As ridiculous as this may sound, the Money in the Bank Pay Per View may be one of the most important shows WWE has this year. With Summerslam just a month away and Wrestlemania still being somewhat fresh in the mind, it would seem crazy to support that notion, right? Wrong. This experiment that WWE is attempting tomorrow is one that they need to be an absolute success. Anything less could bring extreme backlash from the fans, something I'm sure they would like to avoid.
So why is the Money in the Bank's execution so crucial for WWE? It's pretty simple actually. Until now, the Money in the Bank match has been a 6 year staple on the Wrestlemania card, and each of the 6 years it has been used to elevate a midcarder into the main event. The only winner who failed to rise to the main event was Mr. Kennedy, but that was due to an injury which cost him the briefcase in the first place. Every other star went on to win WWE Gold from it, so the reputation of the event lies in its ability to give rising stars a springloaded jump to the top of the card.
What made the Money in the Bank match work so well at Wrestlemania was the type of superstar involved. While most of the established superstars found themselves in title matches or heated feuds, the eight best superstars NOT in one of those matches found themselves in the Money in the Bank match. It was pretty much guaranteed that the man who would walk away with the briefcase would be one walking away with the biggest opportunity of his career.
Now, we have not one, but two Money in the Bank matches. With only the title matches above it on the card, this left a lot of main event caliber performers to include on the card, thus their entrance into the Money in the Bank match. While the dynamic might be a little more interesting in the sense that this is the first time true main eventers are present in this match type, this is also where the risk factor comes in.
I must preface again that the Money in the Bank contract does wonders for a guy who has never gotten a title shot. In the two Money in the Bank matches tonight, men like Randy Orton, Edge, Chris Jericho, Big Show, and Kane could walk away with a title shot that any of them could get quite easily without a briefcase. Thus, having one of them win the match would seem to be an utter waste and a complete departure from what has given this match its great popularity.
Both matches have a number of men who would greatly benefit from obtaining the briefcase. Men like Evan Bourne, The Miz, Ted Dibiase, Kofi Kingston, Matt Hardy, Cody Rhodes, John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, and Christian are all in search of their first major WWE title, and cashing in that briefcase would almost assure them of that. In a storyline sense, it would be logical that these men would be fighting harder for the briefcase knowing that this is an opportunity to bypass the tradional, long-winded route to the main event. They know they need it, and us fans know they need it.
Of course, the question is, will one of them get it? The percentages are certainly there, as most of the competitors fall into the category of "performer who needs the boost", but the fear is that someone from that minority who does not need it will get it anyway. If this were to happen, it would be devastating to fans. Let's be honest, would it be remotely interesting for Edge to get the briefcase and cash it in on John Cena.............again. Probably not. Would it be more interesting if Edge won the title down the road (something that is quite probable) and Christian cashed it in on him? I tend to think so. Thus, I submit to you this thought, WWE. Make sure that the winners tonight are two men who can carry on the legacy of Money in the Bank winners. These two men need to make a statement with their cash in, to walk away with their first WWE or World Heavyweight title and change the landscape of the main event, even for a short perod of time. I deplore you to take a chance and give the up and comers the briefcase just as you have always done before. Anything else might just cause a riot.
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