Tag: WWE Money in the Bank

WWE Money in the Bank 2023: Date, start time, how to watch

Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for Money in the Bank, which starts earlier than normal for a WWE premium live event.

The battle for the briefcases is headed to London.

WWE Money in the Bank 2023 will take place at The O2 Arena in London, the first time the event has been held overseas. It’s also the first premium live event to be held in England for 20 years, meaning fans should be chomping at the bit to see their favorite superstars in a show with plenty on the line.

As is the case every year, that means the namesake Money in the Bank Ladder matches — one each for the men’s and women’s divisions. Each one will see six competitors compete to try to grab the briefcase that contains a contract that allows the winner to challenge any champion at any time for one year.

“Cashing in” a briefcase has become a time honored and highly anticipated event in WWE, one that has led to some memorable title changes. That could very well be the case this year as well, and it all starts in London.

What’s important for U.S. fans to remember about Money in the Bank 2023 is that since it is overseas (continuing a trend for WWE this year, as there won’t be another PLE in the mainland U.S. until SummerSlam), it’s going to be an earlier start than is typical for premium live events: mid-afternoon on the east coast and right at lunchtime out west.

Here’s everything you need to know to ensure you are watching live.

WWE Money in the Bank 2023

  • Date: Saturday, July 1, 2023
  • Location: The O2 Arena, London, England
  • Start time: 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world

More Money in the Bank 2023 resources:

4 wrestlers who would benefit most from a Money in the Bank win — plus 1 obvious choice

The WWE Money in the Bank briefcase can accelerate or revitalize a career, and we pick four wrestlers who deserve that kind of boost this year.

While the Money in the Bank concept has suffered a bit in recent years by being watered down (would wrestlers logically use the contract for anything less than a shot at a world championship?), the namesake matches and event are still highly anticipated by WWE fans.

Not only are the Ladder matches fun in their own right, allowing for some of the most free-flowing creativity seen in WWE, but the briefcase is a visual that has withstood the test of time, and the contract inside makes an excellent tool for either accelerating or revitalizing careers.

There’s a compelling argument that on the men’s side, a Money in the Bank winner is needed now as much as ever to inject some unpredictability into the world title picture. On SmackDown, Roman Reigns seems likely to be tied up with internal Bloodline strife for the foreseeable future, and what better way to keep him on his toes (and perhaps make him vulnerable for a Jimmy Uso) than to have a briefcase holder stalking him too?

His Raw counterpart, Seth Rollins, has promised to be a fighting champ who takes on all comers, but so far doesn’t have an obvious No. 1 contender. He’ll likely get one ahead of the Money in the Bank event in London, but the briefcase winner could transition right into that role afterward.

(Note that this same thinking applies less to the women’s division, where both titles have changed hands within the past two months and there needs to be some resolution about the titles being on the “wrong” shows first.)

While the field for the men’s Ladder match has already begun to be set, there are still more names to be added, and as we’ve seen in the past, spots can even be won or lost after the fact. With that in mind, here are four WWE superstars in no particular order who could really take off after winning the MITB briefcase, plus one safe fallback if Triple H and company aren’t feeling particularly inspired by their other options.

Shinsuke Nakamura

If you ever needed proof that being presented as a big deal and being booked as a main event-caliber talent don’t always go hand in hand, Shinsuke Nakamura is it. From his entrance theme to the way announcers usually talk about him, everything about the King of Strong Style tends to be top shelf. Yet WWE seems to forget about him creatively for long stretches of time and never commits to pushing Nakamura toward one of its main titles for long.

There’s a school of thought that Nakmaura, now in his 40s, is fine with this after more grueling programs in his prime in NJPW. But WWE has recently begun getting behind him again, to the point where fans hoping he might sniff one of the big belts can reasonably think “this is it.” If he wins at MITB, it very well could be.

Drew McIntyre

Obviously, this is dependent on Drew McIntyre and WWE working out whatever issues they might have with each other. But despite the fact that he’s had an excellent run as a fan favorite, Raw is screaming for someone to step up as a monster heel, and the Scottish Warrior can certainly play that role to the hilt.

As McIntyre famously had his lone world title run during the crowd-less pandemic era, his motivation for going on a rampage basically writes itself: I’ve done everything asked of me, others keep getting shots I deserve, so I’m taking matters into my own hands. It would be pretty fun watching him menace Rollins over an extended period of time, and they’ve only had one previous singles match with a title at stake.

Montez Ford

One thing the Money in the Bank briefcase has successfully done in the past is elevate wrestlers on the verge of breaking through but in need of a logical push to get them over the hump. There’s little doubt that if you asked 1,000 WWE fans to name the next male wrestler deserving of a push toward singles title shots, Montez Ford would be heard plenty of times in response.

Better still, a MITB victory would mean he could be pushed without breaking up the Street Profits. There’s no reason for Angelo Dawkins to be jealous of just winning the briefcase — save that for if and when Tez is wearing gold on his own. Let the Profits keep dong their thing as a duo, but give Ford a chance to spread his wings with the case and see if his blend of athleticism and charisma play as a championship contender. It just makes sense.

LA Knight

Speaking of charisma, there’s probably no WWE wrestler as over without much to show for it as LA Knight. He’s in the perfect spot right now where fans love to cheer him when he comes out, but he plays the traditional heel role perfectly and is almost always able to convert most of those cheers to boos before long. He’s excellent on the mic and pretty darn good between the ropes as well.

Yet WWE hasn’t seemed to know what to do with him, rarely giving Knight a chance to sink his teeth into any particular program. The good news is that wouldn’t actually need to change much if he won the briefcase — could you think of anyone more well-suited to keep both world champs guessing as to which of them would be the target of a cash-in? Knight is already over and fans would absolutely buy him stepping up a notch. WWE just has to lean in to what’s already there.

And finally, the “break glass in case of creative emergency” option …

Cody Rhodes

Through no fault of his own, Cody Rhodes is the least interesting candidate. That’s because he’s already at the main event level, and we can all agree he’s going to get another shot at Reigns whether it’s a few months from now at SummerSlam, or (gulp) next spring at WrestleMania 40.

The issue is that with WWE booking Rhodes to lose his one big shot at WrestleMania 39 and then sending him to Raw and Reigns to SmackDown, there’s no obvious way for him to get back in line for Roman again. Having him win Money in the Bank would be a strictly logistical play, much the same way as having him win the Royal Rumble last year was.

Let’s just hope this isn’t necessary and that Cody can “finish the story” some other way.

WWE Money in the Bank 2023 qualifiers: Who’s in men’s, women’s Ladder matches?

See who’s made it into the field for the WWE Money in the Bank Ladder matches coming up this summer in London.

Of the various longtime gimmick matches in WWE, few capture the imagination quite like a Money in the Bank Ladder match.

The match itself is always a spectacle, with multiple wrestlers competing in a format that lends itself to some of the most inventive and eyebrow-raising spots you’re likely to see in a WWE ring.

Then there’s the briefcase, which has become iconic in its own right. And the prize inside, a contract that gives the briefcase holder the ability to demand a title shot any time, at any show, has been used to catapult a number of WWE superstars to championship gold over the years.

There’s no reason to expect anything different as the Money in the Bank premium live event heads overseas to London this year on Saturday, July 1. There are men’s and women’s Ladder matches scheduled, with qualifying matches already underway to set the fields for each one.

We’re keeping tabs on who’s in the 2023 Money in the Bank Ladder matches as wrestlers are added. Hit this post up whenever you need a reminder of who will be trying to climb for the briefcase later this summer.

(Last update: June 12, 2023, 9:15 p.m. ET)

2023 Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match qualifiers

  • Ricochet (defeated The Miz on the May 29 episode of Raw)
  • Shinsuke Nakamura (defeated Bronson Reed on the May 29 episode of Raw)
  • LA Knight (defeated Montez Ford on the June 2 episode of SmackDown)
  • Santos Escobar (defeated Mustafa Ali on the June 9 episode of SmackDown)
  • Butch (defeated Baron Corbin on the June 9 episode of SmackDown)
  • Damian Priest (defeated Matt Riddle on the June 12 episode of Raw)

2023 Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match qualifiers

  • Zelina Vega (defeated Lacey Evans on the June 2 episode of SmackDown)
  • Becky Lynch (defeated Sonya Deville on the June 5 episode of Raw)
  • Zoey Stark (defeated Natalya on the June 5 episode of Raw)
  • Bayley (defeated Michin on the June 9 episode of SmackDown)
  • IYO SKY (defeated Shotzi on the June 9 episode of SmackDown)

WWE adds Roman Reigns to Money in the Bank advertising

Drew McIntyre out, Roman Reigns in for WWE’s premium live event in London.

Fans usually see the same wrestlers on television every week, so the talent advertisements for premium live events is not usually noteworthy. The same can’t be said when it comes to the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns, however. He makes sporadic appearances and doesn’t compete at every major show, including missing Backlash earlier this month.

Well, WWE has advertised Reigns for both WWE Money in the Bank on July 1 and the SmackDown episode the night before. Within the last 24 hours, WWE added him to the event’s promotional material and removed Drew McIntyre.

The advertisement doesn’t indicate what Reigns may do on either night.

Reigns could potentially defend two titles at Money in the Bank if he and Solo Sikoa win the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship at Night of Champions when they face Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. If they leave victorious, it would leave more than a few booking questions for the London premium live event.

With no one teased to face Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship since WrestleMania 39, attention turns to who his potential opponent could be. As the Bloodline crumbles, maybe one of the Usos receive a chance or a No. 1 contenders match will be set up to manufacture a storyline between Reigns and someone from SmackDown.

Reigns’ presence at Money in the Bank could mean that whoever wins the men’s briefcase attempts a same-night cash-in. As this has happened before, it is possible that July 1 becomes an active one for the longest-reigning champion of the modern era.

Either way, having WWE’s top talent at a major premium live event is a good thing. The more star power, the grander the show feels. But questions will surround what WWE plans for Reigns once Night of Champions passes and how many titles he could defend, which will define a large portion of the match card.

Austin Theory’s MITB cash-in fiasco was silly … but also 100% necessary

Let’s face it: Austin Theory as Mr. Money in the Bank was never going to really work as long as Roman Reigns was undisputed champ.

Since Vince McMahon stepped away from his executive and creative roles in WWE following his scandal earlier this year, there’s been a notable uptick in the quality of weekly programming. A renewed focus on in-ring action and the removal of some of McMahon’s silly rules (like not using the word “wrestling” on a wrestling show) have been part of it, but just as important has been a boost in internal logic and consistency.

In other words, Raw and SmackDown have insulted your intelligence as a viewer less often. But there are still occasions when the jaw drops not because of some spectacular move but due to the fact that your brain can’t comprehend what just took place, and the end of this week’s Raw, which featured Austin Theory failing in his attempt to cash in his Money in the Bank contract for Seth Rollins‘ United States Championship, was definitely one of those moments.

To explain why it was so ridiculous, let’s start with a quick review of how we got here. When Theory won the Money in the Bank briefcase in July, it quickly became a major part of his character that he was the youngest MITB winner of all time. Along with being McMahon’s hand-picked chosen one, it’s fair to say it was the defining characteristic of Theory’s heel persona, enhancing the idea that he was an underhanded opportunist.

Theory didn’t waste much time letting Roman Reigns know that he should watch his back, suggesting that he may cash in on the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at the time he seemed weakest. This is standard operating procedure for any Money in the Bank winner, and WWE used it to good effect in the lead-in to SummerSlam, with Paul Heyman very believably worried that Theory could cash in after Reigns went through a grueling Last Man Standing match with Brock Lesnar.

But while everything up to that point made perfect sense, Theory’s aborted attempt to cash in at that event was the first sign that WWE has written itself into a corner with this year’s briefcase winner. With Reigns holding both of the company’s most important men’s titles, did anyone really think this young upstart was going to walk away holding both of them?

More recently, Theory hinted at possibly using his briefcase to chase after the NXT Championship. That, too, wasn’t a horrible idea for this particular wrestler. The NXT title did seem like a more achievable goal, after all. It’s just that when the contract grants you a shot at the richest prize in the game, why waste it on something lesser? It’s like winning a contest for six ounces of gold and saying, “no thanks, I’d like silver, please.”

That feeling loomed even larger this past Monday, when Theory arguably aimed even lower by taking his case down the ramp after Rollins had been beaten silly by Bobby Lashley. Sure, WWE could have him explain it by saying he’s held that title before and it’s important to him, but after he had already made designs of going after Reigns, it still wouldn’t really ring true.

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(There was also the issue that he might not even have needed to cash in, considering that Rollins had issued an open challenge and his match with Lashley never started, so perhaps Theory could have just said he was accepting the challenge instead. Let’s just forget that and move on.)

It felt like WWE was trashing the MITB briefcase just like Nikki Cross attempted to throw away the 24/7 Championship a little bit earlier. Hopefully that’s not the case, because the concept still has merit, and the actual Money in the Bank ladder matches almost always turn out to be great entertainment.

The potential sticking point with the briefcase, though, is that fans have to believe the winner will have a chance of dethroning one of the current champions. It’s a problem that reared its head in 2020 when Otis won the contract, which he eventually lost to The Miz. It was the right move but rendered Otis’ initial victory pointless.

With Theory the issue was slightly different. Though it was possible to sell him as a surprising world champion (kind of like WWE did on the women’s side with Liv Morgan), the timing wasn’t right. No one was buying the idea that he was going to beat Reigns, leaving WWE in a pickle.

It’s possible that the current creative team was saddled with a Money in the Bank holder it didn’t really want, kind of like a GM taking over a football team with a quarterback drafted by their predecessor. At some point, the writing is on the wall that there’s going to need to be an exit strategy.

So maybe Triple H and his crew did the best they could with the hand they were dealt. Theory no longer has the briefcase and can hopefully be rebuilt in an interesting way that doesn’t rely on it. Fans now know the MITB contract can be used on any title, which … well, we’ll have to see if that’s a positive or negative.

It may take some time to rebuild the Money in the Bank notion so that it’s as compelling as it once was. It certainly was an ugly part of the process on Raw, but hopefully, we’ll look back and say it was a necessary one for both Theory and the briefcase to move forward to better things in 2023 and beyond.

WWE Money in the Bank live results: Who will claim the briefcases in Vegas?

Check out the latest WWE Money in the Bank live results from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

There aren’t too many sure wagers in Las Vegas, but some of the best bets for WWE gold await the competitors in the namesake matches at Money in the Bank tonight. As WWE itself has repeatedly pointed out, the contracts in the briefcases have nearly guaranteed the winners they will be champions sometime in the next year: Men’s winners have an 85% cash-in success rate, while the women’s winners have been perfect so far.

That could be bad news for Roman Reigns, who has looked untouchable while holding the WWE Championship and Universal Championship. With a Last Man Standing Match against Brock Lesnar later this month at SummerSlam, the men’s briefcase winner will be licking their chops for a chance to catch him (or Brock) after a grueling affair. Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Omos, Riddle, Sami Zayn and Madcap Moss will all like their chances much better if they can climb the ladder and grab the case to make that a reality.

In the women’s division, the Ladder Match winner may have a different choice of cash-in options by the end of the night, with both Ronda Rousey and Bianca Belair putting their titles on the line. Becky Lynch will attempt to keep writing her own big comeback story, but Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Liv Morgan, Lacey Evans, Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi will all have their say in how this chapter plays out.

With just four championship matches and the two Ladder Matches, Money in the Bank should be a tightly paced affair. If you’re not in attendance at MGM Grand Garden Arena or watching live on Peacock or WWE Network (maybe because you’re watching UFC 276, also taking place in Sin City tonight), bookmark this page and return throughout the night for the latest WWE Money in the Bank live results as they go down.

WWE Money in the Bank: Everything you need to know

Get ready for WWE Money in the Bank with our preview, including predictions for each match, start time, how to watch and more.

As gimmick matches go, the Money in the Bank Ladder Match has reached the point where it has stood the test of time. It’s long since graduated from a bout at other events to headlining status in its own right, and the latest Money in the Bank premium live event is set for Fourth of July weekend in Las Vegas.

WWE initially had thoughts of holding the show in Allegiant Stadium, the football venue where the Las Vegas Raiders play, hoping it would prove attractive enough to sell 30,000+ tickets. But several factors, including UFC holding a pay-per-view card on the same night in Vegas, caused the company to reconsider, moving it to the smaller MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Does that mean the event itself is less significant? That depends on one’s point of view. On one hand, Roman Reigns, the man with the two most important men’s titles, is not on the card. Nor is Cody Rhodes, probably the hottest performer in WWE the last few months, as he is out long term recovering from surgery.

The counter-argument is that Money in the Bank has no filler; its six matches include four title bouts and the namesake ladder matches for the men and women. The undisputed tag team titles are on the line, as are both women’s singles titles, and the United States Championship. Most other significant, healthy superstars are vying for one of the briefcases.

So while WWE might be saving some of its best stuff this summer for SummerSlam, Money in the Bank is shaping up to be a night that could definitely be a pleasant upside surprise. Scroll down to get details on everything you need to know before watching this holiday weekend.

WWE Money in the Bank 2022

  • When: Saturday, July 2
  • Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., or on WWE Network internationally
  • Matches announced: 6

It looks like Roman Reigns won’t be on the Money in the Bank card

A report from SI claims that Roman Reigns won’t be working Money in the Bank, making it two straight premium live events without the WWE champion.

WWE Money in the Bank has already undergone a change in venue. Now it appears it will be without its Tribal Chief as well.

Reports earlier this spring suggested WWE was considering Riddle, Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre as the next three challengers for Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, with the idea that he’d face them at Money in the Bank, SummerSlam and Clash at the Castle, respectively.

Riddle’s comments about going to SmackDown and demanding a match with Reigns pointed toward the first part of that plan coming true. But Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso poured some cold water on that today, saying that Reigns “currently is no longer scheduled to work Money in the Bank.”

That could come as a bummer for WWE fans attending the event live, after already enduring a switch from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (a football stadium, and home to the NFL’s Raiders) to what WWE is calling the “intimate confines” of MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Money in the Bank ladder matches are attractions in their own right, so the show will likely be just fine.

Still, if Reigns is indeed sitting this one out, it will be the second straight premium live event without WWE’s biggest draw. Hell in a Cell managed to get the wrestling world buzzing without him, but that was due in large part to a once in a lifetime act of playing through pain by Cody Rhodes.

Barrasso seems to think all three of the proposed challengers may still get their shots at Reigns, but the timetable is definitely now in question. Orton makes the most sense at SummerSlam, and McIntyre still figures to be a shoe-in for Clash at the Castle considering it’s being held in Wales.

That means Riddle could be the odd man out, which would be a shame as he feels as popular with the fans as he has ever been in his WWE career. It’s not inconceivable that he gets a shot somewhere before the end of the summer on Raw or SmackDown — Reigns is still expected to do some weekly TV over the next few months — but it’s clearer than ever that Reigns’ reduced schedule is for real, and even the big monthly shows aren’t guaranteed to have him there.

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Dana White on WWE running Money in the Bank against UFC 276: ‘International Fight Week’s a rough week to do it’

UFC president Dana White said International Fight Week was “a rough week” for WWE to hold Money in the Bank against UFC 276 in Las Vegas but seemed to understand its thinking.

In hindsight, holding WWE Money in the Bank on July 2 in the same city as UFC 276 was always going to be a challenge, even in the fight capital of the world.

WWE’s original plan was to hold Money in the Bank in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, home to the NFL’s Raiders, turning it into a stadium show for the first time. But the company punted on that idea in late May, announcing it was moving the show to the smaller MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Soft ticket sales were widely reported to be one of the issues, and one of the causes could be UFC putting on a pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the same night. And not just any card either, but one that is the centerpiece of International Fight Week, an annual event that includes the UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony and a full slate of additional activities for UFC fans.

AEW head Tony Khan seemed to take some pleasure in WWE downsizing Money in the Bank, subtweeting about the “genius move” in taking on UFC head to head. But UFC president Dana White — who learned about the venue change while having dinner with Khan — was more diplomatic about in during a recent appearance on The Spinnin Backfist MMA Show.

“To be fair to the WWE, they were probably looking at it … Their ticket prices are a lot cheaper, there’d be a lot of people in town, I don’t know,” White said. “International Fight Week’s a rough week to do it.”

That rather large extenuating circumstance means WWE may shrug this one off and forge ahead with its reported plan to attempt more stadium shows in 2023 and beyond. Clash at the Castle will be held at Principality Stadium in Wales in September, but WWE has no U.S.-based stadium shows announced right now other than SummerSlam and WrestleMania, which have been held in stadiums for years.

WWE Money in the Bank is likely to have a sold out MGM Grand Garden Arena to look forward to when it kicks off at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on July 2.

Tony Khan trolls WWE on Twitter over Money in the Bank venue change

Tony Khan took a thinly veiled jab at WWE for its “genius move” of running Money in the Bank the same night as UFC 276 in Las Vegas.

WWE never mentions AEW on its broadcasts. For the most part, AEW refrains from doing the same, but it has made references to the promotion from time to time, and CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan clearly isn’t above some playful jabs at the industry leader.

On Friday, Khan tweeted about an especially busy day on Thursday during AEW’s full week of events in Las Vegas, including a meeting in L.A. with Warner Bros. Discovery management, and dinner with his dad, AEW co-owner Shahid Khan, and UFC president Dana White. He noted that he got to tell White in person that Money in the Bank, WWE’s upcoming premium live event in Las Vegas, was changing venues to MGM Grand Garden Arena after originally selling tickets at the much larger Allegiant Stadium.

But Khan couldn’t resist a follow-up tweet as well.

International Fight Week in Las Vegas is an important, well-established event on the UFC calendar that always includes the UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony and a full slate of programming for fans. It culminates in a UFC pay-per-view, which this year will be UFC 276 on July 2 — which just so happens to be the same night, in the same city, as Money in the Bank.

The insinuation is pretty clear: that WWE had trouble selling enough tickets to justify holding Money in the Bank in a stadium while UFC is holding a card at T-Mobile Arena on the same night. Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer has reported that WWE knew UFC was holding its event on July 2, but obviously felt the Allegiant Stadium gamble was one worth taking.

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The silver lining for WWE is that it should have a sold out MGM Grand Garden Arena for Money in the Bank despite the competition for attention in Vegas that night. Khan’s tweet was likely just a one-off dig (that White probably enjoyed as well), and while it kept to the usual rules of engagement by not naming WWE, it’ll be interesting to see if this becomes more commonplace going forward.