Cesaro Must Be Higher Priority for WWE Upon Return from Injury

Once Cesaro's shoulder is healthy enough for him to start swinging his picture-perfect uppercut again, WWE simply has to let him do so on a bigger stage.

The Swiss Superman is too talented and has too much potential to be anything but a top-tier Superstar. WWE has yet to recognize that, assigning him a midcard role and too often letting him watch the marquee events from the sidelines.

The company will get a chance to change its course, though. The injured grappler is poised to soon step back into the ring.

F4WOnline noted, "Advertising for the April 15 WWE event in Amsterdam is listing Cesaro as returning to action."

Thanks to a pair of tendon tears in his shoulder, the in-ring artist hasn't wrestled since last November. News of his impending return now has many a fan giddy. 

Brandon Stroud of Uproxx wrote, "There aren't many things that'd make me happier on a post-WrestleMania Raw than Cesaro showing up, spinning somebody a hundred times and stepping into his rightful place as main event WWE talent."

That last note is a common refrain. From where the audience sits, Cesaro looks every bit like a marquee star. The fact that WWE hasn't positioned him as such is frustrating, and it's a sign of disconnect between the company and the crowd.

Writers, viewers and Hall of Famers have all lamented how much Cesaro has been handled. Jim Ross wrote of Cesaro on his blog: "He is massively underutilized. His in-ring work/persona is SO strong that he's a main eventer waiting to explode."

Last October, Scott Fishman of the Miami Herald tweeted that the Swiss strongman should be featured more:

Both Ross and Fishman are right. Cesaro has the crowd connection and in-ring acumen necessary to move up the ladder. Yet that hasn't translated to WWE showcasing him.

In 2015, WWE put him in a random six-man tag on the Hell in a Cell pre-show. He only made it to the WrestleMania 31 pre-show before that. And Cesaro didn't even make the card at the Money in the Bank, Battleground and Night of Champions pay-per-views.

He just wasn't a part of high-profile feuds at the time. He wasn't in contention for championships. So, he instead spent those big nights backstage.

With as vocal as his fans have become over the past year, that's a surprising move.

"Cesaro Section" signs have often dotted the audience. While Roman Reigns is dealing with a split reaction on his road to the world title, and Ryback can't seem to get folks to stop mockingly chanting "Goldberg!" at him, Cesaro regularly earns a loud, ardent response.

Cesaro himself recognized that surge in appreciation. When The King of Swing spoke with WWE.com before his surgery, he said, "I've felt that the Cesaro Section is finally rising, and it's becoming undeniable."

A major reason for Cesaro developing his own sign-carrying section has been his performance in the ring. 

It doesn't matter that his matches aren't sold as marquee bouts; they feel that way once the final bell rings. He thrives against top competition by putting on fantastic displays of athleticism and all-around wrestling prowess. 

Reigns' best match during his march to victory in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament last November came against Cesaro. That was a clash that could have easily been a worthy tourney final and an emphatic way to cap off a PPV.

One could say the same about his efforts against Daniel Bryan, John Cena and others. 

Even with his missing the tail end of the year, with his not getting a spot on several shows and WWE seemingly not sure what to do with him after his tag team partner Tyson Kidd went down with injury after WrestleMania, Cesaro appeared four times on WWE.com's list of the top 25 matches of 2015.

Put on a higher rung, that kind of standout matchup will happen more often. Made a WWE title contender and company centerpiece, Cesaro promises to wow and enthrall the audience even more.

WWE should do everything it can to build on the passion of the Cesaro Section.  

The smart move is to book him as an unstoppable force when he returns. Make him a challenger to a heel Reigns. Have him go toe-to-toe with Brock Lesnar. Give him all the spotlight and buzz that guys such as Reigns and Dean Ambrose are getting.

Cesaro will turn that opportunity into proof that he's a bona fide star.