10 Monumental Happenings On Post-WrestleMania Raws
3. Dolph Ziggler Cashes In MITB And Wins The World Title (2013)
Dolph Ziggler had bided his time. Having captured the Money In The Bank contract on July 15, 2012, Dolph waited until April 8, 2013, the night after WrestleMania XXIX, to cash in on World Champion Alberto Del Rio.
After Del Rio had beaten Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter in a handicap match, Ziggler marched out with AJ Lee and Big E Langston and completed the MITB cash-in process.
Ziggler was the heel and defending champion Del Rio was the babyface — but you would never have guessed from the reaction inside the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Ziggler received a hero’s welcome from the sell out crowd of 13,000, and was cheered throughout his short encounter with Del Rio.
From the bell, Ziggler concentrated his attack on Del Rio’s left ankle and leg which had been weakened by Swagger’s ankle lock in the handicap match. It was a blatant heel tactic. Nevertheless, Ziggler was so over, spectators cheered him on.
“High drama here on Monday Night Raw,” said Michael Cole when Ziggler survived Del Rio’s desperation kick to the head. “The entire place is on its feet here at the Izod Center,” he continued.
“This place is on fire,” added JBL.
Del Rio applied the armlock, but Ziggler countered by targeting Del Rio’s previously injured ankle to effect his escape, and quickly hit the Zig Zag to take the three count and the World Title in just 2:04.
The group hug between Dolph, AJ and Langston was greeted by a rapturous response from the sell out crowd. “It is deafening in the Izod Center,” said Cole, without a word of hyperbole. Two longtime WWE fans who were present that night told me it was the loudest and longest roar they had witnessed at a wrestling event.
Many hoped this would mark the beginning of a glorious reign for Ziggler.
Alas, he suffered a severe concussion and amnesia when Swagger kicked him in the head in a match on May 7, and was sidelined for weeks. In his first title defence on pay-per-view at Payback on June 16, Ziggler dropped the championship back to Del Rio.