5 absent WWE Superstars who could return during the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match

WWE uses its Premium Live Events, like Money in the Bank, as a platform for some incredible surprises. The possibility of absent stars returning or new ones debuting always gets the fans hyped.

The upcoming Money in the Bank PLE this weekend should be no exception. With WWE's focus on improving the product and raising the stakes, fans could see some familiar faces on the show. While the match card is set and the Men's and Women's Money in the Bank contestants are ready, a few stars making their return could be an interesting addition.

Here are five absent stars who could appear during the Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

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#5. Ludwig Kaiser

Ludwig Kaiser was last seen on the May 13 episode of WWE RAW during a backstage segment. Despite not being injured and still under his WWE contract, he has had no matches after having a great feud with Penta. Mr. Cero Miedo is in the Men's Money in the Bank match, and Kasier could use this opportunity to reignite their feud by costing him the match.

While fans do want the Skeleton Ninja to have a great singles run with a possible title win, his feud with the Imperium member raised a ton of eyebrows and received significant praise.

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#4. Omos

Omos gained massive attention in WWE due to his mega size. He was a former college basketball star and a one-time RAW Tag Team Champion.

Omos was last seen in WWE in the 2024 André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. After that, he worked for Pro Wrestling Noah despite still being under his WWE contract. The 7'3" monster made headlines when he and Jack Morris won the GHC Tag Team Championship against Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura at the Noah The New Year PPV in December 2024.

On January 25, 2025, The Nigerian Giant announced that he was leaving Noah to make his much-awaited return to WWE. Since then, he has not been used in the product, and returning during the Money in the Bank match would be a pleasant surprise.

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#3. Randy Orton

The Viper, Randy Orton, has had an eventful 2025. He got his revenge against his former friend and person who had him shelved due to injury, Kevin Owens.

He had a match on WrestleMania 41 Night #2 against Joe Hendry, which he won, and finally faced his career-long foe John Cena at Backlash for the WWE Undisputed title, which he lost. However, that last defeat could be why Orton shows up during the Money in the Bank match.

Randy Orton absent from MITB [Image Credits: wwe.com]

Fans were not thrilled with Orton's Backlash match against Cena, and he made it clear he wants the title. The Apex Predator could listen to the voices in his head, take out one of the contestants, and insert himself into the match. This would give him a chance to win the briefcase and challenge Cena to a rematch.

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#2. Ilja Dragunov

During a WWE live event in September 2024, Ilja Dragunov suffered a torn ACL and has been away from television for the entirety of 2025 so far. The initial reports following the injury announcement claimed that the recovery period could be between six and nine months. There is currently no update on Dragunov's condition, but fans would love to see him return.

Ilja Dragunov not in the upcoming PLE?[Image Credits: wwe.com]

Appearing at the show would be a massive surprise. If the 31-year-old has recovered from his injury and does return, he could have a great second half of 2025. Fans have loved the former NXT Champion in the ring and have patiently waited for him to get revenge on Gunther following their much-loved and intense feud from WWE's developmental brand.

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#1. Roman Reigns is not in Money in the Bank

The Original Tribal Chief was last seen at WrestleMania 41 Night #1. During his triple-threat match against Seth Rollins and CM Punk, his Wiseman, Paul Heyman, betrayed him and sided with Rollins.

Heyman cost both Reigns and Punk the match. Now, after the latest episode of WWE RAW, The Visionary is the only one who punched his ticket into the Men's Money in the Bank match.

Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed ensured that the Second City Saint did not win his qualifying match. This makes Architect a significant favorite to win his second Money in the Bank briefcase following his 2014 victory. However, this is where the OTC could step in. Not only did The Revolutionary cost Reigns a WrestleMania win, but he also took the Wiseman, who stood beside him for over five years.

With his new heel stable of Heyman, Breakker, and Reed, Rollins has tried to emulate what the Tribal Chief did during his first heel turn in 2020 with The Bloodline.

Unfortunately, the OTC needs to give him a reality check and a receipt for his actions at Mania. It would not be surprising to see him return at Money in the Bank and cost Rollins the match. As for his lackeys, Punk should be around to help take care of them.