3 Money in the Bank winners who are now in AEW
As fellow wrestling enthusiasts, the impact of Money in the Bank is not lost on us. Each one of us would love to be one of the WWE superstars who ascends the ladder and wins the briefcase. After all, outside of winning a championship, becoming Mr. or Ms. Money in the Bank is one of the highest honors the company has to offer any up-and-coming star.
In the 19 years since its inception, the match has produced several winners, all of whom have seen their careers elevated by the briefcase. While some of these winners are still honing their craft in WWE, others have taken their talents elsewhere. In particular, All Elite Wrestling has the highest concentration of winners.
Perusing through AEW's roster, Jake Hager and Rob Van Dam are honorable mentions. But, they are out of consideration, simply because Hager is out of contract, and RVD serves more as a freelancer. That said, there are still three superstars in AEW who previously held onto the Money in the Bank briefcase, and here they are:
#3. Bryan Danielson held onto the briefcase for a whopping 154 days
Many readers still fondly remember the father of the "Yes! Movement", Daniel Bryan, now known as Bryan Danielson. A fan favorite of the WWE Universe, Danielson won the Money in the Bank briefcase way back in 2011. It was a huge moment in his career, and one that fans could claim was the turning point in his WWE run.
Danielson, who is now a member of AEW's Blackpool Combat Club, held onto the briefcase for a whopping 154 days. He finally let go of the briefcase that same year, at TLC: Tables Ladders, and Chairs, where he cashed in on The Big Show to become World Heavyweight Champion.
#2. Jon Moxley cashed in his contract on his former Shield brother, Seth Rollins
Few would disagree with this statement: The Shield is one of the greatest factions in WWE history. In a similar vein, it would be hard to find a reader, who does not believe that the three Hounds of Justice had one of the greatest rivalries in WWE history.
And as expected, one of the defining moments of said rivalry came at Money in the Bank, and it involved one of AEW's most hardcore superstars, Jon Moxley, or as the WWE Universe remembers him, Dean Ambrose.
In 2016, former Shield members, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns went head to head with the WWE Championship on the line. After a heated battle, Rollins was the one who emerged victorious and believed he was in the clear. But, what he didn't account for was the then-Lunatic Fringe who clocked him from behind and cashed-in after 57 minutes to become the new world champion.
#3. Adam Copeland, the inaugural winner of Money in the Bank is now All Elite
WWE has a list of firsts as far as the eye can see. A first-ever match, a first-ever champion, and of course, a first-ever winner of Money in the Bank. And, in this case, that first is none other than a superstar that we all know to be "Rated R", Adam Copeland, or as the WWE Universe knows him, Edge. The inaugural winner secured the briefcase at WrestleMania 21 in 2005, a significant achievement predating the match's evolution into a standalone premium live event.
At the time, the briefcase was a new and unfamiliar, yet exciting concept to the WWE Universe. Fortunately, any doubts and concerns they had about it were put to one side at New Year's Revolution in 2006. After all, it was on that fateful day that Copeland cashed in on John Cena to prove to the wrestling world that the contract was indeed valid.
From that point on, having a Mr. and Ms. Money in the Bank has become an essential element in WWE, and will continue to be the case so long as the company prevails.