I have to admit that I did not see much in Andrade “Cien” Almas after WWE signed him and decided to have him come out in suspenders and without the mask he wore in CMLL. There were people in WWE that felt the same way. However, the pairing with Zelina Vega as his manager has done wonders for his WWE career and he’s really found himself in the last several months as NXT’s top heel.
In an interview with Milenio.com, Almas talked about some of his frustrations during the early months and he revealed who told him to stick things out. “When I got to WWE I felt like I was regressing because of lack of opportunities and the criticism. Then I spoke with Alberto Del Rio and he told me that I should hold on and I will get my opportunity so I kept on fighting for what I wanted.”
For years, WWE has been looking for a latino star and Rey Mysterio was supposed to be that guy until injuries derailed their plans. Now, WWE wants to sign Mysterio but, at 43 years old, it’s clear that he is not going to be part of their long-term future in the ring. Del Rio, a favorite of Vince McMahon, was also supposed to be “that guy” but he had his own issues. Almas has the best shot at becoming the top latino star that McMahon has wanted because he’s just 28 years old, can work and although he can’t cut great English promos, he has Vega as his manager and she’s been great on the microphone.
Almas will defend the NXT Championship at NXT Takeover: New Orleans against Aleister Black. For months, there’s been talk of moving Almas up to the main roster. If he drops the title at Takeover then we could see him on Raw or Smackdown (with Vega) in a few weeks.
(If you use the Almas quote, please credit WrestlingNews.co for the translation).
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