Money in the Bank Will Become More Valuable Thanks to Title Unification

John Cena and Randy Orton will be facing off at WWE TLC on Sunday, December 15.  The match will unify the World and WWE Championships in a bout that many fans have been wanting to see for a very long time.  The long-term effects of this match are not yet known of course, mostly due to the fact that we do not yet know who the winner will be.

But there is one thing that we do know for sure: Everything could potentially change after TLC.  And that includes the trophy of the company's most popular gimmick match, Money in the Bank.

From the moment it began, WWE's Money in the Bank captured the fans' attention.  It provided a championship opportunity for guys who perhaps would not have had it at that point in their careers. From Edge to CM Punk to Daniel Bryan, WWE's main event scene began seeing new faces that brought new storylines with them.

For me, the Money in the Bank contract is one of those gimmicks that consistently works and gets over with the crowd because it represents spontaneity.  

Too often, we as fans are able to predict trends that occur in WWE.  This comes as a result of absorbing the product over a significant amount of time, and even though we do tend to speculate quite a bit, we are also often right.  The introduction of a guaranteed title shot turned that way of thinking upside down.

Suddenly, fans were faced with a championship match that they were sure would go a certain way, only to be surprised in the end.  The final bell would ring, the celebration would begin, and then before you knew it, someone else's music hit.

A few key moves followed by a three count and fans saw the crowning of a new World or WWE champion. The Money in the Bank ladder match winner had one full year to cash in, and that moment could come anywhere at any time.  All he needed was a referee.

It was new, it was fresh, and it was over.  Money in the Bank worked on every level.

But for me, the novelty of the cash-in has mostly worn off.  Now instead of being surprised, we expect Mr. Money in the Bank to race down the ramp and hand his briefcase to the official.  In fact, every time a title match takes place, we automatically begin questioning if that will be the moment it happens.

However, if one championship is removed from the equation, then suddenly everything changes.

The expectation on the part of fans would likely still be there of course, but now we would be talking about just one title.  And that title will be the No. 1 belt in the industry.

For far too long, the World title Money in the Bank contract has been seen as the consolation prize.  It has been reserved for a championship that has been viewed as the No. 2 belt in the company.  As a result of that, the cash-in itself has very little to do with the actual title.  The satisfaction on the part of fans came when a respected Superstar climbed the ladder and achieved greatness, much like Dolph Ziggler.

However, the WWE Championship is still considered to be the most important title.  When it is unified with the World title, it will become more valuable than ever.  The same goes for the Money in the Bank contract.

Of course, there is a glaring problem with one title and one briefcase.  That problem lies with which Superstar is holding the unified championship.

The truth is that if John Cena is the man wearing that title, then all bets are off.  The surprise factor will end, as could the legitimacy of the guaranteed contract.

This is not meant to directly criticize John as a performer.  The fact is that he is the company's top guy and is merely playing his role to the fullest.  His booking as the main Superstar in WWE is to be expected and has been happening for several years now.

But if Cena can not do the job to a fresh main event contender, then there is no reason to crown a Money in the Bank winner to begin with.  And if the answer to that is simply to give the contract to an established star, then that is really no answer at all.

Of course, Cena is not always the man with the company's top championship.  There are moments when other guys are used in that spot while John continues to do what he does on the main event level.  

But what is the likelihood that a rising Superstar would be given the company's unified championship while not only John Cena but also Randy Orton and CM Punk are used in other capacities?  Actually, the chances are better than you think, and anyone who was a fan during the Attitude Era has already seen this exact scenario.

Chris Jericho defeated both The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin on December 9, 2001 at the Vengeance pay-per-view.  On that night, he became the first ever undisputed champion, much to the surprise of the WWE faithful.

It's not that fans did not appreciate what Chris brought to the table.  Truth be told, there were many who believed he was vastly underused during his run in WCW.  

However, we're talking about a WWE that featured not only Stone Cold and The Rock but also Kurt Angle, Undertaker and Triple H.  And here was Chris Jericho at the top of the mountain.  So, there is precedent for WWE going a different route in a situation like the one we're seeing now.

And perhaps the man filling the Jericho spot could very well be Damien Sandow.  Maybe he is this era's breakout star and will rise to the occasion after the unified championship is decided.

So for me, this makes the Money in the Bank briefcase even more valuable than it has been before. Yes, John Cena is the top man in WWE, but with only one title, the company may have to change its way of thinking in terms of who could go over on him.  The truth is that if John were to be unbeatable, able to shut down one guaranteed contract holder after another, then what's the point of the bank match to begin with?

From a storyline perspective, a unified championship would also mean more to the Superstars working for it.  The sense of urgency to not only qualify for the ladder match but also to win and prevail for the title later would be higher than ever before.  To me, this is a win-win situation.

Eliminating one championship just makes the other one more valuable, and that directly translates to the contract meant to win it.  The top title in the company will be the unquestioned top title in the company, and a guaranteed contract to face the man holding it would be worth everything.

John Cena and Randy Orton are booked in a historic match at the WWE TLC pay-per-view on December 15.  The bout will crown the unified champion, and while it is an important time for fans, the real drama lies in the immense value of not only the belt but also the Money in the Bank contract.