5 WWE Superstars that you had probably forgotten competed in the Men's Money In The Bank Ladder Match

This year's Money In The Bank matches are set to be the most unique in history. Instead of the traditional ladder matches, the bouts will take place at WWE's corporate headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.

Competitors in each match will battle to reach the top of the building, where they will find the prized briefcase suspended above a ring. However, while the format has changed, there is no shortage of top talent in either match.

Particularly in the case of the male roster, the annual Money In The Bank match typically focuses on individuals WWE sees as star performers - or those they feel have the potential to get to that level.

It is easy to understand why. With a world championship opportunity at stake for the winner, it makes sense that the company only wants to include superstars who will be taken seriously as challengers for either the Universal or WWE Championship.

Of this year's male participants, AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan and Rey Mysterio are former world champions - while King Corbin is a former winner of the match. The remaining entrants, Aleister Black and Otis, have been heavily featured by WWE recently, with both winning their matches at WrestleMania.

Despite WWE's intentions, things do not always work out as hoped. Here are five one-time Money In The Bank ladder match entrants that you had probably forgotten ever appeared in the bout.

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#5 Tensai (2012)

The Tensai character debuted in 2012 - but was not a success.

WWE had high hopes for Tensai when the character debuted on RAW the night after WrestleMania in 2012. The real-life Matt Bloom had enjoyed some success in the promotion earlier in his career, as both Prince Albert and A-Train, before he was released in 2004.

It was his run in Japan, as monster heel Giant Bernard, between 2005 and 2012 that encouraged WWE to bring Bloom back.

Initially returning under the name Lord Tensai, Bloom played a mysterious heel, dressed in Japanese samurai attire. The character was a flop, though, with Tensai even going on a losing streak before qualifying for the 2012 World Heavyweight Championship MITB match.

Predictably, Tensai did not emerge victorious, with the briefcase being won by Dolph Ziggler. Tensai did little else of note during the rest of his WWE in-ring career, forming a tag team with Brodus Clay before retiring as an active competitor.

Bloom now works as head coach at the WWE Performance Center.

#4 Fandango (2013)

Fandango made a big impression after debuting in 2013, but his momentum quickly stalled.

Having previously won the fourth season of WWE's NXT television contest in 2011, Johnny Curtis was repackaged as a ballroom dancer named Fandango in 2013. He also found himself in the Money In The Bank Ladder Match.

Fandango was immediately placed into a high profile feud with Chris Jericho. He even beat Jericho in his debut match at WrestleMania 29. The character was a hit with fans at first too, with audiences dancing and singing his entrance music at shows - even if Fandango was not in the ring!

Fandango's momentum would take a big hit when he decisively lost a rematch to Jericho at Extreme Rules 2013 - and he would never recover that same level of fan interest.

His sole Money In The Bank appearance came later that year, in the World Heavyweight Championship version of the ladder match, won by Damien Sandow.

With his career having been blighted by injuries, Fandango is best known in recent times for his tag team with Tyler Breeze, known as Breezango. Currently, though, Fandango is off WWE television, recovering from elbow surgery late last year.

#3 Alex Riley (2011)

Alex Riley enjoyed his most success in WWE while aligned with The Miz.

Alex Riley made his first on-screen appearances for WWE as a rookie on the second season of NXT. Paired with The Miz as his professional mentor on the show, Riley finished the competition in third place. The A-Lister's protege also had a shot at the Money In The Bank briefcase.

Following the conclusion of the competition, Alex Riley began to appear on RAW as The Miz's protege, often interfering in matches on his behalf. Riley enjoyed significant exposure in his heel role, especially when The Miz cashed in the Money In The Bank briefcase on Randy Orton to become WWE champion in November 2010.

The partnership even led Alex Riley to an appearance as part of the WrestleMania 27 main event. Riley accompanied The Miz to the ring for his championship defense against John Cena. Riley interfered several times on The Miz's behalf, in a match that also famously saw involvement from The Rock.

Alex Riley turned babyface after The Miz blamed him for losing his WWE title to Cena the following month, but was rarely featured prominently following the pair's feud.

Alex Riley competed in his sole Money In The Bank match in 2011, featuring in the RAW brand match won by Alberto Del Rio. By the end of the year, Riley was mainly competing on Superstars.

Several runs in NXT, and a stint as a television announcer, followed over the next few years. Truthfully, though, Riley never came close to recapturing the form which saw him compete for the famed briefcase. He was released from his WWE contract in 2016 and moved into acting. Alex Riley did, however, hint at a comeback late last year.

#2 Ted DiBiase Jr. (2010)

WWE had big plans for DiBiase when he first signed with the company.

The son of former WrestleMania main-eventer "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, WWE had high hopes for Ted DiBiase Jr. when they signed him to a developmental deal in 2007.

DiBiase did not have to wait long to taste championship gold in WWE either. He won the world tag team championships with Cody Rhodes on his RAW debut in May 2008.

Rhodes and DiBiase went on to join Randy Orton in a faction known as The Legacy. The group was so named as each of its members were multi-generational Superstars.

DiBiase, alongside his stablemates in The Legacy, would be a key part of the RAW brand's main event scene in 2009. DiBiase and Rhodes engaged in a long rivalry with Shawn Michaels and Triple H during the year - and DiBiase was even selected by WWE to take the starring role in their movie, The Marine 2.

Things would falter for DiBiase once The Legacy disbanded, though. The trio faced each other in a triple threat match at WrestleMania 26, where Orton pinned DiBiase.

Following the split, DiBiase would change his character, bringing back his father's old Million Dollar championship. He would also enter his only MITB contest during RAW's 2010 ladder match. The Miz would win the bout - and DiBiase slid down the brand's pecking order soon after.

A move to SmackDown the following year did little to revive DiBiase's fortunes. After several more years of midcard status, DiBiase opted not to re-sign with WWE when his contract expired in September 2013. He has remained absent from the wrestling business since that time.

#1 Heath Slater (2011)

Heath Slater made his sole Money In The Bank ladder match appearance in 2011.

Best known for his time as a member of various stables, Heath Slater's ten-year stint on WWE's main roster ended when he was released last month.

From The Nexus to The Corre, 3MB and The Social Outcasts, Slater was a part of his fair share of factions - rarely making any sort of bid for singles glory.

He did, however, compete in the 2011 SmackDown MITB ladder match, alongside former stablemates, Wade Barrett and Justin Gabriel. Slater was unsuccessful in the pursuit of the coveted briefcase, though, as Daniel Bryan took the win.

Ironically, Bryan would also defeat Slater in his final match with the company this past February.

Both of Heath Slater's 3MB colleagues, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal, have famously gone on to lift the WWE championship - having been released by WWE in the past.

Could Heath Slater return to the promotion in the future and complete a hattrick of world championships for the stable's former members? Only time will tell.