King: Ranking the Top Money in the Bank Cash-Ins at WWE SummerSlam

Chris King ranks SummerSlam’s four best Money in the Bank cash-ins, featuring Alberto Del Rio, Iyo Sky, Seth Rollins and Randy Orton.

The biggest party of the summer, SummerSlam is synonymous with big moments in WWE. Whether it’s superstars receiving a standing ovation after losing a match or winning the WWE Championship for the first time, these are moments the WWE Universe will never forget.

Money in the Bank cash-ins are just as memorable and important and life-changing. From Alberto Del Rio all the way to Seth Rollins cashing in at last year’s event, Chris King is ranking the top four Money in the Bank cash-ins at SummerSlam.

4. Alberto Del Rio (2011 SummerSlam)

In 2011, ‘The Best in the World’ CM Punk became one of the hottest superstars in WWE history when he walked out of Chicago blowing a kiss to Vince McMahon with the WWE championship on his shoulder. Punk’s contract was set to expire in a few hours, and he was leaving the company. WWE produced a makeshift tournament to crown a new champion, which was won by John Cena. Punk made his iconic return with his “Cult of Personality” theme song, and a champion vs. champion match was announced for SummerSlam.

Cena and Punk had a great match where Punk solidified himself as the true undisputed WWE champion. Moments later, Kevin Nash shocked the world and attacked the champion. Alberto Del Rio picked his perfect time to strike and cashed in his MITB contract. Del Rio hit his signature enziguiri to an exhausted and prone Punk to win the WWE Championship.

3. Iyo Sky (2023 SummerSlam)

One year prior, Bayley made her shocking return after being MIA for over a year, flanked by Dakota Kai and ‘The Genius of the Sky’ Iyo Sky, dubbed “Damage Ctrl.” The trio would run roughshod over the women’s division for the next year on SmackDown. Sky won the MITB contract and was just biding her time to make the biggest decision of her career.

Bianca Belair successfully retained her women’s championship against Asuka and Charlotte Flair in a thrilling triple threat match. During the match, Belair smashed her knee on the steel steps, which feigned the champion and almost took her out to the back. Asuka misted Flair, and the smart champion rolled up Asuka to retain her title.

Belair was celebrating her big victory until Bayley and Sky came running down to the ring attacking everyone in sight. Bayley handed the contact to the referee, and The Genius of the Sky delivered her moonsault to become the Women’s Champion! All of Damage Ctrl celebrated in the ring in a special moment!

2. Seth Rollins (2025 SummerSlam)

After ten long years away from the company, CM Punk made his historic return at the 2023 Survivor Series after the Wargames match. Punk got injured in the Royal Rumble, which forced him out of action until his feud with Drew McIntyre with Seth “Freakin” Rollins as the special guest referee. Punk and Rollins have been rivals for over a decade with an incredible amount of animosity towards each other. ‘The Visionary’ Mr. MITB made it his life’s mission to not let Punk be the World Heavyweight Champion.

In July’s Saturday Night Main Event, during Rollins’ match with LA Knight, he feigned a knee injury and was walking backstage with crutches. At SummerSlam, Punk challenged Gunther for the world championship. A battered and resilient Punk managed to hit two back-to-back GTSs to win his first World Championship since returning to WWE. His celebration was short-lived as Rollins on crutches came out to remind his rival of his MITB briefcase.

An injured Visionary turned around to head to the back and pushed both crutches to the ground to a huge roar from the crowd as he revealed that his knee was fine and it was “The Ruse of the Century.” Rollins then came down to the ring, cashed in, and beat the hell out of Punk. After several shots to the head with the briefcase, The Visionary stomped Punk’s dreams right from under him and became the World Heavyweight Champion!

1.Randy Orton (2013 SummerSlam)

Unlike Seth Rollins in 2025, nobody saw Randy Orton cashing in the Money in the Bank contract at SummerSlam. Daniel Bryan was the red-hot young up-and-coming superstar who had been building up momentum since his time in Team Hell No alongside Kane. Then-WWE World Heavyweight Champion John Cena handpicked Bryan for SummerSlam, and the WWE Universe was so excited. Triple H was announced as the special guest referee.

The underdog of the century took Cena to his limits in a great match, but a final Running Knee gave Bryan the biggest win of his WWE career to date. HHH gave the new champion his props in a show of respect while celebrating winning the WWE title. ‘The Viper’ came down to remind Bryan of his MITB at any moment. One second later, Orton and his former Evolution leader shared a nod, and everything changed. HHH turned Bryan around and delivered an earth-shattering Pedigree. Orton marched down to the ring and cashed in to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

This was the beginning of The Authority with Orton as their corporate champion, where Bryan would scratch and crawl his way into WrestleMania due to The Yes Movement. Bryan would defeat HHH in the opening match and go on to be added to Orton vs Batista in the main event. Bryan was already injured by HHH and miraculously survived a Batista Bomb into RKO on the announce table and made Batista tap out to the Yes Lock to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion!