Was the first Money In The Bank clash the last truly great Ladder Match?
Edge was again at the centre of the gimmick's second reinvention after previously donating his body to the cause at consecutive WrestleManias, but the soon-to-be 'Rated-R Superstar' was just one of several moving parts that made the inaugural briefcase battle so f*cking fantastic.
Shelton Benjamin charging up a tilted ladder to hit a clothesline was the spot that sent jaws plummeting to floors, but it was the organic manner the hardware found its way into position for the set-piece that maximised the surprise. This was much more than a stunt-show too.
Kane was a brilliant base for his five smaller foes, whilst Chris Benoit's selling of an injured arm made Edge's eventual grasping of the opportunity even more detestable. Chris Jericho has given an awful lot to the wrestling industry, but this idea - and it's inaugural airing - may be his finest ever contribution.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
