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In just over a week, WWE's top Superstars will be climbing the so-called 'Corporate Ladder' at this year's Money in the Bank PPV. Taking place at WWE headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, the participants of both the female and male ladder matches will start on the ground floor of the building. They will fight their way up to the roof and eventually scale a ladder high above the ground to grasp the contract for a guaranteed shot at the World Championship.
Much like the Royal Rumble, the stipulation causes the wrestling world to start fantasy booking as there is the idea that a relative nobody at the bottom of the card could shoot up to the main event and taste that glory. Many men, and women, have entered the match type and have gone on to etch their name in the history books in one way or another- either by winning the perspective championship or failing, even with the huge advantage.
But there have also been many individuals who have had the opportunity several times and never managed to take it. Wrestlers who have stepped up to the plate on multiple occasions but struck out every time. And who are they? Well, that's where this piece comes in.
Please find below the six men who have made the most appearances in Money in the Bank ladder matches- but have never emerged victorious.
#6 and #5 Cody Rhodes & Matt Hardy (4 appearances)
At this current moment, Cody Rhodes is at the top of the wrestling world.
Alongside The Young Bucks and the rest of the Elite, All Elite Wrestling has exploded onto the wrestling world stage- captivating audiences, providing platforms to people who have been deserving of said platform for years and shaking up the status quo of the pro-wrestling industry.
However, when the grandson of a plumber was in WWE and participating in Money in the Bank matches- he had a lot less success. Appearing in four consecutive years, 2010 through to 2013, Cody never got a win. However it was recently revealed, when conducting a Q&A on Twitter, Cody was supposed to win the 2012 briefcase:
Clearly, looking back, Cody is appreciative of not being chosen to win but still, with four entries to his name and zero wins: he must have some form of regret attached to the stipulation.
The man Cody is tied with four appearances is also a member of the AEW roster in the form of Matt Hardy. Hardy featured in the '06, '07 and two of the 2010 Money in the Bank matches.
#4 Chris Jericho (Tied, 5 Appearances)
And sticking with AEW...
The former, and inaugural, All Elite Wrestling World Champion is having another one of his patented career renaissances over on TNT. As 'Le Champion' and the leader of the 'Inner Circle', Chris Jericho continues to defy all expectations and stay atop of the wrestling universe.
However, despite being one of the men behind the stipulation all the way back in its infancy, Chris Jericho has appeared in five separate Money in the Bank matches but never managed to win the match he created. Appearing in the debut back in 2005, at WrestleMania 21, Y2J would go on to compete in the 2008, 2010, 2012 and finally the 2016 Money in the Bank match-up.
Often being one of the more established names to draw in the fans and veterans to steady the ship/hold the match together, Chris has always shone in these matches but, unfortunately for him, has never managed to claim the prize. This, of course, hasn't exactly stopped the lead singer of Fozzy from capturing multiple world titles during his run within WWE, but he cannot say he has ever held the briefcase.
#3 Shelton Benjamin (Tied, 5 Appearances)
We go from the creator to The Gold Standard.
Tying Chris Jericho's five appearances is a man who also competed in the debut of the stipulation- Shelton Benjamin. Competing in the 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 MITB matches ensured that Shelton's legacy within WWE was intact and will always be remembered.
A naturally talented, gifted high-flyer; the man who's theme music stated he can't be stopped definitely proved it through his death-defying stunts throughout his, albeit, unsuccessful attempts to secure the victory. When people mention the match-type, two of Benjamin's spots may come to mind.
The first being, in the debut match, where Shelton ran up a ladder almost vertically that was leaning up against the ladder Chris Jericho was using to try and reach the briefcase. Several years later, at WrestleMania again, Benjamin somehow eclipsed this ridiculous act of athleticism when he hit a terrifying dive atop a monstrously tall ladder on the outside to the rest of the competitors within the match.
Despite never getting to wrap his hands around that golden ticket, Shelton Benjamin will live long in the memory of the Money in the Bank stipulation as, many would argue, without his daredevil acts, the match type wouldn't have gotten over as fast.
#2 Christian (6 Appearances)
Christian has always been dealt a bad hand by WWE.
Christian was one-sixth of the fantastic set of TLC matches between himself and Edge, the Hardy Boyz, and the Dudleys. He was incredibly talented both in the ring and on the microphone, but was always viewed as the little brother, literally in some cases, to his tag-team partner Edge.
Edge would go on to multiple world titles, a Hall of Fame induction and becoming the winner of the first-ever Money in the Bank match. But Christian had to settle on being the guy who always delivers, but never rewarded to perhaps the level he should be.
And this has been proven with the fact he has been entrusted to appear in six Money in the Bank matches- 2005, 2009, twice in 2010, 2012 and 2013. However, he has never claimed the match in victory. Funnily enough, when you think of Christian in conjuncture with the name of the stipulation, the first thing that pops into most people's heads was his fantastic world title contest against Randy Orton at the 2011 PPV of the same name.
But despite not winning the match after six attempts, he can have comfort in the fact he is 'Mr. MITB' in terms of most appearances...with the exception of one man.
#1 Kofi Kingston (7 Appearances)
Apart from Kane who won the briefcase back in 2010, Kofi Kingston has appeared in the most Money in the Bank matches.
Take everything that was mentioned about Shelton Benjamin and apply it tenfold to the former world champion. Appearing in 2009, twice in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, before his final appearance to date in a surprise inclusion in the 2018 MITB, he holds the moniker of 'Mr. Money in the Bank'...despite never being officially able to call himself that title.
Because yes, despite having the joint most attempts, Kingston has never managed to climb the ladder, unhook the briefcase and get that contract. From spots where he was walking on ladder stilts, to a 'Boom Drop' off a ladder through a table to many more, Kofi Kingston has certainly ensured audiences got their Money's worth when watching the show, although he has never managed to get that Money himself.
However, with Kofi still competing at the highest level and Money in the Bank becoming more and more of a staple within WWE, there is no doubt we will see Kofi enter the match again and, who knows, maybe it's lucky number eight?
