Unlike most members of the internet wrestling community, I am a fan of Alberto Del Rio. I enjoyed his early days as a Mexican Aristocrat, his destiny manifesto, even his baby face run won me over eventually. He is certainly one of my favorites on the current WWE roster.
So it has been disappointing to see a man I have connected with take such a huge step back in recent months. As a matter of fact, Del Rio hasn’t done much of anything since he lost the World Heavyweight Championship to John Cena in October. How does a man fall so far so fast? It begs the question: “What happened?”
In the case of Alberto Del Rio, the simple answer is likely the correct one. Although still capable of being a top level player, Del Rio has become stale as a character, and it would appear that the WWE creative team has nothing much else for him at this time. As a fan of Del Rio you might assume I would be upset by this notion, but I happen to believe that it can be a good thing.
The wrestling business has often been described as cyclical, and a case could be made that the internal structure of an organization should be that way too. Del Rio might actually benefit from some time away from the man event scene, but too much time away can also be a problem. Which begs the more complicated question: “What now?” Del Rio has several paths that he could take that would lead him off the road of obscurity he is currently striding down.
One thing the WWE hasn’t yet managed to accomplish in their Reality Era is creating a solid mid card, and much of that is due to a lack of power players. Having Sheamus at the top of that mid card as United States Champion is a good start though, and Alberto Del Rio could make an excellent foil to the Great White, especially considering their match ups for the World Heavyweight Championship were always highly entertaining.
Del Rio has accomplished many things as a singles star (WWE and World Heavyweight Champion, Royal Rumble winner), so perhaps the key to making him seem fresh again would lie in the tag team division. This choice would require more than a little planning as he would require a partner with whom he shares some chemistry. The first name that comes to mind is former opponent Christian. If their work as enemies could equate their ability as a team, then we could be looking at a millennial version of the Chris Jericho & Eddie Guerrero tandem from the late 90’s, or a modern Strike Force at least.
Of course, there’s always another option for Del Rio: Go home. His contract is coming up soon and there is some talk circulating that Del Rio might not re-sign. All things considered, this might not be a bad decision on his part, and it could benefit both him and WWE in the long run.
Before signing with WWE, Alberto Del Rio was widely known as Dos Caras Junior in his native Mexico. The son of legendary performer Dos Caras, Del Rio enjoyed quite a bit of success in his homeland before being offered the chance to work for the world’s largest wrestling organization. I’m sure he would have little to no issue becoming acclimated to the Mexican wrestling scene once more, likely making even more money than when he donned the mask originally.
Of course, there’s no need to limit his travels to Mexico. What about Japan? Many former WWE stars have found whole new careers in the land of the rising sun. Careers that have proven more lucrative and creatively fulfilling than their time in WWE. Certainly Del Rio could use his recent run as a main event star in WWE to forge a working relationship with a top company in Japan.
If Del Rio wants to stay state side, both TNA and up-start company Global Force Wrestling would certainly be interested in courting a talent with his qualities and resume. Even Ring of Honor could use him to not only add an international flare to their product, but help fill the gaps left behind by talent like The American Wolves and the recently signed Kevin Steen.
If Del Rio were to take this path, it would allow him to grow, try out something new, or even rest a little, while simultaneously giving WWE fans a chance to miss him. Del Rio still has plenty of gas in the tank, and WWE has proven that if it benefits them, they’re doors are always open for returning talent. To use the example of Christian again, his time away from WWE helped him grow as a performer and made WWE fans excited for his return. Everyone came out better in the end.
Is this the path Del Rio will take? It seems to be looking that way, and honestly it seems to make the most sense as well. Unless WWE has managed to come to an agreement with Del Rio and have some big plans for him at Money In The Bank, Del Rio may be best to walk away for a while, then come back to attack when no one suspects it. That’s more his style anyway.
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