Alberto Del Rio is one of the most infuriating performers in all professional wrestling. In the brief time he was away from WWE he was on fire, showing the babyface qualities that WWE were so desperately lacking. Ever since he returned to WWE in the autumn of last year, however, he has been not much more than a depressing shadow of the performer he was during his excursion on the indies. He's also held the United States Championship for the majority of that time, with the exception of lending the strap to Kalisto for a couple of days. The two will go at it at the Royal Rumble with the US strap one again on the line, and I honestly don't believe that the result of the match matters too much in this instance. Kalisto is on an upward curve regardless, but the enthusiasm for a title win was sucked out with the ill-judged game of hot potato. What matters is that Del Rio turns up with his working boots and the two put on a match that excites the live crowd and the audience at home. This is Del Rio's position now, a credible name in the upper echelons of the middle of the card who is required to keep the crowd involved in the show leading to the main event. When he is 'Dead Behind the Eyes' Del Rio, the audience is gone. Against a performer of Kalisto's obvious talent, a motivated Del Rio could put together what would be something of a minor classic. He just needs to turn up.