WrestleMania 28: 5 Wrestlers Who Could Really Use a Push

Grandest Stage of Them All. Showcase of the Immortals. Whatever you call it, WrestleMania can be a career-defining night for any professional wrestler. A strong performance at WrestleMania could make all the difference in the world when it comes to climbing the ranks in the WWE.

Out of everyone on the WWE roster, a handful of wrestlers really deserve some kind of push. Some are in the position to show their worth at WrestleMania 28 while others are going to have to wait until a future WrestleMania to showcase their talents on the Grandest Stage of Them All.

Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler is one of the power players for Team Johnny in the 12-man tag team match. How he went from contending for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble to being an ambiguous part of the Johnny vs. Teddy feud is beyond me.

I hope that they find a way to make him have a memorable WrestleMania performance, despite the fact that there are 11 other people in the match. Perhaps a post-WrestleMania push is more likely than a standout WrestleMania performance. Either way, I hope he gets a quality push.

Alberto Del Rio

Alberto del Rio has found himself in an interesting position. Last year, he opened WrestleMania by challenging Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship in what was a phenomenal match. A year later, the "Mexican Aristocrat" has found himself without a match.

Sources such as NoDQ.com have stated that the WWE didn't want him to be a part of the general manager feud because of the lack of seriousness of the match. If the article is correct and the WWE does plan to push del Rio right back into the main event following his return, then it would be more than welcomed.

The Miz

Until recently, The Miz found himself in a similar position as Alberto del Rio. Despite main-eventing WrestleMania 27, it wasn't until recently that Miz joined Team Johnny. As a part of this 12-man tag team match, I find it hard to believe that he'll deliver a moment as memorable as retaining the WWE Championship in the main event.

Miz could still find a way to make an impact at this year's event. Perhaps he'll score the winning fall for Team Johnny. He could even interfere in the John Cena vs. The Rock match, much like The Rock made his presence known in Miz vs. Cena last year.

Whatever the case, Miz is far too talented to be wasted like this. He is a main event-level heel, and he still has an incredible untapped potential as a babyface.

David Otunga

No matter what you think of the guy, he has definitely found his niche as John Laurinaitis' right-hand man.

Since his NXT Season One debut, his ring work has also come a long way. Is it great? No, not really. But I still find his character and what he's doing amusing, which is a big part of being successful in the WWE.

I'm not saying I want to see Otunga in main event, world championship matches, but I would like to see him continue to be featured prominently in the midcard. Otunga being captain of Team Johnny at WrestleMania is a huge accomplishment.

In my opinion, a singles feud between him and Santino Marella after WrestleMania writes itself.

Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes has had a pretty good WrestleMania history thus far. He has faced Randy Orton and Ted DiBiase in a triple threat, and he had a singles match against Rey Mysterio last year.

His Intercontinental Championship defense against Big Show isn't quite as prominent as the others and likely won't yield as exciting a match, but I'm sure it will be a memorable performance for Rhodes.

I expect that once WrestleMania season winds down and guys like Shawn Michaels, Undertaker and The Rock are out of the picture, Rhodes will steadily ease himself into World Heavyweight Championship contention.

A stellar WrestleMania bout with Big Show on Sunday will be the perfect way to ensure that 2012 is a career year for the second-generation competitor. 

Conclusion

John Cena vs. The Rock and Undertaker vs. Triple H are bound to be huge matches that will define this year's WrestleMania. However, once the show is over and a lot of the part-time stars are out of the picture, it will be time for other stars to step into the spotlight.

Guys like Cody Rhodes and Dolph Ziggler will, in all likelihood, assume their rightful places in world title contention. Other established main event stars, like Miz and Alberto del Rio, will re-emerge as top talent and again take aim at WWE's top prizes.

Then there are guys like David Otunga who have excelled in their current roles and will likely receive some kind of small push as an incentive.

WrestleMania season is truly the most exciting time of the year for WWE fans, no doubt. The post-WrestleMania season can be just as exciting. With all the new stars stepping up, there is sure to be loads of thrilling television.

Thanks for reading. You can find me on Twitter @MikePW247. In addition, PW 24/7 Radio will be hosting a "Think Tank" special in which all the on-air hosts get together to host the most collaborative and comprehensive review of WrestleMania 28 on the internet! Make sure to tune in right after WrestleMania goes off the air. And, as always, it's 100% FREE!