Within WWE circles, the feeling on Mr. Kennedy is that his current program with Shawn Michaels is a "sink or swim" opportunity for him.

If he doesn't rise to the occasion during this feud with HBK, Kennedy will likely be relegated to mid-card status for the foreseeable future.

According to one source, the rising WWE star is listening to everyone backstage for advice on how to improve in the ring. Kennedy is said to have little confidence in his own instincts as a performer, which might explain why he's often trying new things and different finishers in his matches lately.