Who.....Kalisto?

[Mustang Sally]

When we saw the 5'5 Lucha Dragon cleanly defeat Ryback last month, I figured the result was geared more toward the de-push of the big guy than any call to fame for the little one.

Then, he beat Alberto Del Rio last night on Smackdown, and now I'm wondering what in the world WWE Creative has in mind for Kalisto.

Is this a push? The ascension of a new superstar? The dawning of a new era for cruiserweights? A shooting star due for a quick flame-out?

I had believed Kalisto was brought aboard to enjoy a nice midcard, tag team existence in WWE; a supporting role, at best.

Is this a temporary push.......or something else?

 

[laodaron]

When we saw the 5'5 Lucha Dragon cleanly defeat Ryback last month, I figured the result was geared more toward the de-push of the big guy than any call to fame for the little one.

Then, he beat Alberto Del Rio last night on Smackdown, and now I'm wondering what in the world WWE Creative has in mind for Kalisto.

Is this a push? The ascension of a new superstar? The dawning of a new era for cruiserweights? A shooting star due for a quick flame-out?

I had believed Kalisto was brought aboard to enjoy a nice midcard, tag team existence in WWE; a supporting role, at best.

Is this a temporary push.......or something else?

If I were to guess, the Salida Del Sol or whatever with Jey Uso is probably giving him a merch and search engine push, which means that the WWE rewards it. It won't last long, since there isn't a Cruiserweight division, there's only so much a smaller than Rey Mysterio clone of Rey Mysterio can do.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

They still need a good Hispanic star. His style is very kid friendly and his mask is very merch friendly. I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay at least mildly relevant for awhile.

Lord knows ADR doesn't do much for the WWE Universe.

 

[J.J.]

They still need a good Hispanic star. His style is very kid friendly and his mask is very merch friendly. I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay at least mildly relevant for awhile.

Lord knows ADR doesn't do much for the WWE Universe.

I think you're onto something here and I agree, fully. Kalisto done well at Survivor Series and TLC. Charisms and excitement - none of which I've found within ADR. Wishful thinking would be if WWE rid itself of its own sterotypes. Kalistos height, weight, etc., shouldn't be an issue in whether or not to push him. When all that should matter is how well he works and match and how well he gets over with the crowd.

 

[ShinChan]

When we saw the 5'5 Lucha Dragon cleanly defeat Ryback last month, I figured the result was geared more toward the de-push of the big guy than any call to fame for the little one.

Then, he beat Alberto Del Rio last night on Smackdown, and now I'm wondering what in the world WWE Creative has in mind for Kalisto.

Is this a push? The ascension of a new superstar? The dawning of a new era for cruiserweights? A shooting star due for a quick flame-out?

I had believed Kalisto was brought aboard to enjoy a nice midcard, tag team existence in WWE; a supporting role, at best.

Is this a temporary push.......or something else?

I hope its a push and unfortunate injury to Sincara might be a blessing in disguise for Kalisto. He has huge potential and he entertains a lot with his matches. Also i hope its not some sort of start-stop push of short interval. Rather it should be a consistent one. I also hope WWE starts a Lightweight Division!

By the way, I too was supershocked at Kalisto defeating Ryback.

Also I know i am hoping too much but Lightweight division would be a good addition as they have pretty good lightweight talents.

If not this then I want him to win atleast mid-card titles for sure.

 

[Hem]

Kalisto connects with crowd, sells merch and most importantly is a potential Latin star. Cara is a bust, Rey is gone, Del Rio is simply Del Rio..I think the eventual storyline may be Sin Cara Vs. Kalisto at WM.

Cara turns after getting jealous of Kalisto for becoming the bigger star when he brought him on board etc etc

I remember WWE wanting a Rey Vs Cara match a while ago to sell lots of masks...this won't be as big but it may still work.

 

[J.J.]

I hope its a push and unfortunate injury to Sincara might be a blessing in disguise for Kalisto. He has huge potential and he entertains a lot with his matches. Also i hope its not some sort of start-stop push of short interval. Rather it should be a consistent one. I also hope WWE starts a Lightweight Division!

By the way, I too was supershocked at Kalisto defeating Ryback.

Also I know i am hoping too much but Lightweight division would be a good addition as they have pretty good lightweight talents.

If not this then I want him to win atleast mid-card titles for sure.

I agree with the Cruiserweight/lightweight division. I think if WWE eliminated one of it's mid card belts then the Cruiserweight title would be a good idea. There are so many on the main roster than would qualify to be in that weight class. This was a good launching pad for Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, ect.

 

[JoeMallard]

He wins the title from Del Rio at Wrestlemania.

 

[ISkye]

Kalisto is pretty good and I think when put in the right situation he can shine. If everything is set up right maybe he can get somewhere or even win a title. I suppose I am in support of Kalisto. I really don't have a set opinion on him yet.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

He wins the title from Del Rio at Wrestlemania.

I could get behind that program. Seems unlikely right now though if they continue to put LON against Reigns though. If Reigns moves on to HHH though, sign me up for that.

 

[Azane]

I just can't see the little guy going too far, He's been shoehorned into Rey Mysterio's demographic, and that could be both good and bad, he's definitely trying to become himself, but WWE keeps inching him Towards Rey Mysterio Jr Jr.

I don't think the WWE style will support him beyond the midcard.

 

[J.J.]

I don't think the WWE style will support him beyond the midcard.

The WWE 'style' didn't support Mysterio beyond mid card but he was in the right place at the right time. Much like Kalisto is, only this time from experiences with Rey they see how marketable guys like him are. As talented of an in-ring worker ADR he's still not nearly as exciting to watch as Kalisto. This is completely overlooking the talent that's a tier above him being injured but emphasizing that he's apart from Sin Cara for the time being and can forge his own path.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Well, if reports are at all accurate, Vince has been looking for a new Rey Mysterio for years and I've long since thought that Kalisto MIGHT be the guy. Mysterio was innovative and something that most American audiences hadn't been exposed to during the mid 90s in WCW, but the fact is that it's 20 years later and Mysterio's body is pretty much worn out. Even before Mysterio came to America, he'd been wrestling since he was about 13 or 14 in Mexico and the Luchadore style relies so heavily on high spots that there's no wonder that it burns out a wrestler's body. Truth be told, Mysterio probably hasn't been anywhere close to himself, as far as being in his physical prime inside the ring, since the days of Cena's ascension.

Vince thought he'd found what he was looking for in Sin Cara but, in my opinion, the guy was mostly hype as I can't say that I was ever majorly impressed. He botched half the moves he did and could his knowledge of the English language wasn't exactly up to snuff. Kalisto has been much more impressive, at least to me, and he speaks English quite well; he also has the sort of bright, colorful look that helped make Mysterio a merchandise powerhouse in WWE and Mysterio's charisma itself seemed to be made up of his bright colors, the mask and his work inside the ring; Kalisto is at least equal to Mysterio in such a way.

I don't think we're seeing a huge push for him just now, I think it's part of laying the groundwork for something later down the road. I can see WWE establishing him a bit as a singles wrestler, primarily giving Sin Cara some time to recover from his shoulder injury, before elevating them to top contenders in the tag team picture. I see the Lucha Dragons winning the titles at least once before going their separate ways.

 

[Aquaman6686]

He wins the title from Del Rio at Wrestlemania.

Kalisto in a singles match at WrestleMania would make it feel like Superstars. Del Rio should defend against a much higher caliber opponent - Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, Cesaro if he's cleared, Big Show, The Miz, Ryback...hell, Zack Ryder should get a title shot before Kalisto.

 

[Good Golly It's Ollie]

Jack Hammer is on the money and so is Kalisto to be frank. He's a hotshot young Rey Mysterio - a Latin draw and a kid-friendly draw as well as an underdog type character - only with much more charisma and actually functioning knees. Sin Cara is out of the way for a while which actually favours Kalisto since he's so far ahead of Sin in the ring it's not even funny. Kalisto defies physics and is not half as near the botch machine that many lucha/highflier stars are.

I wasn't that hot on him at first but he won me over after seeing a few of his matches.

At this point I would actually favour breaking the Dragons and putting Kalisto in a team with a big man so that his skills shine even more. I don't care if he main events or not; he'll function well at any point on the card as long as they promote him.

 

[Navi]

I like Kalisto a lot, and he does remind me of Mysterio right down to his voice. Which I might add I had never heard before he won the Slammy.

He'a one hell of a firecracker in the ring, and has some amazing hi jinks. I like Sin Cara as well, and I'm not glad to see him injured at all, but this might give Kalisto some breathing room and set him on a singles path. Don't think he'll ever be in the main event, but IC and US titles are within his grasp. He is much more kid friendly than Del Rio, who to me has the personality of a dial tone.

I want to see Kalisto wrestle he is very entertaining, Del Rio well is not.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Maybe they view him as the next Rey Mysterio? That was my first thought. I don't like comparing wrestlers, but that seems to be the case.

He'll continue to get upset wins (such as his wins over Del Rio and Ryback) and spots (such as the Solida del Soul to Jey Uso). He'll probably get an IC or US Title reign.

He's obviously talented, but I'm not sure he'll ever be what WWE wants him to be (on the level Mysterio was / future World Champion).

There's nothing with being a tag team wrestler and mid-card champion from time to time. Of course he does have potential to be more, but only time will tell.

 

[ShinChan]

I agree with the Cruiserweight/lightweight division. I think if WWE eliminated one of it's mid card belts then the Cruiserweight title would be a good idea. There are so many on the main roster than would qualify to be in that weight class. This was a good launching pad for Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, ect.

Yeah i too think there should be one mid-card title i.e Intercontinental Title. There is no need for US Title. They can have good depth in Lightweight Division if they ever restart it. I would suggest the name of the title as WWE World Lightweight Championship.
By the way, I loved TNA's X Division when MotorCity MachineGuns , Amazing Red, Suicide were around there.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I have to admit the thought of WWE management wanting to replace Rey Mysterio hadn't even entered my mind. Yet, I've been advancing the theory that having Kalisto operate as a single.....and as a successful single (two for two against higher ranked wrestlers)......is surely an indication they had something in mind.

On one hand, you might think WWE fans will never fall for this supposed 'rip-off' tactic......but on the other hand, the people they're aiming at are kids, who are far less likely to smell a rat.....and the only thing they'll be concerned with is owning a mask from a WWE superstar.

It makes all the sense in the world and it's hard to not like Kalisto. He's younger and healthier than Mysterio so people can like what they used to like about Rey.

As for WWE management, from everything we've read, they'd probably be happy to have a Mysterio-type performer on their roster who's not as much of a pain in the ass about salary and creative matters as Rey was purported to have been.

Go, Kalisto.

 

[boozinjedi]

It'll be interesting to see what they do with him.
The telltale sign will be at Rumble.
I could see him going deep in it,I could see him pulling off some amazing moves given his size and agility.
In years past we've seen guys like Rey or Kofi or other smaller sized wrestlers make highlight-reel worthy Rumble performances.

 

[L@RISANO]

I can definitely see Kalisto as a Midcard Mainstay with his own following(Latino and otherwise). Him and Neville are two guys that can be solid midcard acts whose in-ring prowess will see them cementing their roles on the roster for a few years to come with the occasional highlight every now and then.

Also, WWE hasn't had a Masked guy since Mysterio's health betrayed him. Kalisto can definitely get a sustained push which will put him firmly into the attentions of the casual fanbase, and thus, he will start selling out merchandise like crazy.

 

[Good Golly It's Ollie]

Dirt sheet rumours follow, take with significant amount of salt in spite of obviousness based on Smackdown:

http://www.ringsidenews.com/wwe-news/original-royal-rumble-plans-for-john-cena-revealed/

Now that Cena is out of action with a shoulder injury, possibly up to six months, Kalisto is expected to work a program with Del Rio heading into the Royal Rumble event for the United States Championship.

If true, could be nice for Kalisto, who gets the spot Cena was occupying (for a time at least) and potentially his first singles belt, as well as the rub of going up against a consistent upper-carder and former world champ in del Rio. Also is always cool to see a character who is both non-American and face to capture the US Title.

 

[Vanilla Midget]

They have to push him all the way though. Pushing him now with big wins only for him to be destroyed later does nothing for him and nothing for the destroyer.

His partner Sin Cara 2 for example. When Hunico officially took over, the match where he defeated ADR in a huge upset, then nothing came of it and he disappeared. My memory is a bit hazy, but one of the Sin Caras similarly defeated IC champ Barrett a few years ago, and nothing came of it. It just made Barrett look stupid.

The Lucha Dragons together have been picking up pretty substantial wins. Kalisto beat Ryback and now ADR. Together they've beaten Sheamus and Barrett, as well as picking up multiple non-title victories over the tag team champs.

As long as they keep it up. Suddenly getting bored of Kalisto because they have built him up enough or something like that just hurts the product and disenfranchises the fans. They can't do what they did to Rey Mysterio and feed him to a bunch of goofy giants when he's supposed to be the top dog. Underdog or not, he was top dog after WrestleMania 22.

It all comes down to the .500 booking and the boredom symptoms. I really like Kalisto but his look is so similar to Rey Mysterio's, and we've barely heard a peep out of him. What makes Kalisto special? His wrestling moveset of course, which is phenomenal.

They need to book him strong to the effect that his skill set overcompensates for his size, and find something unique for him, something in his character to cut the unavoidable Mysterio comparisons. His skill set is unique, so too should his character.

 

[Uncle Sam]

WWE history, particularly recent history, is littered with wrestlers who've all of a sudden started doing very well then all of a sudden disappeared off the face of the Earth, or equivalent. You might recall Dolph Ziggler pinning the world champion in the main event of Survivor Series; the biggest matches he's involved in these days are his hair versus humidity.

Basically, even though I have absolute faith in Kalisto's ability, seeing is believing.

 

[J.J.]

WWE history, particularly recent history, is littered with wrestlers who've all of a sudden started doing very well then all of a sudden disappeared off the face of the Earth, or equivalent. You might recall Dolph Ziggler pinning the world champion in the main event of Survivor Series; the biggest matches he's involved in these days are his hair versus humidity.

Basically, even though I have absolute faith in Kalisto's ability, seeing is believing.

Ziggler rubbed people the wrong way. Especially his comments in the past towards Randy Orton, WWE, his concussions following his MITB cash in and the criticism from management about his entrance with the championship belt, namely JBL who addressed it on-air at the time. Once nothing materialized from his dominance at Survivor Series '14, topped with his loss to Heath Slater on Monday night it's safe to say his ship has sailed.

He was receiving the same type of push that Shawn Michaels received in 1995. I will go out on a limb and assume him Ryback and The Miz will never be in the positions they were in a handful of years ago. But I am going to say that politics played a larger role in Ziggler's dismissal to the midcard than his working ability.

I personally never saw Ziggler as main event material - even when surrounded with the likes of AJ Lee and Big E. It's unfortunate for him. With many of the upper tier being hurt I was thinking WWE would begin to elevate him again but after last Monday's loss I am convinced he's staying right where he's at.

I don't think it's a bad thing that he's staying in the mid card. He's still over, still on TV every week working matches, occasionally holds gold and still involved in storylines no matter how silly they may be. Many people point to the year 1995 as a bad year for WWE(although I thought WCW was just as bad) and compare it WWE in 2015.

WWE was bad in 1995 because of a terrible mid card. Nothing wrong with Ziggler being there.