One briefcase, two contracts, and a high-stakes ladder match

Cultures · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the world of WWE, a briefcase hanging above a ring holds more than just paper. It contains a guaranteed world championship match for the winner, valid for one year. At the 2013 Money in the Bank, two separate ladder matches offered these lucrative opportunities, marking a turning point for the franchise.

The fourth annual Money in the Bank took place on July 14, 2013, at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center, marking a key WWE milestone. It was the final time the event would be held in July until 2021, and the last to broadcast exclusively via traditional pay-per-view before the WWE Network launched in February 2014. This show also acted as the last to include the former World Heavyweight Championship before its December unification with the WWE Championship. This specific iteration was the final to feature two separate ladder matches until 2017. Additionally, this was the concluding instance showcasing the former World Heavyweight Championship design.

The event featured two distinct ladder matches. The opening match was a battle between seven 'heel' participants—including Dean Ambrose, Cody Rhodes, and Jack Swagger—to determine the contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. Damien Sandow ultimately secured the briefcase. The main event featured seven 'face' participants, including CM Punk and the returning Rob Van Dam, competing for a WWE Championship match contract. Randy Orton emerged victorious in this high-stakes encounter. The roster for the opening match included participants such as Fandango and Antonio Cesaro. Meanwhile, the main event saw Randy Orton defeat competitors like CM Punk and Christian.

The 2013 event was well-received by critics. John Canton of TJR Wrestling rated the event 7.5 out of 10, specifically praising the ladder matches. While 411Mania identified the World Heavyweight Championship match as the match of the night, Bleacher Report gave the event an 'A' grade and designated the WWE Championship ladder match as the standout performance. Critics noted the high quality of the individual championship bouts. Specifically, the ladder matches received high praise from various wrestling analysts.

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