Currently, all sights are set on WWE WrestleMania 33, and rightfully so. It's shaping up to be a blockbuster card so far, yet the aftermath of the event is equally exciting.
There are quite a few stars at the moment who are on the brink of greatness but just need that little extra push, which is where the Money in the Bank briefcase comes in.
This summer, the Money in the Bank pay-per-view will return and once again, someone will ascend the ladder and ultimately earn themselves a future world title match at any time of their choosing. But who?
Since it is not yet known whether the pay-per-view will be exclusive to either Raw or SmackDown Live, this list will include athletes from both brands that should be considered strong candidates to become the next Mr. Money in the Bank.
#5 The Miz
Alright, so two-time Money in the Bank winners aren't ideal, but I would argue that it worked out pretty well for both Edge and CM Punk in the past years.
Their initial runs in the main event scene weren't stellar, yet it was when they cashed the contract the second time that they truly solidified themselves as main event calibre competitors.
Also read: SK Exclusive: Massive confusion over future of Money in the Bank PPV
The Miz is in a similar position right now where he was only in contention for WWE's top titles shortly after winning the coveted briefcase in 2010. Once he dropped the prestigious prize, he was dropped down to the mid-card level and never recovered.
That said, he has been doing the best work of his career this last year and deserves another shot at super stardom. He came close to becoming WWE championship at Elimination Chamber just recently, but the briefcase could be exactly what he needs to get himself back where he belongs.
#4 Luke Harper
Luke Harper would have been an odd instalment in a list like this six months ago considering he was largely an afterthought in The Wyatt Family at the time. However, he has shown signs of incredible potential in the past and has really broken out as a singles star as of late.
In fact, Harper came close to punching his ticket to the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 33 when he lost AJ Styles on the February 28th edition of SmackDown Live. Regardless of whether he is ultimately added to the title match or not, he is sure to hold gold sooner rather than later.
The former Wyatt Family member is one of the few true wild cards in WWE at the moment, and thus having him become Mr. Money in the Bank and tease cashing in the contract at any time would be perfectly in-line with his character.
If he can alter his appearance a bit, Harper can be a world champion in no time.
#3 Sami Zayn
In an interesting trivia note, a former Ring of Honor wrestler has won the Money in the Bank Ladder match every three years since 2008 (CM Punk, then Daniel Bryan, then Seth Rollins).
That would mean that another alumnus from ROH is bound to become Mr. Money in the Bank this year, how about Sami Zayn?
Granted, an argument can be made that Zayn is better in chase mode (hence why his NXT Championship reign lasted a mere two months). However, he is absolutely world championship material based on his exceptional abilities in the ring and on the mic, as well as with how he can easily connect with crowds.
In his most recent rivalries with Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe, Zayn has proven that he works best when he's fighting against the odds, so giving WWE's ultimate underdog the possession of the briefcase would make sense from a storyline standpoint.
Additionally, he would without a doubt be a top star on SmackDown Live if he were to be traded/drafted later on in 2017.
#2 Baron Corbin
It's incredible how much of a difference one year can make. When Baron Corbin initially arrived on WWE's main roster at WrestleMania 32, he was still finding his footing as a character, yet it was apparent that he was bound for big things in WWE if he was handled the right way.
Sure enough, his gradual ascent up the card in the past year has been brilliant, with him knocking off the likes of Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger and Kalisto. Now, he is focused on winning the Intercontinental Championship from Dean Ambrose, though a world title win may not be far behind.
Following his fantastic performances on the final episode of SmackDown Live in 2016 and at Elimination Chamber, Corbin has showed that he has all the tools necessary to become a top guy on the blue brand.
The Lone Wolf is just one Money in the Bank win away from fulfilling that destiny.
#1 Cesaro
For years, fans have been singing the praises of Cesaro and have been claiming that he is fully capable of capturing and carrying a world championship in the WWE. Unfortunately, it seems like the only thing holding him back from main event status is Vince McMahon.
Either way, there is a far better chance of him becoming a top-tier talent on SmackDown Live as opposed to on Raw, where he currently is one-half of a directionless tag team with Sheamus. Once traded to the blue brand, a Money in the Bank victory would only be inevitable.
The Swiss Superman came close to clinching the contract at last year's instalment, but 2017 should be the year he finally reigns supreme with the briefcase in tow. The matches he could contest with the likes of AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, John Cena and Bray Wyatt over the WWE Championship would be nothing short of spectacular.
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