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“Best” is a matter of judgment, not an objective statistic. The ranking below follows WWE’s published 2018 list while explaining the factors that make each moment memorable: timing, stakes, opponent, result, crowd or story payoff, and what followed. WWE’s page ranked 19 cash-ins known to it at the time; that is a dated count, not a current all-time total. WWE’s 2018 ranking
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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WWE: Money In The Bank 2023 | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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WWE: Money in the Bank 2022 (DVD) | $4.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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WWE: Money In The Bank 2020 (DVD) | $20.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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WWE: Straight to the Top: Money in the Bank Anthology | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Why Seth Rollins’ WrestleMania 31 cash-in ranks first
WWE places Rollins at the top of its 2018 ranking, and the choice has a clear historical case. In the WrestleMania 31 main event, Brock Lesnar was defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns when Rollins arrived with his Money in the Bank contract. He entered the active match, making it a Triple Threat, then pinned Reigns to take the title. WWE’s event recap
WWE describes it as the first cash-in at WrestleMania, in a WrestleMania main event, and during an active match. Those distinctions explain why it stands apart from the familiar pattern of waiting until a champion has just survived a match. The intervention altered the contest itself, rather than simply adding a title match after the previous one had finished. WWE’s historical guide says Rollins waited 273 days between winning the contract and cashing it in. WWE’s Money in the Bank history guide
#1 Best Overall
WWE’s top six cash-ins
The order here follows WWE’s published ranking for the first four entries, then includes two earlier cash-ins that help show how the briefcase’s history developed. It is WWE’s editorial judgment, not a fan poll or an independently measured consensus.
1. Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 31 (2015)
Why it matters: Rollins interrupted an active title match and won by pinning Roman Reigns. The surprise was inseparable from the match’s stakes: it created a new contest in a WrestleMania main event and ended with a championship change. WWE ranked this cash-in first.
2. Dolph Ziggler on Raw after WrestleMania 29 (2013)
Why it matters: Ziggler cashed in on Alberto Del Rio and won the World Heavyweight Championship. WWE’s ranking emphasizes the crowd’s celebratory response. It also notes that injuries shortened Ziggler’s reign, a reminder that an unforgettable cash-in does not guarantee a long run with the title.
3. Dean Ambrose in 2016
Why it matters: Ambrose won the contract and cashed it in on Seth Rollins on the same night Rollins had won the championship. The timing made the title change an immediate payoff to their rivalry and their shared Shield history. WWE ranks it third.
4. The Miz in 2010
Why it matters: The Miz defeated Randy Orton to win the WWE Championship. WWE frames the moment against the contrast between Miz’s underdog career path and his arrival as champion, with a later WrestleMania title defense against John Cena adding to the reign’s story. After the win, Miz said, “I told you. I told you all.”
5. Edge at New Year’s Revolution (2006)
Why it matters: Edge’s was the first successful cash-in. He used the contract against John Cena after Cena had survived an Elimination Chamber match, establishing the template of striking when a champion was vulnerable. WWE’s historical guide gives Edge’s wait from winning the inaugural contract at WrestleMania 21 to cashing in as 280 days.
6. Daniel Bryan in 2011
Why it matters: Bryan cashed in on Big Show to win the World Heavyweight Championship. WWE’s ranking treats the later consequences as part of the moment’s significance, including Bryan’s WrestleMania 28 match with Sheamus.
What makes a cash-in memorable?
A cash-in can be judged on more than whether the holder wins. WWE says its ranking considered the winner, whom they beat, and the surrounding context. Applied consistently, those factors help distinguish a startling result from a moment that reshapes a match or storyline.
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- Match stakes: Was a major championship match underway, or had a champion just survived a demanding contest?
- Opponent and result: Who was champion, who took the fall, and did the contract holder actually win the title?
- Immediate payoff: Did the moment produce a major crowd reaction or settle a rivalry?
- Story consequences: Did the title change launch a notable reign or shape a later match?
How the Money in the Bank contract works—and why a cash-in can fail
WWE describes the contract as an opportunity for its holder to challenge for a World Championship at a chosen time within a year. The option to wait for a vulnerable champion is central to the concept’s drama, but historical rules and branding have varied across eras; this description reflects the format as presented in WWE’s historical coverage, not a promise about current terms.
Rank #4
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Winning the contract does not guarantee a championship. John Cena’s 2012 attempt against CM Punk ended in a disqualification after Big Show interfered, leaving the title with Punk. Baron Corbin also failed in his 2017 attempt against Jinder Mahal. WWE’s historical overview reported that all but one cash-in had resulted in a championship as of that page’s publication; that dated snapshot should not be read as a current success rate. WWE’s historical cash-in overview
How to read the ranking
Rollins is the strongest pick if the measure is a cash-in’s impact on the match unfolding in front of the audience. Ziggler and Ambrose offer different kinds of appeal: a celebrated title win and a same-night rivalry payoff. Edge is essential for establishing the successful cash-in template, while Miz and Bryan show how later storylines can extend the importance of a contract’s use. WWE’s list is a useful editorial framework, but its ordering should not be mistaken for universal agreement.
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