WWE Money in the Bank: Breaking Down Raw's 8-Man Ladder Match

Eight superstars. One goal: To climb the ladder and grab the briefcase.

That's what Money in the Bank is all about. 

The second annual WWE pay-per-view will give those eight guys you're looking at a chance to win a guaranteed title shot that they can use at any time over the next year.

Some—like Jack Swagger and The Miz—are trying to be money for a second time. Others—like Alex Riley and Evan Bourne—are hoping that a win in this match skyrockets them into superstardom.

But, when the show is all said and done, only one man will walk away with the coveted briefcase and all the power that comes along with it.

Who will it be?

We don't know yet, but here are my predictions on who will win Raw's Money in the Bank match, in order from least likeliest to likeliest.

Enjoy, and be sure to offer your own thoughts on who will win the match and why.

8. The Miz

The WWE did a fantastic job with The Miz after he won Raw's Money in the Bank bout in 2010, such a fantastic job, in fact, that he doesn't need to win again this year.

He's moved on to become a certified star in the WWE, and I don't think the WWE wants to have a repeat of 2010 by having him win the briefcase.

After all, John Cena or CM Punk (if he's staying) will likely hold on to the WWE Championship for the foreseeable future, and I can't see WWE officials doing another Cena/Miz feud or a heel vs. heel feud between Punk and The Miz.

I'd imagine that The Miz is simply in this bout to further his feud with Alex Riley more than anything else.

He doesn't have to win this match. He shouldn't win it. And he won't.

Odds: 22/1

7. Evan Bourne

As a wrestling fan first and foremost, Evan Bourne is the Raw superstar who I really want to see win this match.

Will he, though? I highly doubt it.

Though Bourne is already competing in his third Money in the Bank match, he's generally in these bouts for one main reason: To hit big spots.

Bourne is obviously one of the WWE's best high-flyers, and there's no doubt that he'll showcase his talents with several jaw-dropping aerial moves throughout this match.

But, given his lack of mic skills--the dude never talks!--and the fact that he's never held even a mid-card title in the WWE, I'd say Bourne's chances of winning at MITB are about as good as The Great Khali's wrestling skills.

Odds: 20/1

6. R-Truth

R-Truth has actually never competed in a Money in the Bank ladder match, which is rather surprising given that he's been a perennial mid-carder for 99 percent of his WWE career.

A month ago, Truth was on fire, and I would have said that he had a very good chance at winning the briefcase in his first-ever MITB match.

Then, Truth was buried by John "Super" Cena at Capitol Punishment, and it now appears that his rise to the top of the WWE will be short-lived.

I honestly don't ever see Truth consistently competing in the main event or World title scene as long as he's on Raw, and I definitely don't see him actually holding a title belt.

As we know, every time someone's cashed in that briefcase, they've won the World championship.

I don't think Truth will be a World champion in the WWE, and therefore, he won't win at Money in the Bank.

 Odds: 15/1

5. Rey Mysterio

The "Rey Mysterio is the ultimate underdog" story has been shoved down our throats for years now, but that doesn't mean the WWE might not do it again.

It seems that the creative team has this fixation with booking Mysterio to win more than any wrestlers not named John Cena or Randy Orton.

Therefore, I'm never going to count out Mysterio as a threat to win in his first-ever appearance in a Money in the Bank bout.

I guess that's what the WWE wants me to do, huh?

Anyway, Mysterio's won the World title twice before, and neither title reign was particularly thrilling or memorable.

I'm not sure the WWE wants to go that route again, nor do I think that Mysterio--much like Shawn Michaels--will get another championship run at this stage of his career.

Odds: 12/1 

4. Jack Swagger

At Wrestlemania 26, Jack Swagger competed in his first-ever Money in the Bank match. He also won it.

The win was a huge shocker, as Swagger had essentially been buried for several months prior to the bout, and no one really expected him to go home with the briefcase in hand.

Can he do it again, though?

I didn't think Swagger would do it the first time, so I'm going to learn from my mistakes and not count him out this time around.

Though he's not really doing much of note on Raw right now, he's got all the tools you look for in a World champion and could be a darkhorse to win this thing.

Perhaps Swagger will become just the second wrestler in history to win the Money in the Bank match twice as a way of erasing what was a horrendously-booked World Heavyweight Championship reign.

Odds: 10/1

3. Alex Riley

Who went from jobber and relative afterthought to main event player quicker, R-Truth or Alex Riley?

I'm not sure, but I do know that Riley's face turn was done incredibly well and the ball is now in his court.

He can drop it, or he can take it and run with it. 

Though Riley appears to be running with it already, I don't think he's quite ready to win the Money in the Bank ladder match just yet.

Is he a threat? Sure, he is, especially if WWE officials want to push him as the next big baby face on Raw.

But giving a younger wrestler--or at least one that hasn't been around that long--the briefcase and a subsequent championship reign doesn't seem to work out all that often. See Jack Swagger and CM Punk (his first MITB win at least).

And why doesn't it work out? Because the creative team tries to protect its bigger names more than it tries to build up its young guns as credible champions.

Odds: 7/1

2. Kofi Kingston

If any WWE star needs to tweak his gimmick, it's Kofi Kingston.

Though he's entertaining to watch and is certainly over with the crowd, there's not much depth behind his character. He just seems like a likable guy who people like to root for.

If Kingston's ever going to rise to the main event scene, he has to somehow develop his face character or turn heel.

I see the Money in the Bank match--his whopping fourth one by the way--as the perfect opportunity to start a change in what's become a monotonous Kofi character.

After all, Kofi Kingston did just drop the United States Championship, and it wasn't so he could move down the card.

It was so he could do what Randy Orton prevented him from doing back in 2009: Move up it.

Odds: 4/1

1. Alberto Del Rio

Regardless of whether he wins the MITB ladder match or not, Alberto Del Rio appears to be in line for a WWE Championship feud at SummerSlam or shortly thereafter.

Therefore, the WWE could definitely give someone else the briefcase and just have Del Rio earn his title opportunity another way.

Or they could use the easy route and have Del Rio win the guaranteed title shot at the pay-per-view.

Then, they could simply have Del Rio cash in, defeat John Cena, win his first WWE Championship and ignite a feud between the two that way.

If CM Punk is indeed bolting the WWE, though, ADR could even do it that same night to setup the main event of SummerSlam.

No matter what happens, however, most signs point to Del Rio winning this match and becoming the first wrestler to win the Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank in the same calendar year.

Odds: 2/1