WWE: 5 Opponents for Alberto Del Rio When He Returns

We learned on Monday that Alberto Del Rio will be out a little over a month due to a torn groin. Although this is a tough loss for the company in the short term, this break could be the change Del Rio needs to come back strong.

Let's face it. Alberto Del Rio is becoming somewhat stale, and his two title reigns would not exactly be classified as "impressive." All of the destiny talk is getting old, and it is time for a little change in his character.

While Del Rio recovers from injury, it gives fans a break from the man who has practically been shoved down our throats for a year now. Presumably, he will return as the bad guy he has always been, and he will begin a new feud to build towards WrestleMania.

Here are five possible opponents from Raw or SmackDown that would make for a good feud when Del Rio returns.

5) Triple H

After finally getting rid of Kevin Nash, we have not seen Triple H on television. The current rumor going around, according to Wrestling Observer (h/t Wrestling Inc.) is that he is nursing injuries and getting ready for a WrestleMania rematch with Undertaker.

That all sounds fine, but a potential feud with Del Rio sounds a bit better.

Alberto has not won important matches cleanly in a long time, and Triple H is just the guy to get Del Rio back on track. This would also free up the possibility of giving a young star the shot at the Streak.

The scenario can play out similarly to the feud with Sheamus a couple of years ago.

Alberto and Trips would go at it for awhile, and eventually Del Rio can take out HHH for good since he's only a part-time wrestler these days.

At this stage of his career, what does Triple H have left to prove? He will be in the Hall of Fame no matter what, and his time spent would be its most productive if he helps stars like Del Rio get over even more.

4) Sheamus

Speaking of Sheamus, he's a guy who could use another solid name to feud with. Ever since Christian got injured, Sheamus has not had a real feud, although he seems to have remained on the good side of the creative team.

There's a solid chance that Sheamus could go on to win the Royal Rumble at the end of January. If he doesn't, however, a feud with Del Rio would make for a solid WrestleMania encounter.

The Celtic Warrior has been able to get over as a face, more so than the company probably thought likely after some of his dastardly deeds. He has also become an established top name on SmackDown and has proven he can have good matches with the majority of the roster.

Sheamus could be the breath of fresh air that Del Rio needs.

Of course, it would involve a brand crossover, but since when does the word "brand" mean anything in the WWE?

3) Zack Ryder

I'm not done with Sheamus just yet, even if the slide refers to Zack Ryder.

Sheamus had a very similar career to Del Rio. He came on the scene, rose up the ranks quickly and won the WWE title twice within a year of debuting.

What did Sheamus do after those title reigns?

He took a step back and feuded with Daniel Bryan over the U.S. title. This gave him the opportunity to take a breather and work some quality matches a bit lower on the card. Now, Sheamus has transitioned into a top face on Friday night's show.

Now, Del Rio probably will not be turning face anytime soon, but Zack Ryder and the United States Championship is a good place to look when he returns. This will give Ryder a proven opponent and Del Rio a fresh face without having the pressure of holding the biggest title in the company.

We could see a decent U.S. title contest at WrestleMania, and then after the draft, Del Rio can make his move back to the top.

Zack, on the other hand, will be much better off after feuding with the Mexican Aristocrat.

2) Undertaker

My previous slide talks about taking the pressure off Del Rio. Well, this is the complete opposite. Why not throw everything on his shoulders?

This scenario is very unlikely, but when Alberto returns, he gets a crack at Undertaker's streak. Although Del Rio has lost steam, he can still brag about the groundbreaking year he had in which he won the Royal Rumble, a Money in the Bank match and the WWE Championship twice.

Make Del Rio a legitimate threat to end the streak.

Have Alberto give Taker some of the biggest beatings of his life in the weeks before WrestleMania. He can get the upper hand as the storyline plays off the possible weakness of the Deadman.

Then, at the big show, let Del Rio take Taker to the limit. He will not win, but he will prove his worth and become a mainstay at the top of the card.

This is probably the most unlikely opponent of the group, as Alberto is most likely not even on the list of candidates to face the Undertaker.

Nonetheless, a good showing by Del Rio would give him a huge boost going into the rest of 2012.

1) Ricardo Rodriguez

Take a look at this footage of Ricardo Rodriguez wrestling at FCW. Maybe his outfit is a little funky, but he can still put on a solid match.

When Del Rio returns, it might just be time for Ricardo to fight back.

Ever since Alberto debuted in the WWE, Ricardo has been his lowly ring announcer and shield, taking many finishing moves over the past year. Most recently, he fell 20 feet off a ladder through a table on the outside (although that was his own fault).

Similar to the Miz and Alex Riley, Ricardo is going to be fed up with Del Rio's crappy treatment sooner rather than later.

Furthermore, the company will also have the option of choosing who the heel and face are in this feud. All signs point to Ricardo as the face, but you never know with the WWE.

Ricardo vs. Del Rio is a feud that could easily be the opening contest of WrestleMania. It has been subtly building for months with the continued bad treatment that Rodriguez has been experiencing.

The company will cash in on this opportunity eventually, and there's no better time to do it than during the Road to WrestleMania.

Follow @RobMani25