7 Potential Candidates to Win the 2015 WWE Money in the Bank Ladder Match
The Money in the Bank ladder match, established in 2005, is one of WWE’s greatest annual attractions. It sees several Superstars vie for a chance to win the Money in the Bank briefcase that hangs high above the ring, which is all but a one-way ticket to becoming world champion.
Other than John Cena and Damien Sandow, every individual to possess the opportunistic briefcase has gone on to hold the prestigious prize. It has launched many of WWE’s top talent into superstardom, including the likes of Edge, CM Punk and most recently Seth Rollins.
In 2010, the matchup was given its own pay-per-view, traditionally featuring two Money in the Bank ladder matches: one for a shot at the WWE Championship and the other for a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.
However, that changed with last year's installment, following the unification of the two titles in 2013. Only one MITB ladder match will be contested this June, making spots scarce and stakes higher than they've ever been before.
Although we're over one month away from the event, it's never too soon to start speculating as to who should win it. Therefore, here are seven Superstars who come to mind as potential candidates to become the next Mr. Money in the Bank.
Dean Ambrose
1 of 7
Unlike Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose hasn't been in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture much at all since the split of The Shield last June, but that doesn't make him any less worthy of a shot at the strap.
Since breaking out on his own, Ambrose has flourished as a fan favorite and has grown immensely popular with the WWE Universe. Given he's a heel at heart, it's safe to say that he's only scratching the surface of his capabilities.
On Monday's Raw, Ambrose took one step closer toward fulfilling his destiny as a main event player when he inserted himself into the Fatal 4-Way match for the world heavyweight title at Payback. However, with Rollins, Reigns and Randy Orton also vying for the gold, it's unlikely he'll walk out as champ.
Post-Payback, it remains to be seen where he'll fall into the title picture with Reigns continuing to chase the belt and Brock Lesnar returning in time for SummerSlam. Regardless, he should be in contention for the title by the end of the year at the earliest, and a Money in the Bank cash-in would be a fitting way to end the reign of current champ and longtime rival Seth Rollins.
For the last two years, Ambrose has contested Money in the Bank Ladder matches and come up short each time. Will the third time be the charm for The Lunatic Fringe this year?
Stardust
2 of 7
It feels like an annual occurrence that I petition for Cody Rhodes, aka Stardust, to win the Money in the Bank ladder match, and although it has yet to happen, I still hold out hope.
Simply put, Rhodes has the makings of a main event player: his mic skills are above average, he can connect with a crowd and he's a natural in the ring. He's had opportunity after opportunity to ascend the ladder in WWE, but questionable creative decisions have prevented him from doing so.
Despite all the silly gimmicks he's been saddled with over the years, he's persevered and has made them work to the best of his ability. The only issue is that the company has been holding him back from realizing his true potential as a top-tier Superstar.
WWE may be coasting on the fact that he's young and there's still time to push him toward the top, but that's no excuse. He might get lost in the shuffle with so many people in the main event scene at the moment, but the time is now to give him the aggressive push he has long deserved.
There's little to no chance he''ll capture the briefcase while still retaining the Stardust moniker, but anything is possible. The former WWE tag team champion could have some fun with the contract and could perhaps go back to being Cody somewhere along the way.
Bad News Barrett
3 of 7
No other Superstar has been more misused this year than Bad News Barrett.
Although he reigned as intercontinental champion for three months, most of his run as champ consisted of his losing countless non-title matches to just about everyone on the roster.
On April 28, Barrett achieved a major milestone when he outlasted seven other Superstars to be crowned the 2015 King of the Ring. He followed up the grand victory with a win in tag team action the following week on Raw, so it seems his stock is finally on the rise.
Barrett has been the victim of start-and-stop pushes for almost his entire WWE career, but the crown could be exactly what he needs to get him back on track. Now that he is building momentum for himself, he's a much likelier candidate to capture the Money in the Bank briefcase.
Like Cody Rhodes, I've been pulling for a MITB win for Barrett for several years, but it didn't seem to be in the cards. The timing was never right, either, but WWE can't afford to keep him down any longer.
Let's face it: WWE is delaying the inevitable. The evil Englishman has all the tools necessary to be among the elite in the company.
He just needs that little extra push, and the opportunistic briefcase could be just the ticket.
Ryback
4 of 7
Despite having contended for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on several occasions over the course of his career, the prestigious prize has alluded Ryback. In fact, he has yet to win gold of any kind since arriving at WWE.
After a red-hot first year on the roster as Ryback, a heel turn in the spring of 2013 squandered any momentum he had going. He floundered for the next year-and-a-half before finally finding his footing again as a babyface, the role that has always suited him best.
Although he's currently tied up with Bray Wyatt, it's anyone's guess as to what awaits him once that rivalry runs its course. If a rematch between the two from Payback isn't slated for Money in the Bank, the timing would be perfect for him to win the ladder match.
Ryback isn't exactly the opportunistic type, but the briefcase would no doubt launch him back into the title picture where he belongs. He's organically gotten himself over again with the audience and deserves to be rewarded for it in the form of a run with the strap, even if it's a short-lived one.
Plus, if he was to win the title, there are several potential challengers waiting in the wings; Seth Rollins, Rusev and Sheamus come to mind.
I wouldn't bet on Ryback becoming the next Mr. Money in the Bank, but there's no denying that he's earned it.
Bray Wyatt
5 of 7
The booking of Bray Wyatt since his arrival at WWE two years ago has been debatable, to say the least.
Along with the rest of The Wyatt Family, he started off his main-roster run strongly by embarking on an undefeated streak and capturing the attention of the audience. It wasn't until he ran into the roadblock that was John Cena that his luck started to take a turn for the worse.
Following his failed program with Cena, Wyatt struggled for the remainder of the summer in feuds with Chris Jericho and Big Show before being taken off TV completely by the fall. He was built back up as a force to be reckoned with upon his return, but without Luke Harper and Erick Rowan by his side, he simply wasn't the same.
His one-off encounter with The Undertaker at WrestleMania did him no favors, and he has since transitioned to a rivalry with Ryback. However, it's about time Wyatt got some gold around his waist.
A victory in this year's Money in the Bank ladder match would cement Wyatt as a star and get him back to where he is destined to be: in the main event scene.
It's hard to imagine him walking down to the ring with a lantern in one hand and a briefcase in the other, but if it means a WWE World Heavyweight Championship run is in his future, it'll be worth it.
Rusev
6 of 7
Rusev has been one to watch over the last year, ascending the card quicker than anyone ever imagined he would. He went undefeated for a solid year and reigned as United States champion before losing both accolades to John Cena at WrestleMania 31.
His buildup as a top-tier star in WWE has been excellent, but the aftermath is much more important. The loss to Cena at Extreme Rules was excusable because he was never pinned, but the "I Quit" rematch at Payback will definitely do damage to his credibility if he comes out on the losing end for the third consecutive time.
Worse yet, it appears WWE is going forward with his split from Lana sooner than expected. If that ultimately comes to fruition and it's not a swerve (as many fans hope it is,) he will be dead in the water for sure.
In that case, there's only one way to maintain his momentum: winning the Money in the Bank ladder match.
To me, Rusev has never felt like world champion material but has been on the cusp of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship scene for some time now. He wouldn't have to win the belt, but just being in contention for it would prevent his becoming an afterthought.
Neville
7 of 7
Fresh off his long-awaited WWE debut, Neville has quickly become one of WWE's hottest commodities. In the matter of a month, he has already made an impact and has proved that he isn't one to underestimate.
With wins over Sheamus, Luke Harper and Bad News Barrett, Neville has established himself as a credible competitor hungry for a challenge. He came close to winning the 2015 King of the Ring tournament, and although he fell short of victory, that doesn't mean he isn't a dark horse to come out on top in this year's Money in the Bank ladder match.
The biggest knock against Neville winning the briefcase so soon is that he wouldn't be ready for the main event push that would be coming his way. Likewise, fans may not see him as a threat for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the moment, if ever, due to his small stature and inexperience.
Still, the possibility of Neville as Mr. Money in the Bank shouldn't be ruled out just yet. It wouldn't be the first time a newcomer has captured the briefcase (i.e. Alberto Del Rio, Damien Sandow, etc.), so there's a chance of it happening.
Either way, you can expect the former NXT champion to have his presence felt in this year's ladder match for the coveted contract. It'd be criminal for him not to take part, given what he could accomplish in such a chaotic environment.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website at Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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