WWE Money in the Bank 2012: Lack of True Contenders Hurts SmackDown Ladder Match

Every year, the Money in the Bank ladder matches are among the most anticipated moments on the WWE calendar. It's hard to get excited about this year's World Heavyweight Championship version of the match, however, because there are a lack of contenders.

Even though there are a total of eight superstars in the match, the number of them with a realistic chance of winning the briefcase is extremely limited. That takes away from the match's suspense, which is a major reason it's been so successful in the past.

Dolph Ziggler is the clear favorite. He has already spent a lot of time battling with World Heavyweight title holder Sheamus over the past couple months and is established as a main-event superstar. Winning the match would be another step forward.

It's a push that he has earned given his improved in-ring work, which gives him the potential to have a meteoric rise similar to that of CM Punk or Daniel Bryan if given the opportunity. At this point, he's just waiting for his big break.

He's also helped by the fact the fans have started to get behind him. Crowd support can have a major impact on a superstar getting pushed and I would guess the WWE Universe will be clearly in his corner on Sunday night.

Beyond Ziggler, it's hard to find many good options to come out on top unless the WWE is attempting to pull off a complete shocker.

Christian and Santino Marella are both midcard title holders already with Christian holding the Intercontinental belt and Santino in control of the United States Championship. Christian has a better chance of the two, but it wouldn't seem likely they would win given their current positions.

Then there are the potential sleepers like Tensai and Cody Rhodes. They are both capable of winning, but should be viewed as long shots. Tensai's originally push was quickly abandoned and Rhodes hasn't been booked like a top champion.

The next group would be considered the unknowns, consisting of Damien Sandow and Tyson Kidd. They each have shown some real potential during their recent runs, but aren't really World Heavyweight champion material quite yet.

Finally, there's the ultimate wild card in Sin Cara. His style makes him tailor-made for this type of high-flying match, but he's done nothing since coming back from injury to believe he's ready to contend for the top SmackDown belt.

All that considered, it would be a major surprise if Ziggler didn't win at Money in the Bank. While that's the right move for the WWE, the lack of real competition he has to face means the match has less intrigue going in.

And that's never a good thing.