‘RAW’ has plenty of top-tier talent

As I was watching the stare down between John Cena and Bobby Lashley Monday night in preparation for their clash at the Great American Bash this Sunday (please Bobby, learn some mike skills if you’re going to be a main-eventer) it got me thinking about the potential feuds we’ll have leading into SummerSlam next month.

It was then that it became apparent there could be some trouble at the top when the injured talent returns in the near future, all this when Smackdown and ECW have been picked dry of main-eventers by the recent draft lottery, itself aimed at filling holes on RAW caused by the injury bug.

Consider this. First we have Cena and Lashley, both top stars. Then, in the immediate wings, we have Booker T, or King Booker as he’s called now, always a top heel, and he is joined by golden boy Misssssterrrr Kennnnedddy … wait for it … Kennedy, who will get a main event push as soon as his tricep is totally heeled.

Then, let’s not forget the original golden boy, Randy Orton, who, if he can stop being the PacMan Jones of WWE for five minutes, will get another solid push at the title. Then, number six is the Samoan Bulldozer Umaga who has been cemented as an unstoppable heel. And then, there is the immediate return of ‘The Game,’ Triple H, who we all know will be getting a major push. Add the return of the Heart Break Kid Shawn Michaels from his knee issues later this fall and you’ve got eight. That’s a lot of stars needing main event face time.

With rumors of RAW going to a third hour and the reality that injuries will happen, the eight contenders will at least make it easy to keep fresh feuds going. The question is whether the talent will get uneasy about sharing time at the main event when it comes to PPVs and as to whether any of the aforementioned main events will be forgotten and given lesser roles.

And before you think about forming a major main event feud over the Intercontinental belt, let’s consider its drop in value in recent years. It isn’t exactly the Ultimate Warrior versus Hulk Hogan anymore.

Face it, the Intercontinental title doesn’t have the luster it used to have, even held by newcomer Santino Marella recently as a way to get him face time before his character got squashed by Umaga. Instead, the IC title has been like an NIT for the WWE, where it’s the top prize for mid-carders.

In the old days it was a stepping stone for future WWE champions, but nowadays it’s a secondary strap put on up-and-comers to give them something to carry over their shoulders on the way to the ring. Instead of representing what used to be the No. 1 contender, it basically represents the No. 9 contender, if even that.

While I have no problem with the large pool of talent on RAW, I understand the problems it has caused for Smackdown. Currently, your main-eventers are Edge, Batista and Kane, soon to be joined by Rey Mysterio when he returns in the near future (No, the Great Khali isn’t a realistic long term main-eventer given his stiff style and inability to talk coherently in any language anyone understands). And, Batista and Edge has already been burned up by three consecutive pay-per-view matches so your feuds have already been cut in half. And, let’s remember Kane is only an opponent of convenience for Edge this Sunday, and has no chance of taking the strap.

Aside from maybe elevating Matt Hardy from United States title contender to Heavyweight contender or putting Ric Flair back in the mix for the world title, there may have to be a move of talent back to Smackdown once Triple H and HBK return to RAW.

But hey, two months ago I was lamenting injury-depleted rosters. Better a wealth of talent than a shortage.