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Who Should Win the 2026 Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match? 

New Orleans, the site of September’s Money in the Bank Premium Live Event - Source: Unsplash

WrestleMania 42 is now firmly in the rearview mirror, and WWE is embarking upon a stacked summer schedule, which appears to have top star Roman Reigns available full-time. The Tribal Chief has operated on a part-time basis in recent years, but his epic World Heavyweight Championship victory against CM Punk at the Showcase of the Immortals in Las Vegas has apparently ushered in a new era of full-time OTC. 

Reigns is currently on a collision course with real-life cousin Jacob Fatu, with the two set to square off at Backlash in May with the title on the line. He has appeared on both episodes of Monday Night Raw since winning the gold at Mania, and if Reigns' own words are anything to go by, we can get used to seeing plenty of him throughout the summer. 

Money in the Bank's Later Date 

One thing that won't be featuring on WWE's summer programming is the Money in the Bank briefcase. This year, the annual ladder match extravaganza will take place in a later September slot as opposed to its usual positioning in June. Last year, Seth Rollins climbed the ladder and claimed the briefcase, guaranteeing himself a world championship opportunity at a time and place of his choosing. As we all remember, he would go on to pull off the Ruse of the Century, convincing the WWE fanbase that he was legitimately injured, only to appear at SummerSlam and swipe the World Heavyweight Championship away from CM Punk just minutes after the Second City Saint had himself claimed the title with a thrilling victory against Gunther. 

So, which superstars appear primed and ready to claim the briefcase in 2026, albeit far later into the year than usual? Let's take a look. 

Logan Paul 

It seems like Logan Paul has been considered a Mr. Money in the Bank contender for an eternity, never quite managing to claim the briefcase. And if online betting sites are to be believed, there could well be a boxing match in his immediate future rather than his regular wrestling duties. The latest boxing betting at Bovada odds currently has the Maverick positioned as a -110 betting favorite to win a potential clash against former NFL running back Le'Veon Bell, with a fight proposed between the two after Paul said on social media that he could fight and defeat any football player inside the boxing ring. 

Whether that actually comes to fruition or not remains to be seen, but one thing that certainly cannot be up for debate is just how well that briefcase would look on arguably the most hated man on the WWE roster. The Cleveland native garners nuclear heat from fans whenever he appears on WWE programming, and that is exactly what you want from your Money in the Bank briefcase holder. Imagine Paul showing up after Cody Rhodes or Roman Reigns have just defended their titles in a main event for the ages, only for him to cash in his title opportunity and escape with the gold. It's a story that writes itself. 

Trick Williams 

Former NXT Champion Trick Williams has shone since making the step up to the main roster back in January. "Mr. Whoop That" has consistently garnered huge reactions from the live audience, and it's clear that WWE brass is big on his stock. Williams recently defeated Sami Zayn at WrestleMania to claim the United States Championship, his first big prize as a fully-fledged main roster star. Could the Money in the Bank briefcase be the next one in his immediate future? 

If we look back throughout history, very few men have been crowned Mr. Money in the Bank so early into their WWE tenure. Had the match been held in June like normal, we'd have aired on the side of caution in predicting Williams as a winner. However, with an extra three months to continue building himself into SmackDown's top heel, Sweet Daddy Trick could well be the one to benefit from Money in the Bank 2026's later scheduling. Winning the briefcase and cashing in on a stricken Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes could set WWE up for their big storyline that takes them through the notoriously difficult Fall period. 

Sami Zayn 

No superstar has seen his stock fall with the WWE audience in recent times more than Sami Zayn. The Underdog of the Underground was the most beloved babyface in the company when he was ousted from the Bloodline in January 2023. While he would enjoy a feel-good tag team championship win alongside long-time best friend Kevin Owens in the main event of WrestleMania 39 Night One, it has been all downhill since. 

In recent times, Zayn has been the recipient of raucous boos from fans, despite him being presented as a stereotypical "good guy." His winning the briefcase, then, could be the perfect trigger to usher in a turn to the dark side. Think CM Punk cashing in on a stricken Jeff Hardy to become World Heavyweight Champion all those years ago. Zayn could well do something similar, and it would be poetic if he were to win the briefcase and ultimately cash in on Roman Reigns, securing his revenge for the trials and tribulations he suffered at the Tribal Chief's hands three years ago. 

 

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