Should WWE Retire the Money in the Bank Contract?

The Money in the Bank contract was once one of the most promising and fresh ideas WWE had at its disposal. A wild multi-man ladder match would culminate in the winner receiving the ultimate prize — a world championship match at any time and in any place, with only a referee's presence required. It elevated stars like Edge, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Big E, Dean Ambrose and The Miz to main event status and produced some of the most exciting moments in WWE history post-Attitude Era. 

But in recent years, things have seemingly gone off the rails. Ambrose, who isn't even in the company anymore, was the last man to cash in the briefcase (June of 2016, just hours after he won it) before WWE's booking started to derail the concept. Baron Corbin failed his cash-in in what was reportedly punishment for backstage behavior. Braun Strowman's attempt in a Hell in a Cell match was thwarted when the referee somehow called for a No Contest after Brock Lesnar interfered. Lesnar then turned around and won the case despite being a last-minute entrant into the 2019 Ladder Match (and if we're being completely honest he really didn't need it). The Miz beat Otis for the case after a heel turn from Otis' tag partner Tucker (something that was never addressed after that night), then turned around and lost the title a mere eight days after winning it from Drew McIntyre. Big E's 2021 cash-in is the lone bright spot of the past six years. And now we have Austin Theory failing to cash in on Rollins this week and it wasn't even for a world title.

Things aren't much better over in the Women's Division. Of the five "Ms. Money in the Banks," Carmella is still the only one to have held onto the briefcase for more than a full day. Recent cash-ins from the likes of Nikki A.S.H. and Liv Morgan have felt as though WWE wants the women's contract done away with as quickly as possible. 

And now there are rumors floating around that Triple H wants to scrap Money in the Bank as a standalone pay-per-view and return the ladder matches to WrestleMania each year. The concept was first introduced as a WrestleMania exclusive from WrestleManias 21-XXVI before getting its own show in 2010. But between the 13-year-old annual pay-per-view reportedly getting the axe and Theory's attempted cash-in going over like a wet fart, it begs the question — should WWE abandon the Money in the Bank contract?

How it's been utilized for the better half of the past decade makes a compelling argument. Mind you, all of those questionable decisions took place under the Vince McMahon regime and Triple H might have a completely new set of ideas for how to use the briefcase. But his first crack at it — Theory's failed cash-in and Liv Morgan's questionable three-month reign as SmackDown Women's Champion — didn't inspire much confidence. 

If nothing else, the decision to put the ladder matches back on the WrestleMania card might be the first real step at positive changes. Even though Money in the Bank did give WWE one of its best pay-per-views of the 2010s (you know the one), it always felt arbitrary that something as big as that contract would be fought over on a random early summer weekend instead of the biggest show of the year. And outside of Rollins' last-minute cash-in, we haven't seen the case shake up any WrestleManias or have a wrestler announce their cash-in ahead of time to immediately give themself a spot in a WrestleMania main event. That's at least one move "The Game" still has at his disposal.

But what do you think? Has the Money in the Bank contract run its course or is there still more to be done with it? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!