WrestleMania 21 in the context of "SmackDown (WWE brand)"

Paul Michael Levesque (/ləˈvɛk/; born July 27, 1969), also known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive, professional wrestling promoter and retired wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as its chief content officer, head of creative, and is an executive producer.

Levesque began his wrestling career in 1992 under the ring name Terra Ryzing, and gained his first mainstream exposure in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994, becoming known as Jean-Paul Levesque. In 1995, he signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and became known as Hunter Hearst Helmsley, which was later shortened to Triple H. In WWF, he gained fame during the Attitude Era as a member of The Kliq and co-founder of D-Generation X. Amongst other wrestling accomplishments, he is a 14-time world champion in WWE, having won the WWF/WWE Championship nine times and the World Heavyweight Championship five times, a 2-time Royal Rumble winner (2002, 2016), the seventh Triple Crown winner, and second Grand Slam winner. He has headlined multiple WWE pay-per-view events, including its flagship annual event, WrestleMania, seven times (16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, and 32). In 2022, he retired from working as an in-ring performer due to health concerns but remains active in an executive role and as an on-screen presence.

The Money in the Bank ladder match is a multi-person ladder match held by the professional wrestling promotion WWE. First performed at WWE's annual WrestleMania event beginning in 2005, a separate Money in the Bank event was established in 2010. The prize of the match is a briefcase containing a contract for a championship match of the winner's choice, which, within WWEs fictional storyline, can be "cashed in" by the holder of the briefcase at any point in the year following their victory. If the contract is not used within a year of winning it, it will be invalid, but this has yet to happen. From its inception until 2017, the match only involved male wrestlers, with the contract being for a world championship match. Beginning with the 2017 Money in the Bank event, women also have the opportunity to compete in such a match, with their prize being a contract for a women's championship match. As of the 2022 event, winners can use the contract on any championship.

The first match was contested in 2005 at WrestleMania 21, after Chris Jericho invented the concept. At the time, it was exclusive to wrestlers of the Raw brand and Edge won the inaugural match. From then until WrestleMania XXVI in March 2010, the Money in the Bank ladder match, now open to all WWE brands, became a WrestleMania mainstay. The 2010 Money in the Bank event saw a second and third Money in the Bank ladder match when the eponymous event debuted that July, with WrestleMania no longer featuring the match. Unlike the matches at WrestleMania, this titular event included two such ladder matches: one each for a contract for a WWE Championship match and a World Heavyweight Championship (2002–2013 version) match, respectively.

Adam Joseph Copeland (born October 30, 1973), better known by the ring name Edge, is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under his real name. He is best known for his tenures in WWE, where he performed from 1998 to 2011 and again from 2020 to 2023.

Adam made his professional wrestling debut in 1992, wrestling in many independent promotions and competing in singles and tag team competition, the latter with long-time friend Christian Cage. In 1997, he signed a developmental deal with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, renamed WWE in 2002) and made his televised debut in 1998 under the ring name Edge. After winning the Intercontinental Championship in 1999, he formed a tag team with Christian, and the two won the World Tag Team Championship seven times. During this time, they gained notoriety due to their participation in Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matches. They are considered one of the major teams that revived tag team wrestling during the Attitude Era. The team split in 2001 and Edge embarked on a successful solo career. He won a total of 31 championships in WWE, holding the World Heavyweight Championship (2002–2013 version) a record 7 times, the WWE Championship 4 times, the Intercontinental Championship five times, the United States Championship once, the World Tag Team Championship a record 12 times, and the WWE Tag Team Championship twice. He is WWE's 14th Triple Crown Champion and 7th Grand Slam Champion. He won the 2001 King of the Ring tournament, the first Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 21 in 2005, and the 2010 Royal Rumble match, making him the first wrestler to achieve all three.