Good thoughts, Pyro and DX-HHH-DX and Prospekt's March.
One reason I think the Cole highlighting of Kofi "never becoming world champion" fits more for The Royal Rumble than it does for Money in the Bank is because of the timing. Starting that up right in the middle of December strikes me as awfully ideal timing for a Royal Rumble push. Even if they have a MITB match at Wrestlemania, that's still over three months away and with Smackdown's weak roster, especially, it's highly unlikely WWE could keep up a MITB push for Kofi this strongly, and this consistently, for the duration of that period of time. They seem to be setting Kofi up--potentially, anyway--for a classic underdog storyline for Wrestlemania with Cole continually harping on the opinion that Kofi will never win the big one, despite winning The Royal Rumble. Rather than use the standard marquee match intrigue to build it up as Wrestlemania-worthy, since Kofi is logically a newcomer to the main event scene, they would have to adopt the "underdog, boyhood dream" angle for him, which they already seem to be setting up. It's just very conspicuous, that's all. Otherwise, this is all just conjecture and theory.
With them harping on the Edge/Christian friendship as of late, I could see Christian return at the 'Rumble to cost Edge the championship to Kane, to set up a heel Christian vs. face Edge, non-title match at Wrestlemania, Kofi vs. Kane for the WHC and meanwhile they could give Rey vs. ADR a proper blowoff at Wrestlemania since, if it really is Kane vs. Edge at the 'Rumble, I find it unlikely that Del Rio will be champion this winter after all (unless Edge simply retains at The Royal Rumble and Del Rio picks it up at Elimination Chamber, which seems unlikely but at least within the realm of possibility).
I do agree with you, DX-HHH-DX, however, that either Punk or Cena winning the Royal Rumble is a distinct possibility considering their storyline and its potential as well. Although I think in every case a heel's winning of The Royal Rumble soehow, eventually, detrimentally impacts The Road to Wrestlemania storyline in which that heel is involved.