My name is Alberto Del Rio, but you already know that I might be leaving the WWE

[GD]

While CM Punk reportedly felt that a match with Triple H wasn’t high profile enough for him, it appears that several disagree with him. The feeling backstage from many of his co-workers is that a WrestleMania match with Triple H was a very big deal.
– As noted earlier here on the website, there was talk backstage at Monday’s WWE RAW that Alberto Del Rio has been making noise about potentially leaving the company when his current WWE contract expires.
Apparently Del Rio has been frustrated after going from being a top guy on the SmackDown brand to what he considers to be someone simply being fed to Batista. A lot of the talk in the company is that due to Del Rio’s age, him talking about retirement in the past and the fact that he has had a considerable amount of success and notiriety in Mexico, that maybe it’s getting close to the time that he eventually walks away.
There is no definitive word at this point as to whether or not Del Rio has started working on a new contract, but there is at least a certain amount of concern over his future after the talk at RAW this past Monday night.

I blame it on the end of the brand expansion. More coming from my side.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>I've been bored to tears by Del Rio for months.</font>

[#1-norm-fan]

I blame it on the company not knowing what to do with anyone anymore.

[el bobbo]

Del Rio should beat Batista clean at Elimination chamber and get a big push just like Kofi Kingston did after he beat Randy clean. Remember that push Kofi got?

[Tazz Dan]

Which time?

[Tom Guycott]

:y: The last three posts in this thread. In precisely that order.

I mean, we've beat the horse to death, reanimated it using Dr. Frankenstein's technique, beat it to death again, brought it back to life with necromantic magic, and beat it to death yet again in reguards to Daniel Brian being misused, and that guy is basically a licence to print money waiting to be pressed... and that's the most over guy on the roster aside from cash-cow Cena.

Then there's everyone else, who's kind of aimlessly wandering around, winning for no reason and jobbing when they should be winning. Some potential angles write themselves, and nobody pulls the trigger, but then you get "angles" just sort of bumblefucking around such as the breakups of Tons of Funk and PTPs. While Wade Barrett basically being Rickey Gervais is somewhat entertaining, it loses a little something if you're not seeing him on EVERYTHING WWE produces, such as web series skits and app bumps. AJ Lee being the longest reigning Diva's champion SHOULD be awesome, but she's a queen with no kingdom much like when Gregory Helms was the Cruiserweight champion when there was pretty much no Cruiserweight divison. They were more concerned about pimping a reality show than the actual primary product they're supposed to be providing: a goddamn wrestling show. I mentioned years ago how a Kofi Kingston/Dolph Ziggler match should be a PPV headliner by now- possibly even a World Title match- and if they were pushed and built properly, nobody would be complaining about that because they would be established as main eventers. Instead, they're still seen as second rate, and with no direction, they'll continue to be seen as such. They'd have another upper eschelon of "top talent" that included guys like Cody Rhodes and Zack Ryder if they took the time they needed to with progressing talent like they used to.


I remember seeing one of Cornettes rants about how Russo had everybody doing something ("when sometimes it's just a guys job to get the holy hell beat out of them"), and while I get what me *meant* by that- that super convoluted angles where you're trying to get everyone under the sun over at the same time won't work because some people are supposed to be straight up jobbers- WWE seems to be running in the extreme opposite direction: that nobody is over unless we say so, and that EVERYONE who got their foot in the door post 2004 is a jobber. No exceptions. People who can cut promos aren't given promo time. People who can go in the ring are put in stupid backstage skits. If anyone else did shit like this, it would be so much "LOL TNA".

So, as it concerns Of The River, I wouldn't blame him. Yeah, he's been pretty bland, but IN SPITE OF his lack of charisma, a lot of that isn't his fault. He was yet another rich boy heel, had a horrendously forced face run, and a just as rushed and forced heel turn again. He's had no real angles to flesh out any type of character or motivations other than what was originally established. Essentially, nothing has changed except his spot on the card, and that kind of changes on a whim. Yeah, he's being set up as a stepping stone for a returning Bats, and most likely, it'll just be a decisive victory and then that shit's over. No drawn out war, no drama, nothing that has some benefit for both guys. Batista will go over, ADR will look weaker, and that'll be then end because the focus is how Batista will fit into the 'Mania picture.

Meanwhile, Del Rio will likely end up in a slide like The Miz. He's faded from true relevance for awhile, but if you recall, his decent was pretty fucking swift. He goes from being champion to a non-descript losing streak in a couple of months with no sort of upside or anything. Just going from "the man" to pissant in a short span for no real reason... and it wasn't like someone new got over in the wake of it. This is the direction Alberto is headed, and it's crazy to think about.

[GD]

The WWE is focusing a lot more on the main event scenario. There is a very evident lack of "over superstars". Even former WWE / World Heavyweight Champions are having a hard time to remain relevant.

As Tom G previous mentioned, Russo had something for everyone, irrespective of their place on the card. If the current situation progresses, I won't be surprised if we get to see John Cena versus Randy Orton in the year 2020.

[Rammsteinmad]

Doesn't help that they constantly bring in part-timers to hog up all the spotlight.

[Impeccable]

If, and that's a bit if...IF it is true that he is unhappy about being "fed" to Batista and that is his motivation for leaving, I would tell him to man the fuck up and be a team player.

When Triple h came back from quad tear in early 02, they needed someone strong, someone credible to feed to him. That someone was Kurt Angle. By that point multiple time champion Kurt Angle. I think this is a similar scenario. They have re-signed a main event talent and need someone strong to put him over.

I'd see it as a compliment.

Be a company guy ADR.

[dronepool]

Good. He's pretty boring.

[#1-norm-fan]

Doesn't help that they constantly bring in part-timers to hog up all the spotlight.

They need the part timers because none of the full-timers are over. The right thing to do is use the part-timers in the main event to keep things feeling like a big deal and while you're doing that ACTUALLY USE your full-timers in angles and consistent pushes and focus on getting them over so they can eventually be on par with your part-timers.

Like I said in another thread, they've got more TV time to fill than ever before yet they have less guys with direction than they did when it was basically one hour of Raw and some weekend squash matches. It takes a long time to get a guy ingrained in people's mind as a legit star. You can't push them for a couple months when you suddenly realize you need another main eventer and then job them out, rinse and repeat.

[Brigstocke]

EAT
SLEEP
GET BEAT
RETREAT

[Blonde Moment]

They need the part timers because none of the full-timers are over. The right thing to do is use the part-timers in the main event to keep things feeling like a big deal and while you're doing that ACTUALLY USE your full-timers in angles and consistent pushes and focus on getting them over so they can eventually be on par with your part-timers.

Like I said in another thread, they've got more TV time to fill than ever before yet they have less guys with direction than they did when it was basically one hour of Raw and some weekend squash matches. It takes a long time to get a guy ingrained in people's mind as a legit star. You can't push them for a couple months when you suddenly realize you need another main eventer and then job them out, rinse and repeat.

Are they not over because they don't have the talent or because the writers don't have the talent and the management doesn't have the patience or faith.

[Tom Guycott]

Are they not over because they don't have the talent or because the writers don't have the talent and the management doesn't have the patience or faith.

Yes. :shifty:

[The Rogerer]

If, and that's a bit if...IF it is true that he is unhappy about being "fed" to Batista and that is his motivation for leaving, I would tell him to man the fuck up and be a team player.

When Triple h came back from quad tear in early 02, they needed someone strong, someone credible to feed to him. That someone was Kurt Angle. By that point multiple time champion Kurt Angle. I think this is a similar scenario. They have re-signed a main event talent and need someone strong to put him over.

I'd see it as a compliment.

Be a company guy ADR.He's doing his job. Beyond that, what's the point? He doesn't need the money, he isn't getting any younger, why keep going into a demanding job towards your 40s when you're not going to reach the heights again?

[Damian Rey]

If, and that's a bit if...IF it is true that he is unhappy about being "fed" to Batista and that is his motivation for leaving, I would tell him to man the fuck up and be a team player.

When Triple h came back from quad tear in early 02, they needed someone strong, someone credible to feed to him. That someone was Kurt Angle. By that point multiple time champion Kurt Angle. I think this is a similar scenario. They have re-signed a main event talent and need someone strong to put him over.

I'd see it as a compliment.

Be a company guy ADR.

The difference being the company still had a lot of faith in Angle and put him in main event feuds at the top of the card consistently after making Triple H look good before his Mania spot. Angle headline Mania the following year, putting over the company's most recent homegrown star to that point, and headlined again with Eddie, then a stellar match with HBK, followed by another headline match as WHC at Mania 22.

It's not even remotely the same. Angle was not being "fed" to anyone. He was simply being used to help reestablish another main eventer, and eventually went back to main eventing himself and still staying incredibly relevant.

ADR is not getting that treatment. As Mr. Guycott said, his fall from grace as been rapid. Three months ago, he was WHC and the "main event" of SD. He loses to Cena, and falls of the face of the company. He jobbed to Sin Cara a few times, who then went nowhere with it, and is now being fed to Batista as fodder prior to Mania. And there's zero sign of hope beyond Elimination Chamber that ADR is ever going to be given anything of significance to do ever again.

I don't blame him. He's clearly going to put Batista over and likely give Bats a very solid outing. But him seriously considering leaving the company shortly thereafter is a legitimate line of thinking considering how irrelevant he's become, and, due to unified titles, how little chance there is for him to ever crack the main event again.

[NormanSmiley]

when Del Rio first came up I thought he was great on the Mic, great look and can go in the ring. The only thing that has changed in that time is they turned him face which was terrible and gave him nothing to do

[whiteyford]

He makes a terrible face, although to be fair all they really did is take away the cars and have him smile more.

[whiteyford]

If the dirtsheets are right and they're pairing up the Miz and Ziggler as two frustrated guys why not add Del Rio, a mini stable of former world champions working together, even if its just a loose coalition.

[XL]

Miziggler? Two frustrated guys? If this doesn't end in suggested homoeroticism I'll be surprised.

[screech]

If the dirtsheets are right and they're pairing up the Miz and Ziggler as two frustrated guys why not add Del Rio, a mini stable of former world champions working together, even if its just a loose coalition.

Led by Kevin Nash

[Mr. Nerfect]

Alberto Del Rio is so fucking good, but people just don't care. They did at first, because Del Rio won. His whole shtick when he first showed up on SmackDown was that yeah, he had the worst attitude, but he was probably the best wrestler in the world and that was why he could get away with it. The dude slapped the urn out of Paul Bearer's hand while Kane was on a monster tear right in front of Kane! You honestly got the vibe that this guy thought he was a Wrestling God (in the same vein as another rich heel). You can't have a character like that keep traction if he keeps losing.

Del Rio's face turn was always a bit misguided, I think. But when he went against Big Show it worked pretty perfectly. He was clearly the underdog in the feud. I think more needed to change with Del Rio, but I get why they didn't change things all at once. He was a great babyface in the ring, but his character still didn't give us much reason to cheer. Then he moved into that program with Jack Swagger, and Del Rio's character just sort of laughed the racism off. I really believe that feud should have been for the United States Championship by the way. Antonio Cesaro was the US Champion and doing the whole "No American can beat me" thing. Cue Del Rio coming in and pointing out that he's not American, beating Cesaro cleanly and having a fantastic mid-card title run.

I also think that Del Rio, given his money, should really have gotten new theme music during his face run. Give him some sort of rock theme with Spanish lyrics. Get people pumped for his entrance. "Realaza" worked at the start, but I think it's time to change. I think he also could have lost the trunks and gone to some MMA-style shorts during his face run. Why not do the change now? He could have a match against Batista at Elimination Chamber and debut the new look as a way to get into Batista's head. The problem obviously goes beyond aesthetics, but they do help a guy feel fresh.

I also don't think it would be completely insane to put Del Rio over Batista at Elimination Chamber. Batista's already got his title shot at WrestleMania XXX locked in. They might want to give Batista some momentum, but Del Rio beating Batista could create the story of big match ring rust for Batista, and be a huge feather in the cap of Del Rio. It wouldn't be completely unprecedented -- remember when Triple H beat Stone Cold Steve Austin in 3 Stages of Hell at No Way Out 2001?

Fuck it, make it for Batista's title shot and have Brock Lesnar cost Dancin' Dave the match. Del Rio earns a title shot for WrestleMania against defending WWE World Champion, Daniel Bryan. It might seem fucking weird, and it is, but Lesnar vs. Batista is a pretty big WrestleMania draw and Del Rio entering the title picture would be...interesting. Del Rio could get support from Triple H and Stephanie McMahon as "The Face of WWE," which leads to Orton developing tensions with Del Rio as well. Orton uses his rematch at WrestleMania XXX and you get a Triple Threat with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon's relationships with Del Rio and Orton being in question.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Before he started doing his Bad News Barrett thing, I liked the idea of Wade Barrett teaming with Alberto Del Rio. Their relationship would be a simple one -- Wade Barrett likes fighting for money; Del Rio has lots of money. It'd be such a simple tag team concept, and one that I think would have legs for at least one notable WWE Tag Team Title reign. The run with Del Rio could help elevate Barrett, and it at least keeps Del Rio busy. When the two lose the titles, ego and tensions could lead to the two exploding and battling each other in a pretty high-profile match.

Now that he's ditched Darren Young, Titus O'Neil sort of needs something to do too. He's into his "Millions of Dollars," right? What if he wants to join Del Rio and make a lot of money? There's also Brodus Clay who has recently turned heel and has nothing much to do. David Otunga has also been a heel lawyer for Del Rio in the past. Maybe he still has him on retainer? Throw in the option of including Bad News Barrett and you could have yourself a pretty heavy stable going. To be honest, I'd probably leave Clay and Otunga out of it, but you could have Rosa Mendes in there as paid eye-candy. Del Rio, Barrett & O'Neil with Mendes hanging out by their side.