WWE SmackDown Live Needs to Utilize Alberto Del Rio

With Smackdown Live already showing a great nucleus of stars on the top of their roster, they should utilize Alberto Del Rio to add another star into the fold. 

After three weeks of this new era in WWE Smackdown Live has arguably been the better show over Monday Night RAW. From the fact that their only two hours, to the top talent they have such as AJ Styles, John Cena, and Dean Ambrose the early results show Smackdown Live on top. While the show has a great nucleus of talent on the top of their roster, the show could potentially add another big name, Alberto Del Rio. Ever since he returned to WWE last September, the company has struggled to solidify a spot for him.

Del Rio came in red hot after defeating Cena on his first night back in WWE after a near one-year departure from the company. He would win the United States Championship, but never seemed to get going.

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After losing the belt to Kalisto and joining the forgettable League of Nations, Del Rio’s career has been in neutral. The potential he had to become a big star had seemingly disappeared.

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However, with the draft, WWE now has the chance to hit the restart button on superstars and opportunities they have mismanaged recently. Del Rio fits that bill better than anyone currently on the main roster.

With Smackdown Live being viewed as the wrestling show, Mexico’s Greatest Export can really show off his abilities in the ring. He has always had his major strengths when all was needed from him was a solid in ring performance. The blue brand is the perfect place to do so, as we have seen early that the brand focuses more on in-ring performance than talking. Del Rio showed recently how good he can be in the ring, when he had a solid match with Randy Orton.

Alberto Del Rio can speak, though, if he has to and actually is a good talker when the company has allowed him to. However, those opportunities have been rare in both of his stints in WWE.

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With Smackdown also being the program that garners a high amount of Latino viewership, having Del Rio as a top star would make sense logistically as well. In the original Brand Extension, Eddie Guerrerro and Rey Mysterio helped create a large Latino viewership to Smackdown. Stars like Kalisto and Alberto Del Rio could really help bring that audience back to Tuesday nights.

Also, WWE not pushing Del Rio could potentially cause him to opt out of his contract. Apparently, there is a clause that he can opt out of towards this September. Alberto Del Rio seems to be unhappy with his current push and the fact that his current girlfriend Paige is on the other brand (RAW) hasn’t helped matters either (h/t The Inquisitr).

With his talent, Del Rio could find a new job easily. Whether it would be a return to Lucha Underground, going to New Japan Pro Wrestling or heading home to Mexico to either CMLL or AAA, he’ll find a new home quickly.

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WWE has another star on Smackdown in Alberto Del Rio if they finally decide to utilize him. He has all the talent to once again become a main event star. WWE though has to move quickly, if they continue to stall and further anger Del Rio, he might decide to take his talents elsewhere.