Is the Money in the Bank gimmick still relevant?

[PSachkovsky]

Nowadays I noticed that Money in the Bank winners, win the title, and then lose it in few months, it makes the whole thing looks stupid. The fact that everyone who cashed in the money in the bank briefcase, has wont he title, is pretty self explanatory. It completely makes that thing uninteresting. But that's just my opinion, what do you think?

 

[anthonymclaughlin]

Nope I don't think it is relevant anymore, it doesn't elevate talent at all, last year did anyone consider alberto del rio a legimate threat to the title? it's just a cop out for not making the faces look weak, but the only option that leaves open is to turn the winner into a cowardly heel. It was shocking at first but it needs a shake up, for instance have someone try to cash it in on Sheamus or Punk, then have them kick the crap out of the person. Or have barrett (will he be ready by then?) or Big show cash it in fair and square and then win it. But to be honest the great thing about the current champions is that they can elevate talent without losing the title, getting off any offence on the great white makes a wrestler look legit, and just being in the ring with punk makes a person look ten times better, so maybe have someone like cash it in fair and square (face turn please) and then come up a little short, they will get massive kudos for not taking the cowards way.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

No, MITB ceased to be important when they had Punk win it for a 2nd time. The first MITB match contained genuine #1 contenders and with each subsequent match has been padded out with wrestlers barely above jobber status. It's at the point now where the winner hasn't recieved much of a push before and they don't recieve a push after until they actually hold the title.

There's only so much you can do with the concept. The only thing that is left is for somebody to cash in at Mania and for somebody to cash in and lose. I'd suggest WWE should do that this year and then kill the gimmick.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

It COULD be important but you see the problem is Vinny Mac keeps f*cking it up. Look it gives younger superstars (Such as Swagger, Ziggler, Rhodes, Barrett and so many more) to get themselves at the top. Not only that it gave Edge and CM punk their first title reigns so it does work but when not used correctly (Such as Del rio and Kennedy) it makes it look useless.

 

[Steve-O-Matt]

I still think it's relevant, just because a few guys don't hold onto the title for a long time doesn't make Money in the Bank anything less then what it is and what it is is an almost sure thing. No one has ever lost a MitB. There have been some winners who haven't had a long run, such as Swagger and I think Alberto's one was just plain boring as hell...

But you can't ignore the successes of the MitB as well, in the past there's been Edge, CM Punk, Rob Van Dam, guys who made pretty big impacts with their briefcases.

More recently, The Miz and Daniel Bryan, it's hard to say that it's not relevant when The Miz has had the longest title reign since JBL and that D-Bryan is now a huge main event player thanks to that push.

Yes, there's been some swings and missed with the MitB briefcases, but no, I still think it can be a very important card for people, IF USED CORRECTLY.

For example, this year I want a certain Mr. Barrett to come in and win the WWE Championship MitB match and certain Mr. Rhodes to win the World Heavyweight Championship MitB. AAAAAND I want them both to be treated as champions when they become champions, not like Swagger where they pretty much had him look like an idiot and have Big Show bully him for a few months just so he can drop it to someone else.

 

[MITB]

Isn't it completely stupid to complain about arguely two of the most interesting matches and one of the most interesting concepts of the past years? The matches are great, the MITB mostly makes a good fued, there is a fresh champion who can prove himself to the WWE Universe and it makes for some interesting TV.

Ofcourse it's still relevant.

 

[braveh]

Was it ever relevant? I mean it's great for the storylines but would you pay 50 dollars to watch wrestlers fight over a plastic lunch box? Maybe the PPV is targeted towards the PG-audience.

 

[jared96]

Well i think alot of people has lost interest in it alot now.
however royal rumble has more turn in to mid card becomes a main eventer.
and that bothers me to think that next year someone ryback could win.
however for mitb im excited every year im dissapointed.
last year i figured dolph and wade was the winners i was wrong.
and this year i changed to wade & swagger and i know ill be wrong again.
some people dont have a interest in it is cause they would rather see cm punk year reign or cena wins 5 titles a year.

 

[legendkiller1979]

Sure it is. It give guys who have no business anywhere near a world title the opportunity to have it handed to them on a silver platter. Daniel Bryan spent weeks jobbing to everyone under the sun. Would anyone have believed that it would legitimately won the world title? I would say the same thing about the Miz.

There's no quicker way to make someone overwhelmingly hated that to take someone who is stuck in mediocrity and put a world title on them. MITB does this perfectly.

 

[VinnieSunshine]

No. MITB has run its course. It's become too predictable now.

Too many heels win it and cash it in at inopportune times. The rules originally stated that the holder could cash it in anytime, anywhere. But the ALWAYS cash it in in the ring.

Just once I would love to see a champion get ambushed in the backstage area or locker room and lose it there, not after a match where they are beaten already.

On top of that, the competitors are chosen at random. You have a big guy, a couple high flyers, and a couple brawlers/technical wrestlers. Like mentioned before, it used to be legit #1 contenders.

Now, let's say a MITB match has Ziggler, Show/Kane/Clay, Ryder, Santino, ADR, Kofi/Truth, Otunga, and say...Riley. Ziggler might be favorite and MIGHT win, Kofi/Truth aren't going to because they are there for show, Ryder isn't going to and neither is Santino, ADR had the title already and sucked, Riley and Otunga are NOWHERE near ready to hold it, and chances are Show/Kane/Clay would be there just for drama because of their size. So your only choices for a possible winner are ADR and Ziggler.

I personally want to see a darkhorse win it and have a year buildup. Someone that we would least expect. Or scrap the whole thing and just build a guy for a good year or so.

 

[Low_Ki]

I'm going to go against the general consentious and say that I beleive that it is still relevant. Of course it is, it came from the mind of Chris Jericho dammit!

In all seriousness, it is still very relevant, and I would go as far as saying it has been the most successful of all the gimmick PPV's over the last few years. Sure people get pissed at the fact that guys like Jack Swagger and Mr Kennedy were failures, but your not always going to hit the nail directly onto the head now are you?

Guys like CM Punk (sure the gimmick change helped) and Daniel Bryan would never have been looked at if it wasn't for MITB. Not to mention that guys like Edge benefit greatly (it coined the 'ultimate oppertunist' phrase).

Sure every guy who has ever won it has cashed in successfully, but that is purely the point. You don't know when. If nothing else it adds a bit of pazazz to a slightly stale product at the moment.

I like the MITB and am really looking forward to this years PPV, and if its anything like last years, we are all in for a real treat.

 

[Radical]

MitB was great as the kick-off match to WrestleMania.

No, ... it was AMAZING as the kick-off match to WrestleMania, back when it was and not now when it is it's own PPV.

When it was in WrestleMania it was basically a great way to set the ground work for a new storyline no matter who won or retained the top titles at WM. It was a new type of match anyway when it was at WM so that was cool and yeah, it was basically a spot fest but, who cares? That's an entertaining way to start a show.

Now that it is its own PPV, well yeah, it is still relevant but only because it's still around. It HAS to be relevant because until someone who wins the briefcase loses when they cash it in, you can basically look at the MitB winner and say: "Yup, there is the upcoming new World or WWE title holder".

I think this year they should have the MitB winner cash it in legit but lose and then WWE can end the gimmick. Think of something else!

 

[DX Mols]

Yes! Yes! Yes! Personally, in my mind, Money in the Bank and Elimination Chamber have become PPVs #3 and #4 after 'Mania and the Rumble.

Summerslam and Survivor Series normally blow. Money in the Bank is normally one of the best PPVs of the year and it's something I actually look forward to especially as it normally follows lackluster garbage like Over the Limit and No Way Out.

I just pray this year Dolph, Cody, or Wade get cases.

 

[Kizzani]

It is very relevant.

MITB is a gimmick match and the WWE doesn't have very many gimmick matches in the tank. The bad thing about it is you know who is going to win or have a guess between 2-3 people.

It still gives someone a chance at the WWE title D. Bryan was one of my least expected to win guys and he pulled it off.

The other point is you get to showcase your stars you get 6 stars per bout, plus the two title matches that is 18 superstars on one card. It gives a chance for crappy stars like Clay,Ryberg, Santino, Swager to actually get out their and have a decent ladder match. Or a chance to hurt superstars like Sin cara.

 

[MCMG]

I disagree. I love this concept and the two ladder matches make the MITB ppv my 3rd favourite after RR and WM. The fact that on this night we are almost guaranteed to find two new world champs who have perhaps never been given the chance.

The MITB briefcase is the chance for new superstars to break through and I think that it is very useful in the WWE.

 

[The Hillside]

It has helped wrestlers like CM Punk, Edge, Daniel Bryan and The Miz in the past, even Kane got his main event spotlight through this match, so for the while MITB has done its course.

Edge made an opportunistic gimmick out of this.

What I don't like about it is that the briefcase holder always wins when he cashes it and get the world title and a long main title run through a shortcut and after attacking a weak beaten previous title holder.

So the briefcase holder becomes the world champ and a main eventer without any hard work of his own and the previous title holder has to lose the title in a handicap situation.

I would have liked it more if all the briefcase holders would cash it in RVD style at One Night Stand in a simple one on one fresh match against a fresh defender.

Like I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that they can make the MITB gimmick match and the MITB PPV more interesting if they introduced new ideas and new stuff in the briefcase like the surprise in the briefcase match or a shot at The Undertaker's streak at Wrestlemania match, role of a manager contract etc.