Untested. Unproven. Inexperienced. All adjectives used to describe Roman Reigns, the man in line for a main event match against the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31. Even before his victory in the 2015 Royal Rumble match, I heard fans and people inside the professional wrestling industry openly question WWE's commitment to Reigns. They don't doubt his talent and potential, but they do doubt the timing of his rise to the top of company. Many seem to think it's too much, too soon. I wondered how Reigns compares to similar young/inexperienced champions from WWE's history. What I discovered surprised me. Like many of you, I believed WWE is taking an unprecedented risk. It appears bold. Perhaps, a little bit reckless. But the truth is that WWE does this kind of thing all the time. And it almost always works out for the best.
Money In The Bank may be the best gimmick WWE has ever come up with. It's a shortcut to the main event for rising stars. It also creates some unforgettable moments. Here's a fun little exercise to rank the cash-ins. It's interesting how certain names keep coming up in the history of MITB.