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On the recent edition of Smackdown Live, Ms Money in the Bank Carmella crashed the Riott Squad party trying to cash her contract on champion Charlotte. This will be the first time in WWE when a woman cashes in the MiTB briefcase, when and if Carmella does that.
Whether she walks out champion or not, it will be a historic first for the most popular WWE match in modern day history. In many ways, it feels like the concept of the Money in the Bank has peeked. The simple formula is that a heel wins the briefcase, waits for a lengthy while biding his time and cashes in on a wounded champion.
Yet there are so many intriguing ways the Money in the Bank could be cashed in. After a decade of the concept, Seth Rollins proved it when he cashed in mid-match to defeat Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns for the WWE title at Wrestlemania. That's not the only other way cash-ins can happen, so let's find out what other new ways should be explored!
#10 Cash in during an entrance
Imagine this scenario, a champion is headed to the ring may be to give a promo, maybe for a match or even for a PPV/Wrestlemania match. He's gotten on the ramp, maybe it's John Cena (fans will get a kick out of this one!) and he's saluting the fans when Wham!
The champion gets knocked out by the briefcase holder, throws him into the ring and calls for the bell and cashes in his unique opportunity. While there's a chance that the champion's rival or match opponent might disrupt the cash in, but it's a chance worth taking.
The unexpected manner of the cash in would create an uproar. Imagine then if the champion was supposed to be in a match, that too on PPV; would that mean that the new champion is forced to defend the title. It's an intriguing scenario with so many permutations worth exploring.
#9 Cash in after losing a match to the Champion
This cash in could either be after a regular match involving the champion and the briefcase holder or an actual title match that goes wrong for the MITB holder. Think about it, twice we've seen the MITB holder face the champion for the title without having to cash in. In both instances, the challenger lost.
What if the challenger had instantly decided to attack the champion after the loss or during his celebration, knocking him with the briefcase then chasing in?
It would be an interesting angle right! Both Edge (vs. Batista, 2005 RAW Gold Rush Finals Winner) and Rollins (vs Lesnar vs John Cena, Triple Threat at Royal Rumble 2015) had golden chances to pull this off. Yes as a challenger you're already excellent, but the complete surprise of this cash in after a loss would send an equally tired champion out for a toss!
#8 Cash in after losing the Title
Building on from the previous slide, what if Edge and Rollins had actually managed to win their respective world titles?
They'd not only be the world champions but also still have the Money in the Bank briefcase in their hands, in the case of dual branded shows. The champion then could also cash in on a fellow world champion and become the undisputed champion.
Or the better/worse option would be that the champion would fight hard in title defenses eventually losing his championship. The champion could effectively cash in then and there, forcing the new victor to defend his title like he hadn't won it at all in the first place.
More interesting would be for the champion to lose one world title and cash in and winning the other. Something the Ultimate Opportunist Edge is all too familiar with, having done such a sneaky thing in the Elimination Chamber in 2009.
#7 Cash in just before a PPV
We've seen cash-in's happen on PPV's or after PPV's and even mid-match during a PPV, Wrestlemania no less. Yet we've never really seen a cash-in occur just a week or few days before the PPV event.
It'd be an interesting twist added to a much-anticipated title match if a Money in the Bank holder created chaos with his cash in. Just imagine the main event of Wrestlemania has been set, the challenger has won the Rumble and the champion has fended off everyone.
In comes the briefcase holder and steals the moment, the match and the main event. This would be a simply incredible way to enter any main event or even a PPV.
#6 Cashing in just before the expiry date
One of the many rules of the Money in the Bank briefcase that hasn't been fully exploited is that the contract holder has only one year from the onset of his victory to cash in the title opportunity.
The longest time the briefcase has been held for 280 days by Edge, the first ever briefcase holder. At one point, having won his opportunity at Wrestlemania 23, Mr Kennedy promised to cash it in a year later at Wrestlemania 24 just on the expiry date. This never came to fruition.
To imagine such a scenario where the holder plays a lengthy set of mind games on the champion/champions that lasts a year is unimaginable in today's WWE but provides an interesting character build. Though a champion on the day of expiry would expect the cash in, the intrigue is how prepared he is for it.
#5 Cash in on a Tag-team partner/friend/faction Member
Imagine a scenario where Seth Rollins hadn't betrayed the SHIELD, I know things wouldn't be as cool. Imagine then that the trio decides to slowly segue into single careers but as part of one united faction.
It would be the competitive but united Catch Point faction from EVOLVE Wrestling. As they move towards individual glory, Rollins ends up winning the briefcase. Down the line one of them, most likely Roman Reigns wins the world title. Just before he can celebrate, his own friend crashes the party and cashes in.
Whichever way, the cash in between two partners would create an interesting dynamic especially if they're friends at the time. It's the classic friends turned foes narrative, with an added subversion.
#4 Cash in with Freebird rule
Has a singles title been held under the 'Freebird rule' before?
It's a good question that applies to a ton of teams especially the New Day who recently reinvigorated the rule with their wins of the tag team titles. Sportskeeda itself asked them the question about holding a singles title together and they maintained it could happen.
Then why not do the same with the MiTB briefcase. Just imagine if Kofi Kingston finally fulfils his potential to win, thanks to his crazy antics. He'd instantly be a made man but what if he included his brothers in the run.
New Day could cash in too much fanfare confusing the champion as to who he would face. Of course, everyone knows New Day would select powerhouse Big E, but what about another shocking twist and let Xavier take out the tired champion.
#3 Cash in and the Champion can cause a Disqualification/a Count Out
More often than not it's a heel that wins the MITB briefcase because the whole gimmick of the concept makes it more heel-friendly. However if a face wins the challenge, he more often than not would cash in on a predetermined date against a despicable heel, killing the surprise element.
Whether a face cashing in or a heel cashing on another heel, the interesting element of this cash in would be if the champion decided to take the high road. There's no precedence set that a cash-in match is no disqualification/no count out. So why not just get yourself disqualified and walk away?
It's a smart move for a heel champion downed. I actually thought that's what Jinder Mahal was set to do against Baron Corbin last year. While a DQ has happened before, it was due to Big Show attacking Cena during his cash-in and not the champion CM Punk. Still this would be a wicked way for a heel champion to garner even more heat and maybe result in a sympathetic turn if a heel cashes in.
#2 Cash in results in a lengthy match
Usually, the main event talent in WWE is touted as some of the best in the world, they're able to eke out epic lengthy matches on a nightly basis especially on PPV. The ironman contest fought by many stars was based on the fact that WWE superstars can endure.
So it's always funny to see how quick and short cash in matches generally are, barring a few aesthetic reasons. Take for example the match between Miz and Randy Orton on Raw in 2010. Miz cashing in was expected but while Orton fought through a tough match against Wade Barett and a niggling injury, neither of those things came into play.
Orton was on a whole other level at that point and did manage to wrestle Miz for a couple of minutes, however considering it all he could have and should have gone longer. Even Roman Reigns, who beat Dean Ambrose in a ten-minute sprint for the title should have lasted longer than five minutes against a Sheamus cash in.
A lengthy cash in the match would buck the trend and create an intriguing contest, especially for the paying customer not expecting an extra bout along with the whole buffet of a PPV card.
#1 Cash-in at a house show
We've seen championships change at WWE Live Events just as recently as last year when AJ Styles beat Kevin Owens for the US Title at the vaunted Madison Square Gardens.
As such it is surprising that a Money in the Bank cash-in has never happened at such an event. It's an obvious choice on this list and would be an unprecedented moment, especially if successful. Just imagine the pop the live audience would give. Not only that but it reiterates the fact that anything can happen at any time in WWE.
Regardless of where and how it goes down, it will be historic, just as historic as Carmella's cash in as the first ever Women's Money in the Bank holder.
There are too many other permutations and combinations to consider with MITB that are waiting to be explored. What other ways can you think of to cash in? Hit us up in the comments below.
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