WWE’s Money In The Bank Problem

Ms. Money In The Bank

I won’t go through every single man and woman to win Money in the Bank but really can you tell me anything worth mentioning about the Money in the Bank runs of Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Baron Corbin, Braun Strowman or Otis? And while many of the dudes have had trouble making Money in the Bank something to get interested in, the women haven’t even had the chance to do that. Of the first five Ms. Money in the Banks, Carmella had a good long run, holding the white case for 287 days, but after that the longest someone has held the Ms. Money in the Bank contract is one day.

You know how I said all of the early Money in the Bank cash-ins felt totally original and unique right? How is anyone supposed to remember any of these moments when they all serve largely the same narrative purposes and are all executed the same way? Alright maybe not Asuka, that one is different but different does not always mean better because the belt just being in the briefcase isn’t something I’m down with. I am a wrestling fan who will get in a fuss if the colourful box has a belt in it and not a piece of paper entitling them to fight for a belt.

Bayley, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Nikki A.S.H. all win their briefcases and then before they can work that into part of their character or do anything interesting to create something memorable, the gimmick is taken away from them. Again, I think you could get away with doing the same-day cash-in once. It’s a cool thing that you can do once. But Money in the Bank is so much more fun when you get to actually do what they want you to do most of the time, that being let it play out.

Has this been just a long elaborate way for me to just say the answer to fixing WWE’s Money in the Bank problem is better long term booking? Well, not just. The “WWE’s problems would be solved with some long term storytelling” drum has been beaten to death over the last few years but this is one piece that will be part of a larger puzzle. But it is certainly the biggest piece. So many of these problems could be solved with just a little more thought being put in. Like everyone loves Big E and his crowning moment could have been one of those moments that gets aired in every WWE highlight video but WWE rushed things and again this wasn’t as big a moment as it could have been. And if Big E is going to win Money in the Bank the only acceptable way to do things is to do them right. Sorry, thems the rules.

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• Money in the Bank
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