Is Del Rio Where He Belongs?

[Jack-Hammer]

I was browsing over some site today and I noticed a few dirtsheet writers essentially referring to Alberto Del Rio as "damaged goods" in that he's fallen from the main event picture firmly into the mid-card and discussing whether or not he could be salvaged. For instance, a few of them mentioned that while they thought his match against Bryan was good, it didn't have the zing it would've had if Del Rio was still a top tier talent.

I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit because it was such just a perfect example of the typical, cliché, dipshit mentality of most dirtsheet writers. Whenever Del Rio was in the main event picture challenging to become or wrestling as a World Champion in WWE, all most of these same writers did was bitch and moan about it. They'd criticize Del Rio for not connecting with fans the way someone in the spot he was in should, they'd gripe about his promo skills, they'd complain that there should've been others on the roster elevated in Del Rio's place, and on it'd go.

When Del Rio first arrived on SD!, I was really into him though my enthusiasm wore off after several months when it did become clear how relatively limited he was as a character and how repetitive his promos were. Nevertheless, I frequently enjoy the matches he's put on. He's always been able to deliver strong, high quality matches, but I also had to agree that Del Rio simply wasn't connecting with fans in the way a main event level guy should. Now that Del Rio is no longer challenging for the top title, I think he's in a perfect spot right now. Del Rio's not spectacular on the mic, he's not super over, but he can put on a hell of a wrestling match. In short, I think the guy's right at home as a strong mid-card to upper mid-card level talent.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

You are right, he is right where he deserved to be...

Think I explained that once here: Del Rio had most easiest gimmick in the world to get over as a heel, rich prick who is bragging how whealty he is and how he is destined to greatness because he is so good. And yet he failed to get over big with that. That and they maybe shoved him to people throats too much eventhough he hasnt done anything note****ty except winning that Rumble match. He is good in ring but he hasnt got too much charisma. So he is where he should be right now, midcarder spot. And there is nothing wrong with that one, not everyone can be maineventers all the way...

 

[Wally Dangerously]

Del Rio certainly has skills and is a legit tough guy. I laughed when he kept kicking the original Sin Cara after he injured his finger on RAW months ago. However, he's been lost in the mix.

His showing in the WM 30 Battle Royal was impressive. He had several spots and eliminated a fair number of superstars. He's also demonstrated that he can pull off solid main event matches.

I think Del Rio still has a future in the WWE, with a trajectory similar to that of Ted Dibiase Sr.. He can be a good mid-to-top card heel that never quite grabs the brass ring (again).

 

[Aquaman6686]

Del Rio is a 2-Time WWE Champion and 2-Time World Heavyweight Champion. In my eyes that makes him incapable of being a midcard star. He's a main eventer competing with midcarders. Del Rio could main event the next PPV and I wouldn't blink an eye. Once you've become a multiple time World Champion, your days of being a midcarder are done to me.

 

[Eddie Menuek]

I'm not interested in seeing him back in the main event, period. The gimmick was undoubtedly an interesting idea but for my money Alberto Del Rio was never an interesting character and seeing it forced into the title picture so frequently was just frustrating as a fan. The guy can do some good stuff in the ring so I'm happy to see him in the position that he's in now - on television more or less every week, making his opponent look good, and for the time being I've got no strong feelings to see him used any more or less/better or worse.

A tag team isn't a terrible idea, either. Rybaxel has shown that you can take two guys who haven't got a great deal for them going for them either way, stick them in a tag team and sometimes it just works. I'm not claiming that Rybaxel has been a roaring success, but you've got to believe that it's better than what either guy might have been doing otherwise. I always thought that Del Rio did a decent job of playing to the crowd as a babyface, so why not a partnership with Sin Cara? Obviously it would take a fair amount of effort and storytelling to get to that point, but I think it's an interesting pairing of styles which could make for some decent in-ring stuff. Just a raw idea.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

Yes, he is where he belongs. He is an upper mid-card guy and thats how I always saw him even when he was forced down our throats for 2 years. His runs w/ the WWE title and WHC title were awful. He is missing something that I expect from someone who gets that kind of push. His heel heat was lukewarm, it was more of bored indifference (go away heat). And his face run was laughable. Ricardo Rodriguez was more over.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I've been hearing a lot of praises about the Daniel Bryan v. Alberto Del Rio match, and I admit it, I skipped it. It was predictable and Daniel Bryan is just on a role, while Del Rio isn't even in plans, so I did not have a single reason to watch it. And that never happened to me about an Alberto Del Rio match!

When I look at Del Rio, I see Eddie Guerrero's working ability without the charisma and the character that set him apart later in his run. But I also remember Eddy Guerrero in WCW and in Japan, and that can be arguably said to be the best work in Guerrero's career (in the ring) and at the same time, a guy trying to find himself. Del Rio didn't have that "finding himself" in WWE - he went straigh to the top and there were very very few people that disliked him, because he was in fact a cool character at first... But what later? I really put the blame on the creative team for simply not caring for the character...

They made him unidimensional, he's just one thing different from the others - he's mexican and that's it. He isn't rich anymore. He doesn't have a lot of cars nor an entourage. He's been used in matches to put other talent over for the past year, he's been a workhorse but without any good stuff (content-wise) to deliver. I'm not a wrestling expert nor do I try to be, but I look at an hand like Alberto Del Rio and I see him doing a lot of things, I see him having a wrestler/manager that helps him cheat win matches and even tag matches. I see him being used in comedy stuff, I see him being a part of a tag team and even as a babyface, working against midcard heels that could use the rub like Antonio Cesaro or Wade Barrett.

But there is just too little for so much. The roster is getting bigger, guys like Fandango, Santino, Sandow, Ziggler, Big Show, Mark Henry have been used in the exact same roles as they've been used for years. Some of them are even feuding with the same guy for over six months give it or take it. Stale teams like Rybaxel have the time to shine in non-original content that's easier to understand for families and kids. If I ran the company, I would sure as hell find something for him to do, NXT, Vignettes, Tag Teams, not only because he's a good talent, but also because he represents a very strong market. They just need to care for him and if the company really cares for him (content-wise and character-wise) we'll care too.

I would be okay with Del Rio being taken away (as of stip) and returning with a mask to get revenge as the old-school classic booking did it. I would be okay with him feuding with Big E. for the IC title when they had the chance. Now they have a frustrated guy in the locker-room and that is sad.

 

[chicagokmc]

I can't see him beating any current main eventers. And I can't think of a credible storyline that could put him in the main event picture. Therefore, I guess it's to the mid-card...

 

[Sean Valjean]

Del Rio is a talented guy and a valuable hand. He can have good (sometimes great) matches with almost anyone and if they ever need a quick, heel, world champ, they can throw the title on him and it'd be believable enough given his history.

However, calling his character bland would be an insult to blandness in general. He's lost everything that made him remotely interesting: the money, the cars, and Ricardo. He'll never get over on a major level if he doesn't reinvent himself and add some variety to his promos, which are notoriously repetitive. Until he does, he shouldn't be anything higher than an upper mid-carder, used for making the main event face talent look great.

 

[ShowOffHEEL]

Once you win 2 or 3 World Titles, I don't believe you can get downgraded to a mid-tier talent. You are still a main eventer but you're just not in that top spot. Same goes for guys like Henry, Big Show and Sheamus.

I don't like Del Rio's character as I find him boring and stale and have felt that way since a few months after his debut. However I enjoy his matches and he rarely has a bad one with anybody, so I think he's in the spot right now where he should be. Putting over main event talents and defeating lower tier stars if what he should be used for and if they need him to main event for the title, I think he can fill in with no issues.

 

[GameOver]

I was under the impression he was just working out his contract so might not be around for long anyway.

Personally i lost interest in him when he dropped Ricardo, Ricardo was the one that was the entertainment Del Rio is just another guy who can go in the ring but is otherwise just another fish in the pond

 

[Mongoose McQueen]

I would put ADR in the same class as Sheamus, a solid mid card talent who flopped as a main event talent. Del Rio entered the WWE in 2010 and WWE tried pushing him 3 times as a main event talent and each time, he flopped. The guy is a flop in general, which is why he is where he is in the mid card. What was the last relevant feud he had? the last relevant match? I can't think of anything other than the John Cena feud but he was basically fed to the superior John Cena and later Batista.

Anyway, I don't see him ever returning to the main event scene because he's too boring for my liking. He has the same problem Sheamus has, he's decent in the ring but everything else is lacking. In Mexico a few years ago, ADR faced John Cena and Cena got cheered over Del Rio in his home country, that right there tells you everything you need to know about him.

 

[TheJF]

In terms of in ring work, Alberto Del Rio is up there with some of the best in WWE right now, and that's as both a heel and a face. However he doesn't seem to be able to connect with the universe enough as either to be at the top of the card, where he was before.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

I do find Alberto Del Rio boring and I'm a bigger fan of his Dos Caras gimmick. There's no denying his in-ring abilities. He's really good. I don't like how he's fallen off so much though. The same applies to Damien Sandow. I mean, losing matches is one thing but losing them in such a short span of time is what baffles me. All of a sudden I'm supposed to believe that a former four-time World Champion can lose matches in just under five minutes? Especially when it's someone like Alberto Del Rio who is known for employing strategies to clinch victories? He needed a gimmick overhaul or something interesting to work with. But I still see him as a Main Eventer just like I still see Sheamus as a Main Eventer. These guys should continue as Main Eventers. Who says all Main Eventers have to consistently win titles? They should at least be used to consistently challenge for the WWE World title while occasionally going over other top stars just to stay as relevant competition.

 

[Degenerate88]

He isn't back in Mexico yet, so no, he isn't where he belongs.

Everyone that thinks he's actually talented is brainwashed by the WWE. The only reason they brought him in was to TRY and get some more Hispanic wrestling fans, hoping to keep the numbers of those up with Mysterio barely appearing anymore. He isn't and has never been entertaining. He couldn't build off the fact that he won the first ever 40 man Royal Rumble, he couldn't build off being in Edge's last match, he cant build. He needs to go back to Mexico and wrestle off-air where they can worship him again, for whatever reason!

 

[Creepy Old Man]

You are right, he is right where he deserved to be...

Think I explained that once here: Del Rio had most easiest gimmick in the world to get over as a heel, rich prick who is bragging how whealty he is and how he is destined to greatness because he is so good.

I disagree. Ted DiBiase was that gimmick, and by some miracle JBL was able to get it over again. Del Rio wasn't the guy to revive that 1980s gimmick once more.

 

[Softcore Holly]

For the part, yeah. This may sound harsh but I can't think of anyone else that had so much opportunity and time to get over with big title runs and fail to do so. He has gotten more chances than most guys will ever see and it hasn't paid off at all.

But I wouldn't get rid of him though, he's definitely one of the better wrestlers on the roster(his match with DB on raw was great for example) and he has a good natural heel look to him, he just shouldn't be competing for the WWEHC. I could definitely see him being in good mid-card feuds for the IC/US or maybe even the tag titles, get him a mouthpiece since he obviously has trouble drawing heat and we can just sit back and enjoy the matches.

 

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

Alright, first of all, apparently these dirt sheets are not the same. Different ones bash Del Rio when he is in the main event scene and different ones bash the creative for putting him in the mid card. It is the same as the supposed "IWC opinions". The IWC doesn't have a single opinion.

With this out of the way, time to get into the thing in hand. When Del Rio was the World Champ at SD, we wasn't anything special overall. His ring work is great, I enjoy most of his matches, but his promo work is kinda weak. People say he can't connect to the crowd. If this because of Del Rio's actual lack of skill on that part or because he is not an American and people just tend to ingore him by default? I've seen cases, with the most recent being Rusev, that people just trash anyone who isn't American and don't give him a chance to show what he can do. Sure, we had seen Del Rio's weak promo abilities, but to some extent, the bad reaction to him from the crowd didn't help.

Del Rio is a great in-ring performer. He works greatly with anyone. But his promos are weak, so the overall guy is decent, but not top tier talent. At this stage, (and most stages for that matter), the best place for him is the mid-card. He looks great there. He can show why he is better than others at the mid-card and I can say that I enjoy him being there. I believe that people take him seriously. Maybe they don't care, but he is a threat, so his programs are not "indifferent". His match aren't pointless.

To me, one of the main reasons why his SD World Title reign was a flop is exactly because it was on SD. Nobody pays attention, nobody cares about SD. Therefore, a title reign who is mostly based on a show that nobody cares about will be bad and forgettable. It hasn't just happened to Del Rio. Sheamus was at that spot too. Looking at Del Rio now, after being a semi-serious World Champ, at the mid-card, I can see how he COULD help the main event scene at times. If built up strong, he can deliver to some extent, at least to cover some programs. Bryan is fighting Kane, because Orton, Cena, Batista are covered in other programs and Punk is gone. Del Rio could be a decent challenge for Bryan at MitB.

Del Rio's absence from the main event scene might not be visible and probably there is no gap created there, but I can see why Del Rio can be useful there. He can deliver in the ring. If carried on the mic by his opponent, he can put on a good 1-2 month program. But, for the moment, the mid-card suits him perfectly. He doens't need to talk, he needs to perform, and he does that to near-perfection. Him holding the US/IC title, or feuding with guys like Barrett, Sheamus, Big E, Titus, Ziggler etc could lead to great programs and even change the fans' minds about Del Rio.

Is he under-appreciated? No. Does he deserve another chance? Probably, but it depends on him and on creative. But he surely isn't the permanent main event talent, the same way as he doesn't deserve to be future endeavored.

 

[closet_fan]

With the talk that he's going to likely leave the WWE and go back to Mexico, I doubt he'll be featured in any storyline going forward. Why invest in someone you know is going to leave? He'll play a Kofi Kingston type role where he'll get a shot to be on tv every now and then until his contract runs out. I believe the only reason he was pushed was because Vince liked him, but I'm not sure how HHH or anyone else felt.

I see no chance of him resigning. He can go back to Mexico and be an instant star again.

 

[L@RISANO]

I think that Del Rio needs at least for this year, to be in the MidCard title scene.

Currently, the way he is being used is perfect as there are quite a few guys who are being built up that are much more over than he ever was, and they should have priority over guys like Del Rio, Big Show and Sheamus.

Hopefully, Sheamus winning the US title wouldn't just be transitional, but he will be given time to at least put it back into the spotlight, the same with BNB and the IC title.

Del Rio can be kept in the current position, as he was used against Daniel Bryan on RAW this week. Maybe, challenge for the IC/US title at some point, even win it at some point. Then, assuming guys like the Shield, Bray Wyatt and Cesaro are ready by the time of Wrestlemania 31...then maybe a slight repackaging of Del Rio, and he can be placed back into the Main Event as a Transitional Main Eventer at some point.

So simply, leave him in the Mid to Upper Mid card for this year. Then build him back again post-Mania 31 if he is still in the WWE(there were reports that he was leaving).

 

[StalinTheTerrible]

I find that since the titles have been unified that these superstars (Del Rio, Sheamus, Ziggler, Henry, Big Show etc) have been stuck to this upper mid card position in which they, in reality really shouldn't be. I really like Del Rio in the ring but like someone said once Ricardo left he became bland and boring.

I was a steady casual, usually just watch wrestlemania season and when I heard Edge was leaving and his opponent was Del Rio I thought "Great, This is going to be a guy who is really good and they won't send him off with a crappy opponent this guy must be really something."

I still stand by that thinking that the guy whom was against Edge in his last match has been demoted to upper mid-card status.

Come on he may not have been over with you guys, but he was with me.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Del Rio is exactly where he belongs on the card. When there were two world titles I would have seen him being a part of the World Heavyweight Championship title scene long term, but that title is gone and the unification has left us with only one world title with less wrestlers to place in the title tier. Del Rio can get world title matches here and there, but there are plenty of names regardless of their face/heel status that should be getting the shots before him. I can see him becoming part of the Intercontinental Championship scene later down the line. It might be a demotion in the eyes of some, but that's the #2 belt now and it would be good for that belt to have former World Champions chasing it.