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The Money in the Bank briefcase was once an honour that was bestowed upon mid-carders who were awaiting a push into the main event scene. Over the last few years, however, that blueprint has been altered to the point where nobody really knows what's going to happen on a year by year basis. Sometimes the winner is predictable, whereas in these instances you're left thinking "wait, what?".
The contract holder should always be someone who is ready, willing and able to carry the torch forward before eventually cashing in - and that isn't always the case. That isn't to say we don't love watching some of these superstars perform, but at the time of their big win, it just didn't sit right with us.
So with that being said, here are five times the wrong superstar won Money in the Bank.
#1 Baron Corbin
Baron Corbin's MITB win felt inevitable, mainly because it was clear to see that the company were interested in him as a potential main eventer. Still, we didn't think they'd manage to botch the cash-in quite so badly, as he was defeated by Jinder Mahal so quickly and with such ease that it felt like the biggest waste of the briefcase in a long, long time.
Corbin hasn't quite been able to recover, and we're left to wonder whether or not it would've been a better idea to have Sami Zayn win the match. He could've mistimed his cash-in, which would've served as the main catalyst behind his eventual heel turn at Hell in a Cell. They could've really built towards that moment because, at the time, it just didn't sit right with us.
#2 Damien Sandow
Damien Sandow was once considered to be the most interesting character on the main roster. His 'intellectual' gimmick was really starting to get over with the WWE Universe, but the main problem was that his Money in the Bank win felt like it was happening way, way too soon. It's not like he didn't deserve it, but it just didn't feel like something he'd earned yet.
The cash-in itself was even more embarrassing, as John Cena kickstarted a chain of events that eventually wound up leading to his exit from WWE. In an alternate universe, we would've enjoyed seeing Cesaro win the briefcase, before immediately getting on the mic and stating that he isn't interested in any sneak attacks - before declaring that he was going to cash in at SummerSlam.
#3 Daniel Bryan
Way back in 2011, it still felt like Daniel Bryan was treading water in WWE. Sure, he'd been able to pick up some momentum courtesy of his in-ring performances, but it felt like he hadn't really locked down what kind of character he was. So then, when he won the Money in the Bank ladder match, you can imagine how many people were taken by surprise.
While he did cash it in and eventually became an incredibly annoying heel, it felt like a waste of a world title run. That role would've been much better suited to someone like Wade Barrett, who was also in the match because he was desperately searching for a way in which to become relevant again.
The briefcase would've worked well under the ownership of the Englishman, and it could've springboarded his career to the top - much like it did for Edge.
#2 John Cena
John Cena's Money in the Bank win felt off from the word go. Not only was the ending of the match itself botched, but the eventual cash-in didn't work out all too well either. Cena failed to capture the WWE Championship courtesy of Big Show's interference, and they didn't really focus too heavily on the fact that he was the first man not to win the title upon cashing in.
If they were going to go that route or any other for that matter, then Chris Jericho should've been the man to win the briefcase. Y2J could've used an injection of life in his character, as he felt a little bit stale at the time. Whether he went on to win the title or not is irrelevant, because either way, he could've reinvented himself like only he knows how.
#1 CM Punk
When CM Punk won the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 25, it felt like the time was right for him to move into the world title picture. When it happened twelve months prior in Orlando, however, that wasn't the case. From the match itself to his actual reign as World Heavyweight Champion, Punk felt like he was in over his head as a babyface.
The match at the Citrus Bowl should've instead been used as a way to give Mr Kennedy another shot at running with the briefcase. His previous win was cut short when Edge won the contract from him, and Kennedy was someone who always possessed the kind of star potential necessary to be Mr Money in the Bank.
Still, things didn't work out too badly for the Straight Edge Superstar in the end.
