When former WWE Champion was suspended 19 days before his planned Money in the Bank win

WWE Money in the Bank is rightfully dubbed the opportunity of a lifetime. The briefcase allows the winner to cash in any champion of his choosing, any time anywhere within one year. With that being said, there are some who were supposed to win the big match but never did. This is the tale of one such big name.

The star in question is Jeff Hardy. The Charismatic Enigma was pitched to win the Money in the Bank way back in 2008, but saw the decision reversed after he failed his drug test in WWE. The violation led to Vince McMahon suspending him just 19 days before his planned push at WrestleMania 24. Hardy was suspended for 60 days.

His last match before supension came against Chris Jericho for the Intercontinental Championship. PWInsider reported at the time that Jeff’s suspension days before Money in the Bank match created a sense of discomfort in the locker room.

WWE had approved a rigorous drug testing policy in the wake of Chris Benoit’s double murder suicide. Jeff’s first suspension for violating company policy came in July 2007. As a result of his suspension, Hardy missed the Summerslam pay-per-view event.

Who won Money in the Bank in 2008?

The ladder match was a major WrestleMania spectacle before it got its own premium live event in 2010. In 2008, seven superstars from RAW, SmackDown and ECW partook in the high-risk match-up for the opportunity of a lifetime.

CM Punk, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Jericho, Carlito, Montel Vontavious Porter, Mr. Kennedy and John Morrison tried to eliminate each other so they could climb the ladder and unhook the briefcase. The match featured plenty of high-risk sports including Morrison’s insane moonsault with a ladder in his hands.

CM Punk emerged victorious in the match after he grabbed the briefcase. The Straight-Edge superstar would cash-in his contract on then-World Heavyweight Champion Edge on June 30, 2008. The rest was history.

Where were you when CM Punk won his first Money in the Bank ladder match? Let us know in the comments section below!