Money in the Bank is an opportunity of a lifetime. Winning the briefcase signifies faith in the office and a chance to win a world championship.
It is the goal of every wrestler in the company, and it can be reached by ascending the ladder. Wrestlers are given a massive head start with a championship opportunity whenever they please.
Since 2005, Money in the Bank has been a huge feather in WWE’s cap. Numerous wrestlers have put their stamp on glory since that fateful WrestleMania evening.
But there have been so many that never got the chance. Before Money in the Bank, many wrestlers could have been great at winning the match and cashing in.
Below are some of those wrestlers. For this article, we are going to look at those who were around when the ladder match was created.
Mr. Perfect
Curt Henning will always be on the list of those who didn’t win a world championship but deserved to. During his WWE run, he was the best worker on the roster.
His matches were always above average, and he elevated just about every man across from him. There is no reason why he shouldn’t have gotten a run with the big strap.
Mr. Perfect would have been, well perfect, as a Money in the Bank winner. As a heel, he could have constantly threatened to cash in on a wounded champion.
With Bobby Heenan in tow, the build-up to any world title match would have had higher stakes. Both men would have been great in this role and Perfect’s final cash-in would have been thunderous.
Ken Shamrock
The World’s Most Dangerous Man had a successful time in WWE. His crazy-eyed gimmick was wonderful, and he translated that into runs with both the Intercontinental and Tag Team Championship.
Unfortunately, he was never given much of a main event run. In an era where title changes happen frequently, he should have gotten at least one turn with the WWE Championship.
A Money in the Bank win would have been perfect to achieve this. Ken Shamrock would have been perfect for Money in the Bank.
His unhinged character was tailor-made for a ladder match. He also could have used this character positively when he threatened to cash in the briefcase.
His unpredictable nature would have made for a great story to string along for a few months. Another championship would be added to the trophy case.
Gail Kim
Gail Kim never achieving greatness in WWE is a downright shame. During her time, the roster was short on women who could work, let alone put on compelling matches.
Kim was able to do both of these things with ease. She had great matches with women of lesser talent and should have been a cornerstone for a weak division.
Kim would have also been the perfect woman to win the Money in the Bank briefcase. As one of the best wrestlers in the company, she would have been a constant threat to any of the women who held the Divas Championship.
It could have also shown more faith in her from the company and helped her to stay longer than she did.
Owen Hart
The youngest Hart brother was one of the best of a generation. He won every championship imaginable and had classic matches with a who’s who of wrestling greats.
He has multiple kicks at the main event can but was never able to break through. Walking around with the briefcase would have been a great way to get him over the hump.
Owen Hart was an already insufferable character. Having him strut around with his Money in the Bank would have made his character all the more that.
It would have added so much depth to The King of Harts and, let’s be honest, he could have had some killer customization done to the case. It would have helped his character and given him the championship he so sorely deserved.
Lita
Lita is one of the best women’s wrestlers in WWE history. Her high-flying skills were something that not many fans were used to.
In a time when women were arm candy, so was that but so much more. She outshone the men she tasked with elevating and became bigger than anyone could imagine.
She would have been the ideal candidate to win Money in the Bank. Her high-flying acumen alone would have made her great for a go with the ladder.
She has shown what she can do by being involved in ladder matches, so being properly in one would be a wonderful sight. Lita was also one of the only women who would have been a threat, putting the whole division on notice.
Razor Ramon
It is downright criminal that Scott Hall didn’t get his chance at the top. When he was with WWE, he was known as the guy you worked with before you worked the main event.
He was Mr. Consistency, having great matches with everyone and working through issues with the boys. He held the IC strap more than anyone at the time, and he was one of the most over acts on the roster.
He needed to have a chance to win the big one. A chance to win the big one would have been given if he won Money in the Bank.
Razor Ramon has already proven his ability to perform at a high level in ladder matches, putting on two of the best. It would have been great to see him work in a multi-man environment.
It would have also been great to see him cash in and get the moment he deserved.
Trish Stratus
The master of the Chick Kick defied all expectations. Initially coming in as a valet, and arm candy at most, Trish Stratus worked her butt off to get better.
She became a fantastic wrestler and brought the women’s division back from irrelevancy. She won several championships during her time but would have been a prime candidate to win Money in the Bank, had it been around.
Stratus has proven her penchant for coming up big in gimmick matches. Against Victoria and Becky Lynch, she showed that she was able to turn it up with the stakes were at their highest.
Also, during her time there weren’t many great options to win Money in the Bank. She would have been a great first choice to add legitimacy to the women’s ladder match.
Jake Roberts
The Snake was never one to win championships. In WWE, he rarely even got a shot at a title, and it was a shame that WWE didn’t pull on that thread.
Jake Roberts was a one-of-a-kind talent. In a time when big muscles ruled the day, Roberts set himself apart by delivering captivating promos and putting on great wrestling matches.
He should have won at least one title, let alone the world championship. Roberts is a perfect example of what winning Money in the Bank could do.
He was never going to get a world title on his own, and this would have expedited the process. It would have been great to see the promos he could come up with as he teased his cash-in.
Roberts could have made it so much a part of his character and the fans would have loved it.
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