John Cena and 4 other WWE Superstars who were the wrong Money in the Bank winners

With the 2024 Money in the Bank quickly approaching, the WWE Universe has begun speculating which superstars will be the lucky ones to claim the briefcase this year. Since its inception at WrestleMania 21, MITB has become one of the most popular annual events in wrestling.

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Whoever wins the contract is in a great position to become a main event star. Since its origination, this match has created some incredible storylines. However, there have been some winners who have squandered an opportunity that would've been better suited for someone else.

Here's our list of five superstars who were the wrong MITB winners.

#5. Jack Swagger - WrestleMania 26 MITB Ladder Match Winner

Jack Swagger grabs the briefcase at WrestleMania 26! [Photo credit: WWE.com]

In 2006, WWE signed a highly decorated athlete from Oklahoma whom fans eventually knew as Jack Swagger. During his time with the company, Swagger was best known as an all-American patriot. His "we the people" angle with Zeb Colter (a.k.a Dutch Mantell) is arguably his most popular storyline during his career.

Heading into WrestleMania 26 in 2010, Jack Swagger earned the right to participate in the Money in the Bank ladder match. Swagger came out victorious, winning the MITB contract. He would go on to win the World Heavyweight Championship after cashing in it on Chris Jericho on an episode of SmackDown. Unfortunately, Jack's reign was nothing to write home about, lasting under 80 days.

#4. Mr. Kennedy - MITB Ladder Match Winner at WrestleMania 23

Mr. Kennedy won the Money in the Bank contract in 2007. [Photo credit WWE.com]

There were some major superstars involved in the 2007 Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 23. It would be one of the lesser-knowns who ended up winning the match, which was Mr. Kennedy. Unfortunately, an injury prevented him from taking advantage of this big opportunity. He lost his contract to Edge, who went on to cash in on John Cena to win the WWE Title.

During his time with the company, Kennedy was extremely charismatic and was incredible on the mic. However, he never reached the top, and the company released him in 2009. He would go on to have a great career with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling.

#3. 2020 Money in the Bank winner Otis

Otis won the MITB ladder match during the COVID era. [Photo credit: WWE.com]

One of the most popular current RAW Superstars is Otis. In recent weeks, he has been teasing a split from Chad Gable and appears to be heading for a babyface singles run. The Alpha Academy has seen better days, as Gable appears to be imploding the faction more each week.

The pandemic era was a difficult time for everyone, including WWE. The company pushed forward, holding events behind closed doors, including the 2020 Money in the Bank event. Otis won the MITB contract after outlasting several other superstars who chased one another around the WWE Headquarters. However, he later lost his contract to The Miz at Hell in a Cell.

#2. 2021 WWE Money in the Bank winner Nikki A.S.H.

Nikki was "almost a superhero" after winning the MITB ladder match! [Photo credit: WWE.com]

The biggest news in the wrestling world is the recent debut of Wyatt Sicks. Uncle Howdy and his underlings are ready to take over the wrestling world as they honor Bray Wyatt with subtle reminders of his legacy. One member of this new faction is Nikki Cross, and this new role fits her perfectly. This could be the break Cross has been needing for a long time.

In 2021, Nikki took on a superhero type of gimmick, mimicking the persona once used by "Mighty" Molly Holly. Nikki won the 2021 Women's Money in the Bank ladder match and cashed in the very next night on RAW.

She defeated Charlotte Flair to become the new RAW Women's Champion. This was Nikki's first and only singles title. Unfortunately, she only held the championship for one month before losing it back to Charlotte at SummerSlam.

#1. 2012 Money in the Bank winner John Cena

John Cena was not the right person for the MITB ladder match win! [Photo credit: WWE.com]

The year 2000 will always be remembered as arguably the greatest developmental class WWE has ever signed. Brock Lesnar, Batista, and Randy Orton were just a few names that started their journey in 2000 with OVW. Another person who was a part of that memorable class is 16-time World Champion John Cena.

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John Cena went into the Money in the Bank already on top of the world as a main event star. Cena was on the heels of a legendary feud with The Rock when he won the MITB ladder match.

The Leader of Cenation cashed in during an episode of RAW a week later, but the match ended in a disqualification. This resulted in Cena squandering his contract by winning the match, but not winning the title.