Granted we don't know the Smackdown competitors for KOTR at this point..
Yes we do, they announced it and showed a graphic for the 8 men before the barrett/orton match. The 8 men competing will be
Big Show,Alberto Del Rio, Rey Mysterio, Kofi Kingston, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, MVP, and Jack Swagger.
With that out of the way, Im thinking Del Rio wins this thing. He seems to be "above" mid-card status, so him feuding for the IC title doesnt make sense. On the other hand, he hasn't been around long enough to be a main eventer, or hold a World Championship. That's where KOTR comes in.
King of the Ring has obviously lauched the careers of many superstars who were on the cusp of stardom. I know Sheamus as the King of The Ring vs the impending return of the "King of Kings" sounds like a money feud, but Del Rio's claim is that he comes from the bloodline of kings. What better way to solidify that claim then to add being King of the Ring to it?
He hasn't been around as long as some of the others, nor has he "paid his dues" like a lot of the wrestlers in the tournament, like a Morrison or an MVP. But he's an entertaining performer, as well as a heat magnet, and winning KOTR would further cement him as a top heel on Smackdown, where right now there's really only one main event heel in Kane. It was telling he was chosen as team captain of his SS team over a past WHC in Swagger, and "The Chosen One" in Drew McIntyre, and was protected from official elimination in the match. This would be a huge test for him to show he belongs in that upper tier as he will have to win 3 matches in one night, but I think he'll more then pass the test.
The other reason I believe Del Rio wins it is because it will set him up as the next challenger to, in my opinion, the next World Champion in Edge. I see Edge defeating Kane at TLC, and Rey vs Del Rio having the two out of three falls match that was advertised for SS at TLC instead, but as a No. 1 Contenders Match. Edge wins the title, Del Rio defeats Mysterio, and he moves on to face Edge at the Rumble. I think Del Rio should and will win the 2010 KOTR.