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WWE Money in the Bank 2021 is this Sunday, live on the WWE Network, Peacock and pay-per-view.
The event marks the first pay-per-view presentation by WWE since the company returned to touring with live fans in attendance.
The event centers around the respective male and female Money in the Bank ladder matches. During the match, competitors face off in an attempt to retrieve the Money in the Bank briefcase that is suspended above the ring.
Inside the briefcase lies the Money in the Bank contract. The contract is a guaranteed World Championship contract, good for the next twelve months at any time and any place.
66 male and 18 female WWE Superstars have competed in Money in the Bank ladder matches since the concept made its debut at WrestleMania 21 in 2005.
With the majority of those names being unsuccessful, it shouldn't be a surprise that several of those former Money in the Bank competitors are no longer under contract with WWE.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at five Money in the Bank competitors that are no longer with WWE.
#5 Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes
Despite currently being an All Elite Wrestling Executive Vice President, Cody Rhodes is still well known for his career with WWE.
Cody was under contract with WWE for the first ten years of his professional wrestling career from 2006 until his departure from the promotion in 2016.
During his WWE career, the former AEW TNT Champion competed in a Money in the Bank ladder match on four separate occasions. The first was at the Money in the Bank event in 2010, competing in the World Heavyweight Championship contract ladder match that was eventually won by Kane.
The following year at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Cody Rhodes once again competed in the World Heavyweight Championship contract Money in the Bank ladder match. However this time, the match was won by Daniel Bryan.
At WWE Money in the Bank 2012, Cody Rhodes once again competed in the Money in the Bank ladder match for the World Heavyweight Championship contract. The match was won by Dolph Ziggler.
Rhodes competed in his final Money in the Bank ladder match at the 2013 Money in the Bank event. Once again competing for the World Heavyweight Championship contract, Rhodes was double crossed by his Team Rhodes Scholars tag team partner Damian Sandow, who eventually captured the briefcase.
After transitioning to the infamous StarDust gimmick in 2014, Cody Rhodes eventually requested and was granted his release by WWE in 2016. Since then, Cody Rhodes has become an Executive Vice President with All Elite Wrestling and a former two-time AEW TNT Champion.
#4 Former WWE Tag Team Champion Heath Slater
Former WWE Superstar Heath Slater only competed in one single, Money in the Bank ladder match during the entirety of his WWE career.
His only appearance in the trademark match came during the 2011 Money in the Bank pay-per-view event in Chicago, Illinois.
Heath Slater competed in the World Heavyweight Championship contract ladder match that opened the event. In the match he faced off against the likes of Cody Rhodes, Sheamus, Kane, Sin Cara, Justin Gabriel, Wade Barrett and Daniel Bryan.
It was certainly an interesting dynamic for Slater. His opponents in the match included former The Nexus and The Corre teammates Wade Barrett and Justin Gabriel. In fact, Heath Slater was a former WWE Tag Team Champion with Justin Gabriel on three separate occasions.
Despite teaming up with Gabriel at points in the match, Slater was ultimately unsuccessful in retrieving the Money in the Bank briefcase. Daniel Bryan won the match, beginning his assent up the WWE card.
After being under contract with WWE for 14 years, Heath Slater was released by the company in 2020 due to budget cuts associated with the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Slater wasn't a free agent for long though, as he was quickly signed by IMPACT Wrestling. Still under contract to IMPACT, Heath is currently on the sidelines after having surgery for a serious hernia injury sustained at Bound For Glory in October 2020.
#3 Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Christian
Former WWE Superstar Christian is tied for the second most Money in the Bank ladder match appearances in WWE history.
The current AEW wrestler appeared in the very first Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 21 in 2005. That match was ultimately won by Edge but marked the first of six Money in Bank ladder match appearances by Christian in the following years.
Christian competed in the final two Money in the Bank ladder matches to be held at WrestleMania events. This was in 2009 at WrestleMania XXV and 2010 at WrestleMania XXVI. Those matches were won by CM Punk and Jack Swagger respectively, both of whom are also no longer under contract with WWE.
Christian then competed in the World Heavyweight Championship contract Money in the Bank ladder matches at the 2010 and 2012 WWE Money in the Bank pay-per-views. Unfortunately for Christian, the ladder matches were won by Kane and Dolph Ziggler respectively.
Captain Charisma competed in his final Money in the Bank ladder match at the 2013 Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Christian challenged for the WWE Championship contract, but the Money in the Bank briefcase was ultimately retrieved by Randy Orton.
After suffering a serious concussion on Monday Night RAW in March 2014, it was later announced in the year that Christian had quietly retired from in-ring competition.
After making sporadic appearances on WWE programming over the years, Christian finally returned to in-ring action earlier this year as a surprise entrant in the men's Royal Rumble match.
However, it was subsequently revealed that Christian was not under contract with WWE and was a free agent. In a shocking move, Christian signed with All Elite Wrestling, making his debut on the AEW Revolution pay-per-view in March 2021.
#2 Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Carlito
Former WWE Superstar Carlito has only ever competed in one Money in the Bank ladder match during his WWE career.
The former WWE United States Champion competed in his one and only Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania XXIV in 2008. In the match, Carlito faced off against WWE Superstars such as John Morrison, MVP, CM Punk, Chris Jericho, Mr. Kennedy and Shelton Benjamin.
The match was eventually won by CM Punk, beginning his transition into the WWE main event scene.
A former WWE United States Champion, Intercontinental Champion and Tag Team Champion, Carlito had a very successful and memorable WWE career. The second generation wrestler was under contract with WWE for seven years from 2003 to 2010.
After eleven years away from WWE, Carlito returned to the company as a surprise entrant in the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble match this past January. The following night on Monday Night RAW Carlito competed in his first RAW match in over ten years as he teamed up with Jeff Hardy to defeat Elias and Jaxson Ryker.
While Carlito is not currently under contract with WWE, there is always a possibility that the former Intercontinental Champion could return to the company in the future.
#1 Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho
Former WWE Undisputed Champion Chris Jericho holds the distinction of being the originator of the Money in the Bank concept.
Jericho invented the concept in 2005, pitching it to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon for a ladder match to be held at WrestleMania 21 that year.
However, despite being the inventor of the Money in the Bank ladder match, Chris Jericho has never won the Money in the Bank briefcase. Chris Jericho has competed in a Money in the Bank ladder match on five separate occasions, losing every single time.
Y2J competed in the very first Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 21 which was eventually won by Edge. Jericho then competed in his next Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania XXIV in 2008 in which CM Punk left as Mr. Money in the Bank.
Chris Jericho then competed in the WWE Championship contract Money in the Bank ladder match at the 2010 Money in the Bank pay-per-view. However, that match was ultimately won by The Miz.
The current AEW wrestler once again competed in the match he created at the Money in the Bank event in 2012, challenging for the WWE Championship Money in the Bank contract. But John Cena was the one to retrieve the Money in the Bank briefcase.
Chris Jericho competed in his final Money in the Bank ladder match at the 2016 Money in the Bank pay-per-view. However, current AEW star Dean Ambrose was the victor that night.
After a nearly two-decade association with WWE, Chris Jericho signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2019, shocking the professional wrestling world. Since then, Jericho has been instrumental in establishing AEW as a viable and legitimate alternative to WWE.
Le Champion was even the inaugural AEW World Champion, further helping to firmly place AEW on the map.
