100 Greatest WWE WrestleMania Moments
47. Edge Wins The First MITB (WrestleMania 21)
Money In The Bank is an annual attraction now, but it was something rather out there and unique when WWE first introduced the concept of briefcases with year long contracts in them right in time for 2005's 'Mania 21. Chris Jericho is credited as the one who came up with MITB alongside writer Brian Gewirtz. Their pitch? That winners of the ladder match would be able to "cash in" for a title opportunity at any point during the next 12 months.
It was genius.
The match gave WWE an easy chance to map out future World Title plans whilst also gauging just how interested the audience would be in seeing each winner on top of the card. At 21, Edge was handpicked as the first 'Mr. MITB' by seeing off Jericho, Kane, Christian, Chris Benoit and Shelton Benjamin. The 15 minute stunt show those men put on was nothing new in terms of bump execution or anything like that, but it did kick off a brand new trend that's sustained into the current generation.
Afterwards, everyone watching knew for sure that the 'Rated-R Superstar' would go on to become a full time headliner. It sounds strange now, but that wasn't nailed on back in '05. Edge had suffered serious injuries that benched him for long stretches, and there were doubts about how viable he'd be on the marquee. Money In The Bank was a brilliant gateway to big money singles matches for Adam Copeland.
MITB became so important to WWE's product that they even turned it into a full on pay-per-view in 2010.