WWE No Way Out 2012: Superstars Who Will Boost Stocks with Marquee Victories

While a WWE superstar must be built up on either Raw or Smackdown, it's not until they start having success at pay-per-view events that a character really takes off. That's why shows like No Way Out are so important to the overall product.

With that in mind, let's take a look at three superstars that will receive a boost with victories on Sunday night. Since the summer's biggest show, SummerSlam, is quickly approaching, it's a great chance to begin a major push.

Big Show

Even though it would have been nice to see a fresh face take the role of John Laurinaitis' enforcer, no one stepped up. Big Show has handled the transition perfectly and it's helped make him matter again. He's a much better hated heel than anything else.

Since a Big Show loss would result in the firing of Laurinaitis from the general manager position, it's hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn't beat John Cena. Laurinaitis has struggled on the mic, but not enough to pull the plug on the storyline yet.

Although Big Show is a veteran presence who's been around for awhile, he's never been viewed as one of the top talents. Beating the company's biggest star on a pay-per-view will be one of his most important wins ever and would continue his dominant run.

Christian

Christian spent a lot of time in the main-event scene before an injury caused him to miss several months of action. Upon returning, he dropped back down to a mid-card feud by winning the Intercontinental title from Cody Rhodes, who he'll face again at No Way Out.

While that would usually be considered a big drop for a longtime superstar like Christian, it was actually the best thing for him right now. There wasn't a clear path to a World Heavyweight Championship match, so he would have been wasted if he stayed at that level.

Holding the Intercontinental belt allows him to remain relevant on a weekly basis. I fully expect him to defend the title against Rhodes, who failed to make the most of his extended reign, and it will help Christian eventually jump back up to the top of the card.

Brodus Clay

After months of squash matches and "calling his momma," it's make-or-break time for Clay. The Funkasaurus gimmick has helped him earn more television time, but that's run its course and now he must prove his in-ring work is improved.

He has illustrated plenty of potential, but fans haven't had a long enough look at him to know if he's got staying power. A victory over David Otunga on the YouTube pre-show should be enough to propel him into his first true mid-card feud.

Otunga continues to work with Laurinaitis and really doesn't have much to gain by beating Clay. So look for the Funkasaurus to treat the Internet viewers to a victory dance, leading to more opportunities for the man from Planet Funk.