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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe best Money in the Bank matches combine sharp ladder-match pacing with stakes that matter after the bell. This is an editorial ranking of ten Money in the Bank Ladder Matches—not every match on a Money in the Bank event card—and the order reflects execution, memorable moments, story stakes, crowd response where supportable, and influence on the format. WWE’s record confirms dates, fields, and winners; it does not designate an official best-match ranking.
What makes a Money in the Bank match worth ranking?
The Ladder Match debuted at WrestleMania 21 in 2005, where Edge became the first winner after defeating five other Superstars. The prize—a contract guaranteeing a future championship opportunity—gives the match its defining tension: winning the briefcase can reshape a title picture long after the ladders are cleared. The match itself is separate from any later cash-in. WWE’s WrestleMania 21 record and its history of Money in the Bank cash-ins establish that context.
Rankings are necessarily subjective. The list below weighs match flow and escalation, distinctive spots, the stakes and story around the competitors, audience response when it can be reasonably described, and each match’s place in the format’s evolution. WWE’s results archive is useful for checking event records, but it does not rank match quality.
The 10 best Money in the Bank Ladder Matches
1. Money in the Bank 2011 — SmackDown Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Daniel Bryan’s victory makes this one of the format’s most consequential matches: the briefcase winner went on to become a central figure in the title picture. The match’s appeal is not only the ladder spectacle but the clear sense that the contract could alter careers. WWE’s historical cash-in coverage identifies Bryan as the 2011 SmackDown winner. WWE’s cash-in history is the grounded starting point for that legacy.
#1 Best Overall
2. Money in the Bank 2011 — Raw Money in the Bank Ladder Match
The 2011 event offered two separate contract ladder matches, making it a useful showcase of how the same premise can support distinct fields and stories. This Raw match earns its place for the event’s unusual double feature and the way the briefcase stakes carried beyond one division of the card. Consult WWE’s event archive for the full field and winner rather than relying on a retrospective shorthand. WWE’s Money in the Bank results archive
3. Money in the Bank 2016 — Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Dean Ambrose won a six-person match against Cesaro, Sami Zayn, Alberto Del Rio, Kevin Owens, and Chris Jericho. That lineup gives the bout a particularly strong combination of contrasting styles and established rivalries, while the result fed directly into the night’s larger title story. WWE’s event page confirms the participants and outcome and includes video material. WWE’s 2016 event page
Rank #2
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4. WrestleMania 21, 2005 — Money in the Bank Ladder Match
The inaugural match belongs on any historical list because it established the contract-and-briefcase concept at WrestleMania. Edge defeated five other competitors, giving the format its first winner and a recognizable premise that WWE continued to revisit. Its rank here reflects foundational importance as much as the spectacle of a single match. WWE’s WrestleMania 21 record
5. Money in the Bank 2017 — Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
The 2017 match is a strong pick for viewers interested in the contract match as a full-match drama rather than only a collection of ladder stunts. WWE hosts the match as an official full-match video, making it one of the more straightforward entries on this list to seek out through the company’s current viewing options. Check the event results for the exact field and winner. WWE’s 2017 full-match page
6. Money in the Bank 2023 — Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
The women’s contract match is an essential part of the modern format, not a side category: WWE’s event archive records separate women’s and men’s Money in the Bank matches across the event’s history. This entry recognizes that expansion and the distinct field of competitors the women’s match brings to the ladder-match structure. Verify the exact lineup and result on WWE’s annual results page. WWE’s results archive
7. Money in the Bank 2022 — Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
By this point the women’s match had become an established feature of the annual event, adding another contract race with its own cast and championship implications. It belongs among the strongest editions for anyone tracing how Money in the Bank grew beyond its original single-match format. The event archive is the source for the participants and winner. WWE’s results archive
Rank #4
8. Money in the Bank 2020 — Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
This edition stands out for adapting the format to an unusual event setting, underscoring that the attraction is not limited to a conventional ring-and-ladder setup. Its inclusion is about the match’s place in the format’s history and how WWE presented the contract pursuit under changed circumstances. WWE’s archive provides the event result and winner. WWE’s results archive
9. Money in the Bank 2018 — Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
The 2018 women’s match is another important step in the annual format’s development. Ranking it here reflects the value of the women’s contract matches as a recurring counterpart to the men’s bout, with a separate field and its own road to a future title opportunity. Confirm participants and outcome in WWE’s event results. WWE’s results archive
Best Value
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10. Money in the Bank 2012 — World Heavyweight Championship contract Ladder Match
The 2012 event continued the multiple-contract structure, with separate matches tied to different championship opportunities. That distinction matters: Money in the Bank has not always been one interchangeable briefcase race, and the prize attached to a match shapes its stakes. Use WWE’s archive to confirm the exact match designation, competitors, and winner. WWE’s results archive
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to watch the matches
WWE’s 2024 match-marathon description directs viewers in the United States to Peacock and viewers elsewhere to WWE Network. Streaming catalogs and territory rights can change, so check WWE’s current viewing information for availability where you live. An official full-match page is also available for the 2017 edition.
Collectors may come across Straight to the Top: Money in the Bank Anthology, a DVD/Blu-ray release reported to include every Money in the Bank Ladder Match up to its release. That establishes it as a historical collection, not that copies are currently in stock or that any particular listing is complete. Wrestling DVD Network’s anthology contents reference
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