Sheamus' Victory Furthers History of Surprise Money in the Bank Winners

Roman Reigns was the overwhelming favorite to win Money in the Bank, but once again, it proved to be the ultimate swerve match on Sunday.

According to 5 Dimes (h/t BetWrestling.com, WrestlingInc.com), Reigns' line was listed at -420 over the field. Shockingly, the field won.

This is nothing new for the Money in the Bank match. As I mentioned on the PodNasty Wrestling Podcast, Money in the Bank has a rich history of surprise victories. Wins by Edge, Jack Swagger, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Randy Orton, Damien Sandow and CM Punk (both times) can all safely be considered surprises.

The unpredictable nature of Money in the Bank is a good thing. It plays into the opportunistic nature of the match, as anybody can become relevant overnight.

Unlike in the Royal Rumble, where upsets rarely occur, Money in the Bank is filled with so many variables and can end so suddenly that the possibility of upsets is realistic.

It's WWE's get-rich-quick scheme. The more upsets occur, the more excitement future Money in the Bank matches will have. The match is slowly building a culture of surprise, whereby no participant can be seen as filler.

The Money in the Bank briefcase is like a WWE World Heavyweight Championship with training wheels. Those who win the briefcase have up to a year to be built into viable suitors for a world championship.

Because of this "training wheels" aspect of Money in the Bank, even the most shocking swerves can eventually be justified.

Following CM Punk's second Money in the Bank victory at WrestleMania XXV, he began a slow heel turn that culminated in a memorable feud against Jeff Hardy. His successful cash-in, followed by an incredible ladder match at SummerSlam 2009, cemented his status as a bona fide star.

Since returning, Sheamus was already in his natural role as a monster heel. Moving forward, he needs to be protected for the shock value of him winning Money in the Bank to wear off.

There's nothing wrong with a shocking Money in the Bank victory. But to really protect the briefcase, any future success for Sheamus should be far from surprising.

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @ThisIsNasty and subscribe to his weekly wrestling podcast.

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