Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.
This week, Dallas Allsopp, Greg Coleman and Tony Mango discuss the much-loved Money in the Bank contract concept.
Question 1: Do you think the concept of a Money in the Bank contract is still relevant in WWE? Is it in need of some tweaking?
ALLSOPP: The concept has taken a battering in recent years. This is because wrestlers like Otis have been given the briefcase, only to fail because they weren't ready, or it has been used as a mere storyline device for an established star as opposed to actually making someone a star. The entry criteria for the match needs to be changed to only allow wrestlers who are yet to win a World Championship to challenge, as this would return the concept to its roots from the mid '00s.
COLEMAN: I love the concept of the Money in the Bank contract, and despite what happened last year with both briefcases, the contract is still relevant. There is definitely room for improvement, with things WWE could do to make the MITB contract more impactful. The first thing that should've been done yesterday is to open up the field to include NXT stars. This would be a great way to have truly surprising cash ins because with NXT stars not appearing on Raw and SmackDown regularly, a lot of fans would forget about who the holder of the briefcase is. Imagine Adam Cole cashing in on Roman Reigns!
The second tweak that should be made is that the field should be limited to men and women who've never been WWE, Universal, or WWE Women's Champion. This would mean the person who wins the contract will truly have the opportunity to break into the main event level and have a new star created.
MANGO: It's absolutely still relevant and shouldn't be looked at as a problem. The issues over the years aren't a result of the concept itself, but the way WWE has worked with that idea.
Fundamentally, Money in the Bank offers a multitude of options and the only way you can screw it up is if you do what WWE's done the past few years, which is approach it with no game plan, give it to someone you aren't going to be invested in, and then toss the concept away as worthless because you couldn't think of another idea and got impatient.
You can use it to push someone into an upper echelon and finally pull the trigger on a midcarder reaching the main event. You can have a surprise heel turn. It can be a "get out of jail free" card when someone is injured and you need a new champion at the drop of a hat. The only tweaking that needs to be done is that WWE needs to care and put in the most minimal amount of effort.
Question 2: How would you like this year's winners to cash in their contracts? Are there any scenarios that have yet to be explored that would create a sense of excitement?
COLEMAN: The obvious answer on the men's side is to have the winner of the contract end Roman Reigns' title reign. Now, before someone says "What about his rumored match with The Rock at WrestleMania?" You get a year to cash in the contract, so the winner could cash in on Reigns after WrestleMania, or he could do it directly after that match. On the women's side, cash in the contract to take the title off Charlotte Flair once she beats Rhea Ripley for it.
A scenario that has yet to be explored that would add excitement to the contract is to have the contract holder win the Royal Rumble. This would create a bit of intrigue as to how the winner can strategize and use his or her two title opportunities.
MANGO: Depending on their plans, which we'll only know in hindsight, I'd like to see Big E win and challenge Bobby Lashley for SummerSlam (assuming they aren't doing the Brock Lesnar match). I'd like Naomi to win the women's, cash in and defeat Bianca Belair, and turn heel to join The Tribal Chief.
However, I've been saying for a while that they should book someone to hold the briefcase up until the next year's Money in the Bank. This would have been perfect for The Miz to think that he had "since he beat Otis for the briefcase" as the start of his year-long time frame, but to be told that he carries on the same contract and it will expire soon. That way, he could have been rushing to find the right opportunity to cash in, but finding himself running out of time.
If WWE could find the right heel to do that, that would be a fun story to come around to next year. I don't think this is the year to do it, though. Fans are going to want the actual cash-ins now that they're in attendance.
ALLSOPP: If Roman Reigns is not going to lose the title in a straight up fight this year, there needs to be a mutiny on SmackDown that leads to all of the faces taking him out, allowing the Money in the Bank winner to capitalise and take the WWE Universal Championship in a manner that keeps The Tribal Chief's aura intact.
In terms of a scenario that has not yet been explored, having the briefcase holder lose their cash in, only to reveal it never actually contained the paper contract would be amazing. This would be a solid way to garner heel heat, whilst changing the very nature of the cash in. In this scenario, having a second chance to cash in as you still own the original contract is ingenious!
Question 3: Who do you feel has benefited the most from winning the Money in the Bank match?
MANGO: Edge. Not only did he set the tone for the concept and will be forever loved for that, but he used it to catapult himself into the main event scene and stayed there from that point onward. Then, his secondary MITB cash-in led to a fantastic career-defining program with The Undertaker. He's called The Ultimate Opportunist because of his time as Mr. Money in the Bank, so it was a symbiotic relationship. Man and briefcase.
ALLSOPP: Edge. It can only be Edge. Not only is his cash in iconic, but it was the true impetus for his Ultimate Opportunist persona. He remained a main-eventer until his retirement, something that may not have been the case had he not won the inaugural Money in the Bank match.
COLEMAN: The answer to this question is Seth Freakin' Rollins. Yes, Edge was the first person to do it and laid out the game plan for future cash in attempts. However, no cash in will ever compare to Rollins cashing in during the main event of WrestleMania. That moment elevated him into the main event picture at that time, and gave him a legendary WrestleMania moment for his resume.
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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