Alberto Del Rio reveals the inspiration for his WWE character (Exclusive)
Alberto Del Rio has explained how he developed his Mexican aristocrat persona in WWE.
The 45-year-old appeared on the main roster between August 2010 and August 2014 before returning for another WWE run between October 2015 and September 2016. His former on-screen ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez, recently said that the four-time world champion based his character on Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
In an interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling's Riju Dasgupta, Del Rio elaborated on the people he took inspiration from:
"More than Pablo Escobar per se, it was all of the people from that world. That world of power and excess and being good guys, sometimes helping people, but also being bad guys. That thin line between being good and bad. What helped me develop the character of Alberto Del Rio was all of those individuals are [more] love than hate, and that's what Alberto Del Rio became in the big industry." [2:53 – 3:38]
Watch the video above to hear Del Rio's thoughts on Israel Adesanya's entrance as WWE icon The Undertaker at UFC 276.
Alberto Del Rio reflects on WWE fans' reactions to his character
Although Alberto Del Rio mostly performed as a villain, he also worked as a babyface between December 2012 and June 2013.
#OnThisDay in 2013, Alberto Del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler to capture the World Heavyweight Championship; https://t.co/prVqaPyES1
The 2011 Royal Rumble winner enjoyed taking the audience on a journey regardless of whether he was presented as a good guy or a bad guy:
"I was loved and hated," Del Rio continued. "I was loved by many people, but I was also hated by many others, and that's the beauty of pro wrestling. I have always said it. We, the wrestlers, have the power to tell you or give you the emotion that we want to give you." [3:39 – 3:59]
Del Rio runs the Nacion Lucha Libre wrestling promotion. The company recently returned with its second season after taking a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Did you prefer Del Rio as a babyface or a heel? Let us know in the comments section below.
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