WWE Injury Report: How Each Person Can Make an Immediate Impact Upon Returning
Injuries have always been a part of the wrestling business. In many ways they're inevitable, but only the greats know how to bounce back after being out of the spotlight for an extended period of time.
Lately, it seems like wrestlers can't seem to avoid going on the disabled list, whether its legitimate or for other personal reasons (*cough* Sin Cara *cough*). There's still plenty of opportunities, however, for every single wrestler out right now to return in a big way.
With the recent return of HHH as the new WWE chairman, there's no telling just how much of an impact many of these wrestlers can make once they are once again ready to step into the squared circle.
Big Show
1 of 12This is one of those "injuries." Even though Big Show isn't actually hurt, I'm sure his body needed a good 6-8 week break after everything he's been through lately.
Mark Henry fractured Show's fibula on Sunday after crushing it, Yokozuna-style, with a steel chair. Big Show sold it like a pro, and now he'll be watching from the sidelines until possibly late September.
Of course, a lot can change by then, but I'm suspecting Show to come back stronger then ever. His feud with Mark Henry should continue, and if it all goes smoothly we could see a another showdown between the two at Hell In a Cell, which is scheduled for Oct. 2.
Of course, fitting those two monsters in a cell may be a little challenging, but if the WWE can figure something out, I believe that match could be incredibly entertaining.
After that's all out of the way, just maybe we'll finally see a match that has been rumored since January. That match would be Big Show vs. Kevin Nash (Diesel).
After a brief confrontation at the Royal Rumble, many believed that the two would face off at Wrestlemania, but nothing ever came of it.
With Survivor Series right around the corner, and The Rock already scheduled to appear, maybe Nash will return to Madison Square Garden, the place where he won his first championship, and turn a dream match into reality.
Big Show vs. Big Daddy Cool. Sounds like quite a showdown.
Chris Jericho
2 of 12Oh Y2J...how we miss you.
As one of the biggest superstars of all time, Chris Jericho has been out of the squared circle ever since Randy Orton punted him in the head back on Sept. 27 of last year. In my opinion, his prolonged absence has left quite a void in the company.
Jericho has reported several times that returning to wrestling is the last thing on his mind right now, and with no indication of when he'll return, its difficult to predict what wrestler he'll target first. Still, for a legend like Jericho, the possibilities are endless. Here's just a few ideas of what the WWE might have in store.
1) The Miz. If there's anyone who has been able to embody Y2J's persona effortlessly, that person would easily be The Miz. Watching Jericho, the veteran, and Miz, the next big thing, go at it would certainly be must-see WWE television.
A feud between the two would be oozing with great mic work, loads of arrogance, and some pretty awesome suits. Plus, setting up the feud could be as simple as the eternal question that most guys ask each other, "who's more awesome?" Hopefully, Jericho comes back soon so we'll be able to witness this at a major PPV event.
2) The Undertaker. The biggest problem right now with The Undertaker's epic Wrestlemania streak is that there's not many wrestlers out there who people believe can break it. One man has the skills to do that, and if the Undertaker wants that record, he has to beat "the best in the world at what I do" Chris Jericho.
Jericho has been in some pretty big matches at Wrestlemania in his lifetime, but there would be no greater honor than being a part of Takers inevitable 20th victory.
3) CM Punk. Imagine... The Best Wrestler in the World vs. The Best in the World At What He Does. Sounds like a Wrestlemania main event to me, and although Cena and The Rock already have that tied up, there's no doubt that this match would still be electric in every conceivable way. Heck, maybe Jericho will get involved in the brewing HHH-CM Punk feud. We can only hope.
4) Randy Orton. Come on, the guy punted Jericho in the head. There's no doubt that Jericho will confront Randy about it at some point when he finally returns. Another great feud between two huge stars that has the potential to steal any show.
Goldust
3 of 12One of the strangest, yet memorable, characters to ever grace the squared circle. With Goldust already in the twilight of his career, though, it still remains a mystery if he'll ever come back at all.
Goldust went down with a shoulder injury back in 2010, and received surgery to repair it in December. The recovery time, according to most sources, was around 6 months. But with almost eight months out of the way, there's still no sign of The Bizarre One.
Dustin Rhodes, the man behind the gold paint, has certainly stayed busy since his injury. He's written his biography Cross Rhodes, is planning to write a second, and has already started to take more of a backstage role in the company. However, Goldust hasn't shown any implication that he's gone for good, and is even still listed on the Raw roster.
I honestly believe that such a historic figure like Goldust can't simply just disappear from the WWE without giving it one more run. Rhodes still has it in him, even if he's been subjected to jobber status for several years now.
As of right now, I really can't see any specific feud for Goldust. But with his career almost over, a showdown with his deranged half-brother, Cody Rhodes, could be both interesting and obviously very bizarre.
Their feud could certainly attract a lot of attention and could give Cody something to do as he continues his slow climb to the main event. Either way, I believe there's no better way for Goldust to go than going one-on-one with the wrestler who probably knows him best.
Husky Harris
4 of 12Husky Harris was on the Raw roster for only a very short time before he caught a nice punt to the head from that guy Randal Orton.
Apparently, Harris has a pretty weak skull, considering every other Nexus member who received the same kick was out for only a couple of weeks. Harris has yet to show his face back on Monday nights.
Harris certainly needed some work, and that's why he's back in FCW working on a new gimmick. Right now, he's some hockey mask-wearing dude by the name of Axel Mulligan.
Harris still could be a major player in this company, considering his size and football background. Hopefully, when its time for him to come back to the main roster, Nexus will still be alive and kicking and he can pick up right where he left off. Very doubtful, though.
Besides that, I think it'll be quite hard to find an immediate place for Harris. I don't think he'll be confronting Orton about that kick any time soon, there are plenty of people already waiting in line for that.
John Morrison
5 of 12John Morrison is apparently very close to returning after having neck surgery back in April. According to pwtorch.com, he's just waiting to be cleared.
A vignette on last Monday's Raw proves that the Shaman of Sexy's return is on the horizon, and its pretty obvious that R-Truth will be his main target.
R-Truth was the one who put Morrison out of action not once, but twice. A rivalry is inevitable between the once good friends, with the first match possibly occurring at Summerslam.
The feud is perfect for both men. R-Truth gets a strong rivalry to work with after being in a championship match only about a month ago, while Morrison can stay active as he tries to push towards main event status.
Hopefully he's been working on his mic skills, because there's no doubt that big things are in store for possibly the most exciting superstar in the WWE.
Kharma
6 of 12Kharma made a huge splash as soon as she entered the WWE, and then in the blink of eye, she was gone, sidelined due to pregnancy.
Even though she'll be out of action for a while, Kharma still remains one of the most popular divas on the roster, and her return will definitely mean huge things for the stale division.
Hopefully, if it all goes well, she might be able to return in time for the biggest stage of them all, Wrestlemania.
Even though she left threatening to take out the Bella Twins, I think the WWE's best bet is to simply let Kharma pick up where she left off, by destroying every little diva she can get her hands on.
Hopefully, the WWE is smart enough to start a feud between her and the under-appreciated Beth Phoenix. Plus, I'm certain that a Divas Championship reign is practically inevitable.
The sky is certainly the limit for the wrestler formally known as Awesome Kong.
Layla
7 of 12The last recognized Women's Champion tore both her ACL and MCL back in May, and even though full recovery is still a few months away, I think Layla is destined to leave quite a lasting impression in Divas history.
Even though the Divas division is an absolute mess right now, there's no doubt that the WWE misses Layla, and after her victory over Michelle McCool, it was obvious that her future was pretty bright.
I'm expecting her to hop right into the title picture as soon as she's ready to return.
Mason Ryan
8 of 12Here's a wrestler who couldn't have gotten injured at a worse possible time. Mason Ryan suffered a hamstring injury outside of the ring a few weeks ago and could miss anywhere from one month to six months. It was clear however that the WWE was very high on him, and for very good reason.
Ryan was clearly rolling along on his way to possibly becoming the next Batista. He showed his dominance whenever he stepped in the ring, and with a little bit more work around the edges, he definitely would have gotten his opportunity.
Now, with his former Nexus stable on life support, there's really no place for Ryan to go once he's ready to return. If I had to choose, I would definitely move him to Smackdown, where they could use some young talent.
A feud with Ezekiel Jackson would certainly show off what kind of raw power these two men have, and would put him in the running for the IC title.
If Nexus does still happen to be around, I think it would be a perfect opportunity for a Mason Ryan face turn. A betrayal by the Nexus would help Ryan go over with the crowd, and would be a great catalyst for his rise up the WWE ranks.
Hopefully, Mason Ryan is able to return as soon as possible so he won't miss out on these opportunities.
Michelle McCool
9 of 12Michelle McCool is taking her sweet time getting back into the ring, but if and when she returns, I expect her to do it in a pretty big way.
McCool has been gone ever since losing to Layla in a Loser Leaves WWE match at Extreme Rules back in April. After her loss, she became Kharma's first victim, ensuring that her return wouldn't happen for quite some time.
McCool has been taking off in order to spend time with her husband, The Undertaker. Soon though, the deadman should be ready to return for his 20th Wrestlemania match, and hopefully McCool will follow her husband's footsteps in order to breathe some life into the divas division.
Maybe by then, Kharma will have returned, and McCool can do her best to get revenge on the devastating diva. Maybe she can even pick up where she and Layla left off.
Sin Cara
10 of 12Man, what a disappointment this guy has been.
When the WWE signed Sin Cara, they were expecting him to be the heir to the aging Rey Mysterio, and even though he remains pretty popular, the man formally known as Mistico has continued to underachieve.
His matches have been filled with botches, the language barrier has prevented him from adapting to the WWE style of wrestling, and about a week ago he was suspended for 30 days for violating the WWE's Wellness program.
Still, I don't think the WWE is ready to give up on him just yet, because there's no denying that when everything goes right, Sin Cara can really put on quite a show.
Even though a month could change the entire landscape of the WWE, I predict Sin Cara to most likely start a little feud with Sheamus, considering he was the one who powerbombed the Luchador thorough a ladder last Sunday, putting him out of commission.
After that, I think its only fitting for Sin Cara to finally confront Rey Mysterio, and show the entire world what Mexican wrestling is all about. Personally, I think a Wrestlemania showdown between the two would be nothing short of spectacular.
Hopefully Sin Cara is able to live up to the hype after this small speed bump. If not, he will most likely go down as one of the biggest busts in WWE history.
Skip Sheffield
11 of 12Skip Sheffield was one of the standouts in the original Nexus until he suffered a compound fracture to his ankle back in August 2010. Ever since then he's gone through three surgeries and is expected to return very soon.
According to many sources, the WWE brass is incredibly high on this guy, with Vince McMahon even claiming that Skip could potentially be the No. 2 babyface in this company.
Personally, I'm not buying it. But you can never say never.
I think Sheffield would be a great addition to Nexus if the stable is still around when he returns. It would definitely put some much needed dominance into the group.
Plus, it may help with a Mason Ryan face turn, if Sheffield comes back in time to take Ryan's place. A rivalry between the two could show off the WWE's young, powerful talent, and would also give both guys some much-needed singles experience.
I also could see him as a pretty powerful tag team partner for anyone, and that division is desperately in need of a face lift. Maybe Skip is just the guy to do that.
If he lives up to what management think of him, there's no doubt that Sheffield could be a big name in the WWE.
The Undertaker
12 of 12For the last Wrestler on this list, we end with the biggest name of them all.
The Deadman, The Phenom, The Undertaker.
Everybody is holding their breath for his return, and its certain that he'll only have one thing on his mind, continuing his unbreakable 19-0 Wrestlemania streak. Its clear that The Undertaker is getting close to the end of his career, but getting that 20th win is much too tempting to pass up.
Who he'll wrestle that night is very up in the air right now, but I think no matter who he faces, we're in for an absolutely breathtaking match.
Some people I can think of off the top of my head for this historic match would be Chris Jericho, CM Punk, a HHH rematch, or hopefully Sting. The possibilities for this match are basically limitless however.
Either way, don't expect The Undertaker to wrestle a lot in between then and now. It was clear from Wrestlemania 27 that he body is very badly beaten up, and he'll need all the rest he possibly can for possibly the final match of his illustrious career.
No matter when The Deadman decides to return to the ring, expect it to be one of the biggest moments in wrestling history.

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