Alex Marvez's weekly look at professional wrestling

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As the new year begins, some professional wrestling performers already have shown signs of standing out from the pack.Call them Eight who Could be Great in 2008:-- John Cena: WWE's biggest solo star since Steve Austin's heyday early this decade, Cena carried the mantle for the promotion throughout 2007 until suffering a torn pectoral muscle in October. Cena is now hard at work on the comeback trail and was well enough to make a guest appearance on WWE's Monday Night Raw holiday special from Iraq. When he does return later this year, a healthy Cena should have heated feuds awaiting against Randy Orton, Paul "Triple H" Levesque and Chris Jericho.-- Jeff Hardy: Judging by his recent push, WWE seems confident Hardy has overcome the personal problems that spurred last summer's drug suspension. Hardy was given a surprise victory over Triple H on last month's Armageddon pay-per-view show and is set for a WWE title feud with Orton. Such an opportunity should help Hardy permanently breakaway from being a middle-of-the-pack WWE performer.-- Ric Flair: Barring an unexpected change of heart, this is the last year we will be seeing the "Nature Boy" as a full-time wrestler. Flair, who turns 59 in February, may be in line for one final WWE title run while wrapping up his illustrious 36-year career around the time of Wrestlemania 24 in April. Until then, fans should cherish seeing the final matches of the greatest all-around performer in wrestling history.-- CM Punk: Punk (real name Phil Brooks) enjoyed a banner year in 2007, beginning his ongoing run as Extreme Championship Wrestling kingpin in September. Punk's next big career step will be finding a home on one of WWE's two main television shows (Raw or Smackdown). Until then, Punk is being primed for what should be a quality feud with the repackaged Shelton Benjamin for the ECW title.-- John Bradshaw Layfield: The announcing world's loss is Raw's gain. After being sidelined by what was believed a career-ending back injury, Layfield has decided to resume grappling and is now feuding with another recently-returned WWE performer in Jericho. Jonathan Coachman was announced as JBL's replacement on the Smackdown announcing team with Michael Cole.-- Awesome Kong: The women's division has become one of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's strengths since its introduction in 2007. Helping to lead the way is the big-bodied Kong, who is an excellent heel foil for TNA women's champion Gail Kim. Kong (Kia Stevens) also will ultimately tangle with ODB (Jessica Kresa), whose rugged character -- a female mix of Austin and the late Reggie "The Crusher" Lisowski - has earmarks for stardom if pushed properly.-- Jeremy Borash: Fans of "Mean" Gene Okerlund should love fellow Minnesotan Borash, whose delivery and facial expressions invoke memories of that legendary announcer. Borash is an outstanding TNA pitchman who also wields considerable behind-the-scenes power as a member of the promotion's match-making committee.-- Nigel McGuiness: After four years as one of Ring of Honor's top in-ring technicians, McGuiness is being given a chance to shine as the promotion's heavyweight champion. McGuiness, though, has to hope the injury bug that bit him late in 2007 goes away. Already working on a torn biceps, McGuiness suffered more legitimate damage at last weekend's taping of the upcoming Rising Above pay-per-view show. McGuiness botched an out-of-the-ring dive onto Austin Aries and hit the guard rail, resulting in a concussion, broken nose and 14 stitches.(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro wrestling column for Scripps-Howard News Service.)