WWE SummerSlam 2011: Lack of Big-Name Talent Leaves Fans Wanting More

With all of the star power the WWE has, the fact that many of the sport’s biggest names are sidelined is a shame.

And suspicious.

SummerSlam is the WWE’s second-largest pay-per-view of the year, and it has traditionally been an all-hands-on-deck event. This year doesn’t have the same feeling to it.

The main title feuds will headline as always, but besides that, there are at least 10 stars that have been stiffed on this show. Stars like Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston, John Morrison, R-Truth and Rey Mysterio are all not on this card, and there are serious questions on why.

While some like Mysterio and Morrison are dealing with injuries, the rest don’t have viable excuses for their absences.

Unexcused absences always lead to rumors about run-ins or other possible matches that haven’t yet been announced.

With just four matches currently planned, the company is either expecting a lengthy pair of title fights or they will be adding a match during the show.

There is a good chance that both will be true, and that would make for the best show overall.

The Miz should not be on the sidelines after the huge push he received last year, and the WWE should be planning their next steps in feuding him with a legitimate star.

Even if Morrison is still nursing an injury, the smartest move for the WWE would be to feud the former tag-team star against his partner, the Miz. That feud would be a great mix of both in-ring skills and mic abilities, and it would be an instant hit with the crowd.

As for stars like R-Truth and Alberto Del Rio, there are no plans directly in the works, but the fact that both still see a lot of TV time means they won’t go unseen during the show.

Of the two, Del Rio, with his Money in the Bank briefcase, has the biggest chance to interfere in a match, while R-Truth will most likely cut a promo to further his storyline and prolong the hunt for a new opponent.

Nothing is set in stone, and odds are that a six- or eight-person tag match might not be out of the question.

No matter what, if this PPV fails, the idea that the WWE rushed CM Punk back just to be pushed on a show that was poorly executed will be one of WWE’s most epic fails.

Check back for more on the WWE as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Wrestling Page to get your fill of the WWE.

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