Alberto Del Rio Leaving?

[The Brain]

I’m not normally one to create threads on backstage rumors but I just read that Alberto Del Rio may be leaving WWE when his contract expires. Sorry but I don’t know when the contract expires but I’m hoping it’s not for a while. I know what most of the responses are going to be. You guys are going to comment on how you’re happy he’s leaving or how no one is going to care if he leaves. I’ve been a Del Rio supporter since day one and I feel like I’m almost alone in that. I really don’t understand what everyone’s problem with him is.

Alberto Del Rio is a talented in ring performer and has a great personality for the business. I don’t know why people find him boring. Is it because he’s not funny on the mic? I think somewhere along the way people started confusing professional wrestling with stand up comedy. Del Rio has played his role of the arrogant heel very well over the years. He’s looked like a champion since day one. Unfortunately some of Del Rio’s best characteristics have slowly disappeared. The nice clothes (especially the scarf), the fancy cars, the wink, the personal ring announcer. You may not think much of this but all those things allowed Del Rio to stand out and even as they have disappeared he’s talented enough to have remained in a good position on the roster.

I would be very disappointed to see Del Rio go. Now that the world titles have been unified I think Del Rio would make a great IC champ and would be the perfect guy to bring that title back up a little. I’m prepared for most people to disagree with me but I think you guys have been sleeping on Del Rio for years now. I guess a lot of people still think he’s boring just because CM Punk said so. Who knows? Maybe you'll appreciate him when he's gone. Let's just hope there's nothing to this and hope he stays.

 

[HellBoundPower]

I completely agree! Alberto Del Rio has shown talent since day one. With English not being his first language, he has been decent on the mic since his debut. His in ring skill is top 10 in WWE with the current roster. People might find him bland, but I blame that on bad booking. He has been the whipping boy of people like Edge, John Cena, and even Rey Mysterio since day one. His face turn was a bad decision, and his heel turn after his face turn was poorly executed. People totally underestimate him and call him boring because they just don't get it. He can carry a fued and tell a story in the ring like few others in the WWE right now. He's the only thing interesting about the feud between him and Batista. I wish people realized his talent and potential.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I don't blame Del Rio for being what several people would consider "stagnant". You can only do as much as your script allows, and that is all on the writers. The scarf, the cars, Rodriguez, etc. all made Del Rio stand out. When it was time to try something new, Creative gave him flags on the corner posts and a monopoly on the word "gringo". That doesn't really generate interest. Not for a main eventer and steadfast competitor like Del Rio.

I've always enjoyed the wrestling aspect of ADR. The character itself, not so much. The writers should be held accountable for that. I hope this rumor is just that, and ADR stays with the WWE for several years to come.

 

[grantedisme]

While we're all on the subject of praising Del Rio, I'd like to bring up that one of his promos on Rey Mysterio was brilliant in my opinion. In it, he said something to the effect of "beating up Rey is a normal thing for me now; when I wake up, I think 'hey, let's beat up Rey Mysterio."

Obviously, I'm doing it no justice, I'll try to find a link on youtube and post it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmgbRbpkEy4

^ Here it is; he talks about Rey one or two minutes in.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

This is getting odd as I'll be the fifth straight guy to say that I would really miss Alberto Del Rio. I've been a supporter since day one, he was always really entertaining as far in-ring performances goes but we all know that being a great wrestler only goes so far in the WWE world.

Alberto Del Rio is genuinely the nicest guy in the WWE roster right now, just look at some of his interviews and stuff. He knows he'll not be the best ever, nor will he ever surpass John Cena and there is no shame in that. He was an entertaining heel for four straight years and he could have gone further as a babyface if Ziggler wasn't so hot after WrestleMania. His promo work is not stellar, mostly because of his thick accent but he comes out as one of those "what you see is what you get" type of guys. He's very charismatic which proves that he could be used in a whole lot different ways instead of playing the same old "I'm mexican! US sucks" antics - but that is actually it's charm. He's an old school character, the rich guy who is one of the best workers in the WWE.

I'm pretty sure he made good money in this last four years, but I feel I've seen so few of him. His two storylines going to WrestleMania against Edge and Jack Swagger were good quality television for instance. His on-going rivalry with Rey Mysterio ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS delivers great bouts. The only thing he did that was his downfall was feuding with Sheamus for what seemed like one entire year, in a filler rivalry that nobody cared about. He could have done so much more... Well if he leaves I'll be a very sad wrestling fan and I will miss the best in-ring performer as far as psychology goes.

 

[Mantaur Rodeo Clown]

WWE have an awesome, uncanny ability to somehow make 3 hours seem like 10 and yet at the same time have nothing happen.

Alberto Del Rio is perhaps the biggest victim of that.

WWE can not write storylines for anyone that isn't already over and in the main event, which means talented wrestlers like Del Rio end up having matches with Kofi Kingston, attacking people after matches to send a message for, oh I don't know, about 6 fucking months at a time.

Del Rio is right to feel frustrated. All he needed was a good telenovella storyline to keep him on tv. Instead they took away everything that was interesting about him (cars, Ricardo Rodriguez) and made him wrestle matches with no purpose ad nauseum until he cracked.

See also: Dolph Ziggler, Damien Sandow, The Miz,

Talent leaving is just a result of the much larger issue that WWE has had for years now.

Unless you are Cena, HHH, Punk or someone feuding with these people, creative doesnt have anything for you.

 

[gotemo]

WWE have an awesome, uncanny ability to somehow make 3 hours seem like 10 and yet at the same time have nothing happen.

Alberto Del Rio is perhaps the biggest victim of that.

WWE can not write storylines for anyone that isn't already over and in the main event, which means talented wrestlers like Del Rio end up having matches with Kofi Kingston, attacking people after matches to send a message for, oh I don't know, about 6 fucking months at a time.

Del Rio is right to feel frustrated. All he needed was a good telenovella storyline to keep him on tv. Instead they took away everything that was interesting about him (cars, Ricardo Rodriguez) and made him wrestle matches with no purpose ad nauseum until he cracked.

See also: Dolph Ziggler, Damien Sandow, The Miz,

Talent leaving is just a result of the much larger issue that WWE has had for years now.

Unless you are Cena, HHH, Punk or someone feuding with these people, creative doesnt have anything for you.

This is the sad truth and the possibly the silver lining. So basically what WWE needs to do with these guys is either let them go or bump them down to lower programming so they can at least still pick up a pay check. The problem is that they've been written in purgatory for so long they get stuck there. Honestly if they do keep making lackluster attempts to push these guys for 2 months and then fall back again it creates a glass ceiling for younger up and comers and then 5 years from now the new guys now are in their early-mid 30s and stuck purgatory. Unfortunately in order to rebuild for the long game these guys have to be sacrificed down the card.

 

[davy g]

WWE dropped the ball like they have with so many superstars, its ridiculous, R-Truth after he whupped Morrison comes to mind about a good villain they had a chance to be a real good heal but blew it ,they could have brought ADR out with a Latina Diva after he beat up Ricardo and went back to the expensive cars and the Latin Aristacat gimmick and made him untouchable similar to the way EC3 is portrayed in TNA and made him a complete hated ass and inserted him into title situations and made all parties happy, but like a lot of script writing lately , it leaves a lot to be desired ! And once again its the fans who lose

 

[BigThunder]

I hope the report is wrong, but given everything we've heard over the years. it doesn't come as a big surprise. He's never seemed all that happy in the E, despite being given a high profile for much of his career. He's great in the ring and I've always enjoyed his work, but has struggled to make that connection with the fans that would put him over the top and keep him solidly in the first tier.

I was making a list of "non-IWC favorites I like" earlier today; ADR and Axel were the two names that fronted the list. I hope he stays, but as a certain other wrestler proves, sometimes the biggest challenge in this business is being happy.

 

[H33LTurn]

ADR has improved greatly since his last major storyline with the company. The rumors of Del Rio leaving have been circulating since his first WWE championship run, so I'm not entirely sure about the validity of the dirt sheets' claims. Its perfectly understandable why Del Rio is unhappy with the company. Having been a living legend and multi-generational superstar elsewhere, it only made sense for him to be booked accordingly. There was a point where he was rumored to replace Orton and Edge as the face of Smackdown, which indicated management was aware of his value in Mexico. Unfortunately WWE does a poor job of booking anyone who's success isn't an immediate result of the WWE machine. Del Rio is a self made man who doesn't have to shoulder the brunt of the upcoming valley WWE will find itself in. With fans this displeased right before the debut of the WWE Network and talent jumping ship, the company could find itself in financial ruin. I'm sure that bit of info doesn't help to motivate people like Del Rio or Punk. Del Rio is a fantastic in ring talent who's mic work can definitively improve. He has amazing potential, but in my opinion the rumors are true and WWE has once again dropped the ball with a talent that will be incredibly hard to replace.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The thing with ADR is that he has peaked... and did so very quickly indeed.

That he was Trips' first "pick" so to speak wasn't the reason. His talent quickly marked him out as a World Champion contender and then he won it and the Rumble almost within a year. The problem is where he goes from there, as he is never going to be the top, top guy. He is never going to beat the Undertaker for the streak or perhaps hold the title again. So it becomes a case of "How do you solve a problem like ADR?".

This reminds me a lot of Flair in 91/93, comes in as a bonafide "legend" from elsewhere and is, unusually for WWE treated accordingly, both guys won the title very quickly and it left them very little room to do anything else. The only difference was they didn't try the face turn with Flair. There came a point where Flair, much as ADR now was going to start moving down the card and he said "Nah, I'll go home thanks" and Vince allowed it as it was part of his agreement...

I am sure in ADR's case there is a lot of money to be made for the "return of Dos Caras Jr." and letting him leave for that could be smart... he could comeback to WWE under that gimmick in a year or so, replacing Mysterio as the "masked" hero while they find a new one. At this stage it's perhaps the most interesting thing ADR can be doing.

As a talent he is top notch and I can see why they would really want to keep him, but he's not there to make up the numbers when he can be the man in Mexico.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Del Rio is a fine performer, but yes, he's boring.

He's not funny. He's not that arrogant. He's not threatening. He's not inspiring. He's basically...there. There's nothing really to get behind with him particularly since the WWE has a number of good performers in the ring who are in the same position personality wise.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I'm sorry to snatch the wheels from the bandwagon fellas.

Whilst others are potentially mourning the loss of an in-ring general, all I can think is how the resources and rub given to Del Rio could have been used so much more productively on somebody better suited, someone who might actually get over after years of world titles, royal rumble wins, feuding with the hottest stars in the company and so forth.

I don't find Del Rio boring because I'm told to, or because it's the cool thing to do. I find him boring because I've listened to him and watched him and I tolerate him. There is so many fans that still seem not to understand that there are two sides to being a WWE superstar, wrestling and character. Problem is, you can be as good as you want in the ring, but if you can't make people invest in your character, they won't CARE about your matches. This is the unfortunate position Del Rio is in. If he could make people care, his matches would seem like some of the best every night because the fan response would match up like Cena or Punk or Bryan. I watch Raw and know Del Rio will have a good match, but there's no reason for me to care. Without concern for the storyline implications a good match is just a passing breeze.

I don't think it's unfair to say that given all the preferential treatment the guy has been given despite having nothing to show for it, that he never was going to get over unless something special happened. Therefore, all the titles he's won and things he's done are just a waste. An accomplishment list belonging to someone more deserving.

No, I'm afraid I won't miss skipping another match on Raw each week. I'll just think about who that could've been and how I could have been looking forward to it.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I like Del Rio but I don't think it would matter if he left. He's been pushed strongly since 2010 and, much like Sheamus, he hasn't caught on as much as he should have. Del Rio leaving doesn't leave a void in the WWE at all. And with there only being one world title these days, he's now firmly going to remain a mid-carder.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I've also liked Del Rio. I admit that I've cooled on him a bit over the past few years, but he's still someone that's a strong asset to the roster. I don't think he's gotten over enough to really justify all the times he's been given World Championship runs but, at the same time, I also don't think he's gotten nearly enough credit from fans for the consistently strong work he delivers inside the ring. It's not as if the fans utterly don't care about Del Rio, he generally gets good heat, and someone as talented as he is in the ring is always a plus for any roster.

If the rumors are true of him being unhappy about being fed to Batista are true, I can understand his point of view. It's the same unhappiness that a lot of fans and WWE roster members have, allegedly, voiced since Batista's return. Batista hasn't been around in almost 4 years, but he's being given the royal treatment while wrestlers who have been there are getting shafted. I'd be more inclined to be more sympathetic to WWE's perspective if they hadn't gravely overestimated Batista's star power. Yeah, Batista's a pretty big star but, let's face it, he's nowhere near the same league as The Rock. The Rock helped generate a ton of money for WWE upon his return and I've seen nothing, as of yet, to indicate that Batista is going to bring in any significant numbers.

At the same time, however, younger stars can't be elevated if the older guys aren't shoved aside to some degree. A lot of internet fans want fresher faces in the main event picture and when you consider that a lot of the current main event guys are getting older, fresher faces have to be pushed. Besides, the report of Del Rio possibly leaving once his WWE deal is finished isn't something new as I've read a few reports about that off & on for the past few years. Del Rio probably makes a good deal of money in WWE and I've no doubt he's made a lot in Mexico. Del Rio's only 36 but, allegedly, he's someone that's said he wants to retire sooner than later while he's still healthy.

Since Del Rio has, allegedly, said all this in the past then, if true, I can't really blame WWE for lowering him on the card. Guys who're in it for the long haul are the ones who constantly find themselves pushed to the top of the roster like Orton & Cena. I also can't blame guys who're able to make a good deal of money, save it and get out while they're still relatively young & healthy. They're just doing what they think is best for them and its vice versa for WWE. Neither side is wrong about that, it makes sense from both sides of the fence. It's sort of the same thing with CM Punk, according to the various reports over the years. Allegedly, Punk has said he wants to retire early and when thinking back over the course of the past number of years, it seems that Punk's always frustrated or disgruntled over one thing or another.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think Del Rio is talented, but that he was pushed too rapidly, the fans were not ready to buy into him as a World Champion, and he screamed "midcarder masquerading as a main eventer" during his initial title reigns.

I agree with The Brain in that Del Rio would be a perfect Intercontinental Champion, he is at the level below the likes of Orton, Cena and Lesnar etc but he is the kind of guy that could restore prestige to the IC title. I'd much rather see him as IC champ ahead of Langston or Barrett. Del Rio is a good wrestler, and I love his Armbar finisher, it looks devastating. He isn't as bad on the mic as some people made out, and I think the gimmick is pretty entertaining.

With Mysterio on his last legs and Sin Cara already gone, WWE need that big Mexican star in the company, and in Del Rio they have the perfect guy. It would be a shame if he left the company in the near future as WWE need all the talent they can get at the moment with Punk gone, lots of the biggest stars only working part time and others reaching the tail end of their careers.

 

[Winds-Of-Change]

Personally I like Del Rio. Always have, but he's a victim of lazy booking by creative.

When he first debuted people loved him! But then with everything you read on the IWC, people find any excuse to shit all over him.

I agree with the OP, he would make a fantastic IC champion.. as a face. Give him this role, and he will add prestige back to the title, and give himself more credibility.

If WWE didnt give up on performers constantly and creative wasnt lazy as shit he would be a valuble asset, even more so then he is right now.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I don't know if he's considering leaving or not but if his plan is to go somewhere that fans in attendance are appreciative of a guy who truly knows how to work a match, I wouldn't blame him. After all, these fans are paying to see a wrestling show, no?

I've read that in the 50's and 60's, wrestling organizations regularly featured matches that lasted 30 minutes.....and the fans ate it up. Today, if you watch the crowd that's shown in the first few rows on your TV, many of them can't even be bothered looking at what's happening in the ring; they're talking to friends, watching events going on somewhere else in the arena, or talking on their cell phones. They have neither the patience nor interest in watching a ring technician skillfully work a match. They want to see a few quick, high-flying maneuvers, followed by a quick pin or submission, some pyrotechnics......and it's off to the refreshment stand.

Alberto Del Rio? They find him "boring"and have no patience to watch him work.

If there are places where the fans go more for what he's doing, I could see him leaving. Personally, I hope he stays.....I love watching him work.

 

[The Butcher]

I think he should team up with Hunico/Sin Cara, Ricardo Rodriguez, and Rey Mysterio to form a stable. Something with "luchadores" or "rudos" in the name. Turning Rey heel would be a pretty big deal, and it'd be justifiable based off of reactions he's received recently. Kids are gonna buy the damn mask regardless; it's a cool mask. They could essentially be a Mexican version of the Attitude Era's Hart Foundation stable. I'm not saying they'd be nearly as good; I'm just saying that they'd be faces in Mexico and abroad but hated in most of the United States. In a crazy twist, have Zeb Colter manage them. It's doesn't have to make sense! I'm Vince McMahon damnit! But, seriously, why not? The Real Americans are starting to show some seams. If they disband, Zeb could be left without a job. He could even carry a sign that would read, "Dey took my jerb! And gave me better one! iViva La Luchadores Malo!"

 

[MCMG]

I'm not a huge fan of Del Rio. He can put on a good match but I find him pretty dull. That being said, his promo on Raw was actually quite good - one of his best in a long time.

Del Rio is dependable. He is a good person to have around on the roster to make some of the faces look good. In 2013, however, we saw too much of him. He was in all but one World Heavyweight Championship match on PPV. That is ridiculous. I and many others were bored of Del Rio as champ and we needed a change. I'm not saying he didn't put on good matches, he did, but some of the build up was pretty average.

If Del Rio left it is not a massive loss. With one world title and the amount of talent they have, it is almost a non-issue. The Shield, Bray, Big E, Cody, The Real Americans, Miz, Ziggler, Sandow, Barrett are all guys that can be used in more important storylines. Generally, they are wrestlers we are yet to see at the top so I'd much rather they push one of them instead.

Of course, you can never have too much talent on the roster. If possible, they should keep Del Rio but if he does leave then they will cope and hopefully we will see others be in more high profile feuds.

 

[bioshock]

Hes been a Eddie ripoff with money since day one. Face he was never over with the fans, it was his manager/announcer that got him over, and still Del Rio never was over. Hes like that bum that Jimmy Hart would manage in the 90s, without Jimmy the guys nothing. Well without his manager doing the intro for him, Del Rio was nothing. Boring to say the least. And hell everyone on the roster can get it done in the ring if and when allowed, he was no better performer than anyone else, he was just shoved down our throats more than others, and pushed when he shouldn't of been.

 

[Pedigree1]

In this instance i blame the WWE for this one. I like ADR but he has no purpose right now. Feuding with Batista who we all know,batista will beat the brakes off of him. ADR used to have the whole Aristocrat,the flashy cars,Ricardo Rodriguez,the whole swag and im better than you destiny type of role. That ADR was very entertaining to watch and was quite enjoyable.

The WWE i feel just gave him a script with no purpose and attacking random people with no real story line feel behind it. ADR is a real in ring talent very underrated IMO,and while not the most entertaining on the mic his athleticism cannot be denied.

I hope he stays when his contract expires,i feel WWE cannot afford to lost ADR and Punk! This of course is worse case scenario. I like ADR love that wink he does

 

[Adaminho]

It'll be bad news for WWE if he indeed does end up leaving the company. There's no doubt that he's a perfectly capable wrestler in the ring, but once more, it's Creative not having anything for his character.

The double-turn with Ziggler was fantastic, and the first few months that he had as a heel were great, but since then, he's just been such a generic heel. Hell, give him some time off, say Batista beat him down and Del Rio is injured to get Batista over as dominant, and allow Del Rio to come back as the Mexican aristocrat that first made his character so entertaining. Give him back the cars, Ricardo, and build him up as this awesome submissionist again.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Could always depend on him to have a fucking good match on the card. The man has always been crisp in the ring and is that much better than what people give him credit for. ADR has been my favourite wrestler on WWE TV for a while and I will miss him when he goes. I have hated the fact that he has been hotshotted many a times without any credible storylines to back him up. Also, he needed a personal angle, a bloody storyline that should have had him not just chasing the WHC coz he is 'Alberto Del Rio!' He can talk to save his persona but those numerous feuds on SD without a rhyme or reason crippled whatever credibility he could have.

Hope he stays.

 

[jameyt2003]

Read the Thread title and then the OP. If any of that news is true, i'll cry. Just for a moment, but I will dammit. I love ADR. Hispanics really have a unique sense of humor and unfortunately, ADR's English doesn't translate that well. Not his fault. An American would suffer the same way in another country. If he is on his way out, then I pray for a decent and dignified send off. If its BS, then just keep doing watcha doing amigo.