Money in the Bank 2012
Promotion	World Wrestling Entertainment
Date	July 15, 2012
Venue	US Airways Center
City	Phoenix, Arizona
Attendance	9,000
Last Event	No Way Out
Next Event	SummerSlam

Money in the Bank 2012 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by WWE, which took place on July 15, 2012 at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. It was the third annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view and the seventh event in the 2012 WWE PPV schedule.

Background

Money in the Bank featured seven professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that played out on WWE's primary television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

At previous Money in the Bank events, Raw wrestlers competed for the WWE Championship contract and SmackDown competitors challenged for the World Heavyweight Championship opportunity. This year's event will feature two interbranded Money in the Bank Ladder Matches, one for a future WWE Championship match and the other for a future World Heavyweight Championship match.

On the June 25 episode of Raw, Vickie Guerrero announced that only previous WWE Champions may participate in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match for the WWE Championship contract. The four participants are Kane, Chris Jericho, Big Show and John Cena.

On the June 29 episode of SmackDown, qualifying matches were held for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship contract. In those matches, Damien Sandow defeated Zack Ryder, Tyson Kidd defeated Jack Swagger, Santino Marella and Christian defeated Cody Rhodes and David Otunga in a tag team match and Tensai defeated Justin Gabriel. On the July 3 "Great American Bash" edition of SmackDown, Rhodes defeated Christian and Dolph Ziggler defeated Alex Riley in two additional qualifying matches.

In addition, there is a rivalry involving CM Punk and Daniel Bryan for Punk's WWE Championship. In his current reign as WWE Champion, he has successfully defended his title against several contenders, and has recently defeated Bryan in several pay-per-views, the last one also involving Kane. At the same time, Bryan's ex-girlfriend AJ has taken a liking towards Punk and Kane and has also rekindled her interest in Bryan but Punk and Kane believes that she is unstable due to Bryan breaking up with AJ. Following No Way Out, Bryan defeated Punk and Kane to earn his rematch against Punk at Money in the Bank. Weeks later, AJ was named special guest referee.

Feature

Alberto Del Rio is prominently featured because last year, he won Money in the Bank (on Raw). The promo emphasizes how he has gotten easy victories, and that now to become champion he must "earn it".

Alberto Del Rio had competed for the vacated World Heavyweight Championship in the past, but was unable to earn it in a normal 1-on-1 title show against Edge at WrestleMania, nor could he later win it when he and Christian competed for the vacated title.

This match against Sheamus is his first 1-on-1 match for the title in 2012. He earned the number one contender spot for a previous pay-per-view, but was unable to have the match due to a concussion from the Great Khali. His later chances were with other competitors like Dolph Ziggler in the mix.

Results

Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.

(c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.

• Pre-Show: Kofi Kingston & R-Truth defeated Hunico & Camacho (8:22)
• Dolph Ziggler defeated Damien Sandow vs. Christian vs. Santino Marella vs. Tensai vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Sin Cara in an 8-man Money in the Bank ladder match for a World Heavyweight Championship contract on Smackdown (18:23)
• Sheamus (c) defeated Alberto Del Rio to retain the World Heavyweight Championship (14:24)
• Primo & Epico (w/ Rosa Mendes) defeated Prime Time Players (Darren Young & Titus O'Neil) (w/ A. W.) (9:30)
• CM Punk (c) defeated Daniel Bryan in a No DQ Match to retain the WWE Championship (with AJ as Special guest referee) (27:42)
• Ryback defeatd Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks in a Handicap Match (4:21)
• Tamina Snuka & Kaitlyn & Layla defeated Beth Phoenix & Natalya & Eve Torres (3:19)
• John Cena defeated The Big Show vs. The Miz vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho in a 5-man Money in the Bank ladder match for a WWE Championship contract on Raw (20:15)

Other on-screen talent

Also See

• List of WWE pay-per-view events
• World Wrestling Entertainment/Event history
• Money in the Bank
• Event gallery

DVD release

• Money in the Bank 2012 on DVD

External links

• Money in the Bank 2012 Official Website
• Money in the Bank 2012 at CAGEMATCH.net
• Money in the Bank 2012 at Online World of Wrestling