Nineteen years ago, WWE was attempting to develop a new match format that would creatively drive storylines forward and present a platform to create new stars. Since 1988, the Royal Rumble offered an opportunity each January for WWE superstars to grab the proverbial brass ring and launch their careers into a new stratosphere. The winner of the 30-man battle royal was guaranteed a title shot at WrestleMania.
The Rumble was the sole event on the WWE calendar that ensured a wrestler would vie for the grandest prize in sports entertainment. That remained until April 3, 2005, when the inaugural Money in the Bank ladder match was unveiled at WrestleMania 21 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Eighteen years later, Money in the Bank is far more than just a launching pad for rising stars in the company.
Since 2010, when WWE introduced the annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view, it's been a staple of the promotion's shows and has slowly but surely grown into a fifth tentpole event. Earning the moniker Mr. or Miss Money in the Bank has become one of the most tried-and-true kingmakers for a wrestler's career. The concept: Climb the ladder and grab a briefcase dangling above the ring.
Inside that briefcase is a contract that guarantees its owner a WWE championship opportunity at a time of their choosing for up to a year. On July 6 in Toronto, seven men and seven women will compete in separate matches with the briefcase on the line and the chance to become the next WWE champion. The success rate for the Money in the Bank winner in that eventual title challenge: 85%.
The participants in that first endeavor: Edge, Chris Benoit, Christian (with Tomko), Chris Jericho, Kane and Shelton Benjamin. Interviews -- edited for clarity and brevity -- with Edge, Jericho, Kane, Shelton Benjamin and WWE executive Michael Hayes tell the story of that first MITB match at WrestleMania 21 (Christian's remarks are from a 2009 ESPN interview). Part 1: The Idea Chris Jericho: From a storyline standpoint, we always say I invented it, but from a reality standpoint, if it was a song, I co-wrote it with Brian Gerwitz, who was the head writer at the time.
We were just looking for a WrestleMania match. It was one of those years, there was nothing really going on for a lot of us, which is kind of a drag. There were a few ideas thrown around.
One of them was a three-way submission match between me and Edge and Chris Benoit. That's lame. Submission matches are hard to begin with, and it's a three-way submission match, and Edge didn't really have a submission.
And then Kane didn't have anything to do, and Shelton didn't have anything to do. Same for Christian. Just a lot of fairly big-name guys that didn't really have much to do.
Shelton Benjamin: It was Jericho's idea. But at the same time, Edge is a pro wrestling genius. Between the two of them, that's what really made the match what it was.
I would definitely credit Jericho with the invention, and Edge with the innovations. Jericho: I remember I was driving in New York City, probably going to a show at The Garden. I said, what if we do some kind of a ladder match where the winner gets a title shot the next night on Raw? And Brian said, well, what if we do it where y...
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing