WWE News: Big Update on Santino Marella and the United States Title Picture

Santino Marella has gotten more over than I think anyone thought was possible.

I’m simply amazed when I watch Raw or SmackDown and the only WWE superstars who get bigger pops than Santino are John Cena, Randy Orton and CM Punk. Ultimately, Santino’s incredible rise in popularity resulted in the WWE’s decision to have him win the United States Championship.

The creative team almost had no choice. The crowd was chanting so loud for Santino, they wanted to see something big happen for him, and that something big was a US title win. But don’t get your hopes up too much because it doesn’t look like his run with the belt is going to last very long.

From the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (via WrestlingInc.com):

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As we have noted, Evan Bourne has been discussed for a WWE United States Title feud with Jack Swagger for later this year. While Santino Marella currently holds the title, officials are leaning towards taking it off of him after WrestleMania 28. 

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I love Santino just as much as the next guy, but I’m honestly not sure how I feel about any of this.

If you’ve read anything I’ve written about Evan Bourne recently, I’ve made it pretty clear that I don’t think he should be anywhere near a title at any point in the near future. Just being suspended for violating the WWE’s Talent Wellness Program isn’t enough.

Plus, I don’t see how any of this makes much sense, anyway. Why even get the United States Championship off of Jack Swagger in the first place if he’s just going to win it back or challenge someone else for it in a couple of months? 

Although I understand that putting the belt on Santino was likely his reward for getting over so well, giving him the title only to take it off of him shortly thereafter is just going to be yet another move that cheapens the value of the United States title.

Zack Ryder held only held that belt for 29 days, Swagger held it for just 29, and now, it looks like Santino isn’t going to have it for that much longer. I’m not really sold on putting a midcard title on a comedy character to begin with, but it’s only going to make matters worse if his run with the belt is a joke, too.

To be honest, I wish the US title should have just stayed on Ryder to begin with. He fought for months to win that title, lost it almost immediately upon winning it and now is in a much worse position on the card than he was beforehand.

I guess the fall of the WWE’s secondary titles continues.

Drake Oz is a WWE Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter and ask him any wrestling-related questions on Formspring.