Alberto Del Rio and Kalisto Will Lead Renaissance of WWE Hispanic Figures

WWE has a problem that you may not notice, at least not clearly.

There hasn’t been strong, successful influences of Hispanic figures in WWE since Rey Mysterio and the late Eddie Guerrero. The creative team tried with Sin Cara in 2012, but he failed to grasp onto the WWE Universe. It was a collaborative effort between Cara and WWE Creative that led to his downfall.

Recently, hope sprang eternal in an unlikely way.

The WWE Championship tournament featured 16 wrestlers vying to become the world heavyweight champion which will culminate at Survivor Series, as one man will carry the title.

The tournament featured two Latino wrestlers on a collision course with each other: United States champion Alberto Del Rio and Kalisto.

Del Rio, a former WWE world champion, defeated Stardust to advance to the second round. He was favored to win the bout. Del Rio hung Stardust from the turnbuckle and double-stomped him for the pinfall.

Kalisto, however, was the underdog in his match against Ryback. Surprisingly, he won with the Salida del Sol from the top rope. Kalisto grabbed Ryback’s head and flipped from the turnbuckle, giving Ryback an inverted DDT for the victory.

Alberto Del Rio and Kalisto will lead a renaissance of new WWE Hispanic figures.

These victories appear small, but if done right, they’re building blocks to what could be a gold mine. It showed with this past episode of Monday Night Raw.

Del Rio defeated Kalisto with the double stomp to advance to the semifinals. They wrestled the last match of the night. The show featured a sensational opener between Kevin Owens and Neville. It continued with battles between Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler, as well as Roman Reigns and Cesaro.

This is a small sign of faith that the WWE Creative Team has in both wrestlers. It also could mean they’re testing the waters in both competitors’ value.

Del Rio returned from his hiatus by winning the United States title from John Cena at Hell In A Cell. He joined forces with Zeb Colter to create “Mex-America,” a nation merging the United States with Mexico.

Kalisto came up with Sin Cara as The Lucha Dragons. They won tag team gold in NXT only to flounder since their main roster debut the Raw after WrestleMania 31.

Both Del Rio and Kalisto made the most of their time in the tournament, with Del Rio meeting Reigns at Survivor Series. The two natives from Mexico showed they can work incredible matches. Now, they need to draw in the crowd.

That’s the hardest task in the wrestling world. Can these two men make the fans care about their ring personas? It’s easier said than done, but far from impossible.

Del Rio has Colter to work with. Colter can cut effective promos if Del Rio cannot rise to the occasion. Frankly, Del Rio can be interesting on the microphone if he doesn’t feel obliged.

Kalisto is more of the wild card of the two. We haven’t seen him talk in the ring but do backstage segments about the tournament. These segments are small glimmers of hope, as more exposure would do Kalisto very well.

If we can learn more about these characters, then we can fairly judge whether they can last in the long haul. Whether they get the opportunity remains to be seen.

Regardless, WWE has two men who can fill the void left after Mysterio’s absence. The creative team would be wise to include both men in future important storylines. The last thing anyone should want is for them to go back of the line.

Perhaps a feud between the two would suit them best. Del Rio is the U.S. champion, and Kalisto should want revenge for losing in the tournament.

The question isn’t if they can grasp the fans’ attention, but when. You have two natural wrestlers playing classic personas: the arrogant heel and the underdog babyface. It’s time for WWE to capitalize on both Del Rio and Kalisto.

When they do, expect both men to lead a renaissance of new WWE Hispanic figures.