Mr. Money in the Bank... pre-2005?

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

I was looking through the forums here and something gave me an idea. As I saw that thread about the King of the Ring tournament, it gave me the idea to make this thread.

We all know that the concept of Money in the Bank was created in 2005. And since then, every Wrestlemania has featured a Money in the Bank match consisted of six to eight superstars. For storyline purposes, WWE made it seem like Chris Jericho was the person who thought of the idea, but that was just WWE's way of putting in on TV. And turning it into an annual, yearly thing.

What I want to know is, what if the concept of the Money in the Bank ladder match was thought of before 2005? I won't limit this to any specific year, but what if the debut of the Money in the Bank was anywhere between 2000 and 2004? Who would be in it? Who would win? Do you even think it would work at any time before 2005?

If the Money in the Bank was thought of before 2005, would Edge still be the first winner? Would he even be a winner at all? Would C.M. Punk still become a 2-time Mr. Money in the Bank? Could Shelton Benjamin has actually won it, if it was thought of years before? Who would have benefitted if the concept was older?

Any thoughts at all is very welcome!

 

[Spaceman Spif]

It's really hard to say what would have happened if the match had debuted earlier. Who knows who would have introduced it or would have won the first one. However I do doubt that Edge and CM Punk would not have won two a piece and cashed them in for championships, but as to who would have won the matches... no idea. Kane mayhaps, Shelton Benjamin, even Chavo maybe. It's really a hard question to answer or even discuss, props to hard subject man. Good job.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

You both make very good points. tLight... assume that the Money in the Bank was on another ppv. Not Wrestlemania. Then we probably could have seen those TLC matches at Wrestlemania, and the Money in the Bank at a lesser ppv.

And, badboybydesign... I know this is a very difficult question, but I just wanted to see if anyone would be able to find legit answers for them. I do agree that Kane and Shelton could have won. But Chavo? Not too sure about that.

 

[XgringolocoX]

If this match type was introduced earlier we'd have a couple more "Former Mr. Money in the Bank" winners.
I really don't think too much would be different other than that. We might have seen a cash in failure already though. I don't see Kane winning one, or Chavo.
I would love to see a debuting wrestler win it. Could be a fun storyline if done right. Could be a disaster is the wrestler sucks balls.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Guess the only way to do it is to go by year....

2000 Tazz

He was the new boy in 2000 and beating Kurt Angle in his debut was a signal he would be the Money In The Bank winner that year... cashing it in at Summerslam...

2001 Booker T

As part of the Invasion angle... Booker was WCW's top guy of the time... I could see him walking in and taking the MITB and then cashing in on the Rock...

2002 Kevin Nash

Part of the NWO angle, I could see Nash winning MITB and using it as a symbol of "What the NWO wants...it gets..."

2003 Christian

Perhaps around the time of his revamp/IC Title win... would have been an interesting twist to have the IC champ as Mr.MITB setting up a title for title match.

2004 Ric Flair... as part of the Evolution angle... Flair cashes in on Orton when he won the belt...

 

[Superman]

Robtaylor makes a good point what if Kevin nash had won the mitb Imagine if right after he reformed he spraypainted NWO on the briefcase and had a shocking reformation of the new world order. Just speculating.

 

[hellfirebrian85]

2004 Ric Flair... as part of the Evolution angle... Flair cashes in on Orton when he won the belt...

I don't agree with this. Some of the other guys you predicted could have happened. However, I don't think we would ever see, even if it happened earlier, Flair in a MITB match let alone win one.

Benoit might have won it that year and started.

 

[BOSS Productions]

Wasn't flair in a mitb two years back???

LOL yes just plain sad there were much more talented superstars at that time too I think the only matches Flair should be involved with is High Quailty one on one matches especially at Wrestlemania but If MITB started in 2000 here is how I think the results would go.

2000-Kurt Angle- Why I personally believe Kurt was at his best in this time in terms of in ring ability more younger more high risk moves and he seems like the Shelton Benjamin of 2000 so of course. He is a perfect candidate for winning the MITB match and just one more accomplishment to brag about.

2001-Kane- He has been in many MITBs but never won he has several injury's and will most likely never win a World Title again or MITB so why not have him win it when he was at his best.

2002-Brock Lesnar- This was when he received the biggest push in WWE history to fill in the shoes of The Rock. He already won KOTR that year and later on the Royal Rumble so why not have him win MITB he sure as hell can handle ladder matches and this would just make him more better than he already is.

2003-Brock Lesnar- They did this with CM Punk he won two back to back MITBs but he did not deserve it,Brock Lesnar on the other hand was amazing this year as he was last year and he was turning heel so why not make him win the MITB again and cash it on Kurt Angle sounds good to me.

2004-Eddie Guerrero- I truly believed he deserved a second world title before his death so when JBL screwed him at The Bash why not make Eddie Screw him back by cashing when least expected and this will work so great with his Lieing Cheating Stealing gimmick you just can't pass it down and he would have two title runs also.

 

[2rowdy4u]

you really jst got to look at who was the breakout star that yr.

2000-kurt angle. it would of fit his gimmick to have been the first mitb match. he would of never let that go. it would of involved angle, tazz, jericho, beniot, guerrero, nd chyna

2001- y2j. that was the yr he became the undispuited champion

2002- brock lesnar. he would debut in febuary nd dominate the mitb match

2003-beniot. he would of been the first to cash it in nd not win but go on to win the 2004 royal rumble

2004- randy orton. instead of winning a battle royal to get him a shot he would of used the mitb match to get his shot at summerslam

 

[Swolfsta22]

By the way this is a good thread

i cant belive people said kevin nash he can barely have walked he would not be in a ladder match sorry thats a big no..

2000: Billy gunn- this is when he was gettin somewhat of a push he was always getting boosted as start waitin to blossom nd i think the mitb would have deffinitly done the job

2001: Kurt angle- at that point it would have just seemed the right thing to doo

2002: Jericho-this is when jericho was hotest good promos good matches etc. this would have been the icing on the cake

2003: Latino heat- he was as ever at this time and could perform maint event matches like no other this would have boosted his character up makin it seem like a long road he fought so hard nd in the end it he had to take out numerous guy to get a title shot

2004:booker T- at this point it was about time for booker to get a main event push he had proved he deserved it number of times

 

[DaNewGuy]

By the way this is a good thread

i cant belive people said kevin nash he can barely have walked he would not be in a ladder match sorry thats a big no..

2000: Billy gunn- this is when he was gettin somewhat of a push he was always getting boosted as start waitin to blossom nd i think the mitb would have deffinitly done the job

Billy Gunn was injured. He had a torn rotator cuff. I don;t think it would have worked at Wrestlmanie 2000 when ladder match was already on the card. Perhaps they could have had one match or the other. Mr. Money in the bank would probably have been Tazz. He was being pushed at the time, ending Angle's undefeated streak in his debut at the Royal Rumble.

2001: Kurt angle- at that point it would have just seemed the right thing to doo

I agree. Angle had just come off his WWF Title reign. However, I think Kane could of won it, with the win tieing into the BoD/Power Trip fued.

2002: Jericho-this is when jericho was hotest good promos good matches etc. this would have been the icing on the cake

Jericho was little busy in at 'Mania 18 defending the Undisputed Championship against HHH. If Kane hadn't won it the previous year then I think he would have won it on the undercard of Rock-Hogan. Alternatively, it could have been Angle if he hadn't won the previous year. A long shot would be Maven, who would have then gone on to be the first person to lose a cash-in match.

2003: Latino heat- he was as ever at this time and could perform maint event matches like no other this would have boosted his character up makin it seem like a long road he fought so hard nd in the end it he had to take out numerous guy to get a title shot

I agree with you here.

2004:booker T- at this point it was about time for booker to get a main event push he had proved he deserved it number of times

I'd like this to be true, but Booker T was never really in danger of getting a decent push until he won the King of the Ring tournament. The Money in the Bank match could have seen his push come earlier, but I doubt it. Instead, it would probably have gone to either Jericho or Christian, who would then have gone on to fued over both the briefcase and Trish Stratus.

Great thread cool guy