the coveted contract: Edge, Rob Van Dam and Dolph Ziggler, who defended it twice in 2012. Mr. Kennedy became the first and only Mr. Money in the Bank who failed to defend his contract rights when he lost them to Edge in 2007.
Edge’s long wait from WrestleMania 21 to New Year’s Revolution 2006 lasted one week longer than Rollins, who held on to his contract for 273 days before collecting on his guaranteed World Title opportunity. On average, a Mr. Money in the Bank waits 101.5 days before successfully cashing in.
The Devil’s Favorite Demon waited only 50 minutes after his Money in the Bank Ladder Match victory to cash in and convert his World Title opportunity at Money in the Bank 2010. Dean Ambrose came close to matching Kane’s mark in 2016 when The Lunatic Fringe cashed in 57 minutes after winning the contract.
Rob Van Dam conceded the element of surprise afforded to any Mr. Money in the Bank when the ECW Original announced his intentions of cashing in at ECW One Night Stand 2006. His opponent that night, John Cena, later executed his own Money in the Bank contract at Raw 1000 after giving one week’s notice.
Mr. Kennedy conceded his opportunity when he lost his contract rights to Edge in 2007. Big Show’s interference resulted in John Cena winning his guaranteed World Title Match in 2012 by disqualification, which meant the title couldn’t change hands. Damien Sandow lost to The Cenation Leader a few months later following a cash-in by The Intellectual Savior of the Masses.
Six years before Sandow’s failed attempt, Edge and Rob Van Dam cashed in on The Cenation Leader just months apart in 2006. Of course, Cena was a likely target for any Mr. Money in the Bank over the years, as all of his record-tying 16 World Championship reigns occurred after the guaranteed World Title Match was introduced in 2005.
In 2010 and 2013, three different Money in the Bank Ladder Match winners cashed in their contract. Jack Swagger, Kane and The Miz all turned in their briefcase and won the ensuing World Title Match in 2010. Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton did the same three years later, but Damien Sandow came up short in his bid to dethrone John Cena.
Rob Van Dam and Dean Ambrose executed their guaranteed World Title contracts 10 years apart, the former in June 2006 and the latter in June 2016. In between, CM Punk successfully converted both of his tenures as Mr. Money in the Bank into World Title reigns in the sixth month of 2009 and 2010.
The longest running weekly episodic TV program in history provided the backdrop to five Money in the Bank contract cash-ins, including Dolph Ziggler’s historic World Heavyweight Title win on the day after WrestleMania 29. SmackDown, Money in the Bank and SummerSlam are tied for the second-most successful cash-ins at two apiece.
Many Superstars dream of turning their Money in the Bank contract into an historic moment at The Showcase of the Immortals. Daniel Bryan even promised to do it before changing his mind at WWE TLC 2011. To date, only Seth Rollins has achieved the ultimate dream of converting his Mr. Money in the Bank status into a title victory at The Show of Shows, making for an unprecedented moment at WrestleMania 31.