On the Bubble

With Trevor Murdoch, being released on Thursday (who was on the list I compiled for this article before that, just so you know) after getting drafted to Smackdown, it seems WWE is beginning the bit of house cleaning that seems to happen after every draft. If you recall 2007, just among the 25 superstars who changed shows in the draft nine of them are no longer with the company. So here's a list of guys (and one girl) I think are on the bubble and could be getting "wished the best of luck in their future endeavors" in the near future.

Injuries, Steroids, & Suspensions, Oh My!

Since the Benoit tragedy last year, the WWE has really stepped up its enforcement of the wellness policy. Management doesn't play around with those who violate it. And being injured for an excessive amount of time doesn't help either.

Ashley Massaro – Since winning the Diva Search in 2005, Ashley hasn’t done much of anything. In fact, I’d wager that she’s spent more time injured than active. She’s been with the company for three years and still doesn’t know how to wrestle. And even if she learned, she’s far too injury prone to push.

Boogeyman – Injured for at least six months now, already fired once and just not good in the ring. The guy has an interesting presence and is weird as hell, so he could kept around for backstage segments. But there’s only so many times that The Boogeyman can show up, do something bat-shit crazy, and fade away.

Jimmy Wang Yang – Suspended since June 9, Jimmy Wang Yang was a very unlikely violation of the wellness policy. But with that on his record and no more cruiserweight division, Yang’s prospects don’t look good.

William Regal & Jeff Hardy – With two strikes against the Wellness policy on them, you’d think these guys would not be so stupid as to get a third. But most people thought they’d be smart enough to avoid a second strike. That obviously wasn’t the case.

Tag Team Turmoil

With Cryme Tyme and Jesse & Festus being the only real tag teams currently active in the WWE at the moment (and by that I mean introduced and pushed as a tag team) it doesn't look good for the only other real tag team left. And what happens to the teams that have split thanks to the draft?

The Highlanders – The Highlanders made a small impression when they debuted on Raw then quickly faded away to Heat. Then they turned heel for no good reason and didn’t even get a storyline to go with it. Rory’s been injured since late last year and Robbie’s been pretty much off the radar since then.

Brian Kendrick – I can’t for the life of me figure out why they split up Paul London & Brian Kendrick. Kendrick got shipped off to Smackdown and I just don’t see what’s there for him to do. There’s no more Cruiserweight title to go after, I honestly think Kendrick’s too small to be considered a threat to anyone on his own.

Domino – The lesser half of Deuce & Domino, here’s another guy that got left out in the cold thanks to the draft. The tag team had broken up the week before the draft, but now Domino doesn’t have the opportunity to feud with his former partner. The greaser gimmick only really worked as part of a team and now that Domino’s all by his lonesome I don’t see a bright future for him.

No More Heat

The elimination of Heat removes an opportunity to showcase the undercard. That doesn't bode well for guys like Charlie Haas, Snitsky, Shannon Moore, Jamie Noble, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Super Crazy. Barring any sort of push they might get I really don't see these guys appearing on any of the three main shows as anything more than jobbers. Any one of them could go at any time.

The "Never Gonna Get Fired" Club

At one point, Billy Gunn, Scotty 2 Hotty, Val Venis, Funaki, and Hardcore Holly compromised what I liked to call the "Never Gonna Get Fired" Club. These guys had been around for years and never got much further than the midcard. For whatever reason, although in some cases these guys remained pretty popular, they never went anywhere. Gunn got the axe in 2004, followed by Scotty in 2007. I wouldn't think Hardcore Holly would get released anytime soon, as he was Tag Team champion only a week ago, but Venis and Funaki have nothing going for them and, frankly, haven't for years. So, never say never.

On the Fence

These are a few guys I see as at a turning point in their careers. With the right opportunity they could be huge stars. If they stay in the rut they've been in they don't have much of a future ahead of them.

Chuck Palumbo - Already released once before, Palumbo came back to a bit of success on Smackdown recently. The move to Raw in the draft could mean big things for him, but it could be bad news if he gets lost in the shuffle.

Deuce - As the adopted son of Jimmy Snuka, Deuce is a natural fit to join Ted DiBiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes. But if he's left alone with his greaser gimmick, I don't think he'll be around for too long.

Kenny Dykstra - Most people know Kenny Dykstra as a former male cheerleader or "that guy with the headband." If you saw any of his work in OVW as a heel, you know Kenny has the potential to be big. He just needs an opportunity.

Carlito - Another second generation star, Carlito's been pushed in fits and starts since his debut. They'll put him in a high profile feud, even give him a title, then back off for a while. He's capable of having a great match on any give night, he just needs a push that isn't going to dissolve after a month or so.

Paul London - Something should be done with Paul London. He's too talented and too fun to watch to let him go to waste. He could be placed in the current program with Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels. Like Lance Cade, London is a product of Michaels Texas wrestling Academy. Chris Jericho & Lance Cade vs. Shawn Michaels & Paul London...I'd pay to see that. A solo London probably wouldn't be much more than a jobber, and I can see a guy as talented as he is asking for his release to head to TNA or back to Ring of Honor.

DH Smith - Son of the legendary Davey Boy Smith, DH got derailed very early on with he was suspended for a Wellness Policy violation less than two weeks after his WWE television debut. He seemed destined to join up with Ted DiBiase Jr. on Raw, but got sent over to Smackdown in the draft. I don't know what he'll do over there, but this one's kind of iffy as we haven't seen much of DH Smith.

Elijah Burke - Even in the star anemic ECW, the amazingly talented Elijah Burke hasn't been getting pushed. I'm begging WWE to push this guy and not let him fall through the cracks.

Well, there you have it. 23 names who's days with the WWE might be numbered. I guess only time will tell.