WWE: Was the SmackDown Street Fight a Test for David Otunga?

David Otunga had his first match on one of WWE's major television shows in quite some time this past week during the live holiday edition of SmackDown.

Otunga has been visual on Raw in the past couple of months due to his constant sucking up to the interim GM John Laurinaitis. It appears he is now fulfilling some kind of assistant role to Laurinaitis.

Since Otunga chose to show up on SmackDown during the festivities and attempt to break up the party, Mick Foley thought it would be appropriate for Otunga to face Orton.

Their match was a Miracle on 34th Street match, which was essentially a normal street fight with the ring being surrounded by gifts and Christmas trees.

Orton won the match pretty decisively, but Otunga had a couple moments of offense, especially after the interference of Wade Barrett, which almost cost Orton the match.

Otunga was involved in the Nexus angle and appeared to be in for a major role in WWE. It soon turned out that was not the case, and Otunga and his partner Michael McGillicutty faded into the background.

Being a suck-up appears to be his new gimmick, but that does not mean WWE is not still interested in pushing the Harvard graduate.

Otunga is still involved with Jennifer Hudson, with whom he has a child. WWE may want to capitalize on her fame someday if she is willing to get involved with a storyline.

This could be one of the things that has kept Otunga off the radar when releases are being handed out.

WWE has done very little with anybody except for Wade Barrett when it comes to former members of Nexus, so hopefully Otunga does not become another casualty of WWE's cost cutting.

I see some upside in Otunga, but I have never been blown away by anything he has done. In terms of his look, he certainly has what WWE is looking for.

He is in great shape and keeps himself healthy. His mic skills, however, leave a lot to be desired. He pulls off being pompous very well but does not seem intimidating in the least.

He is also not the most proficient in-ring performer, but it is not as if he is a total rookie either. He has been training since 2008 and has done well considering his minimal ring time in his overall career.

I applaud Otunga for the effort he has put into wrestling. It is not often someone signs a contract and then debuts less than 15 months later having no previous wrestling experience.

WWE must have seen something in him to put him on the original season of NXT, and I think that with time he could improve if given the chance.

Otunga's college degree certainly gives him the ability to do something besides wrestling, but the fact that he chose this path shows he is dedicated to becoming great.

If this match with Orton was a test, then I am not sure how he did in the eyes of Vince McMahon. He certainly took a beating well, so if that was his goal he gets an A+.

I am not a mark or hater when it comes to Otunga—I hope everyone in WWE improves because they are there to entertain us, and to hope against them would be counter-productive.

What do you think the future holds for Mr. Jennifer Hudson, I mean David Otunga?