Del Rio is too predictable...

[Wrestling Curmudgeon]

Work the arm, then Cross Arm Breaker.... we've seen this for about a year now. He has the same match with pretty much anybody. He needs a finisher that isn't a submission in my opinion... I want to love the guy and I DO like him, but it's pretty much, you see one Del Rio match, you've pretty much seen them all.

Thoughts?

[Brick Killed a Guy]

Aug 13, 2011 13:32:12 GMT -5 Wrestling Curmudgeon said:

Del Rio is too predictable...

...but you, you already know that!

[crimsonwolf]

He's a good wrestler, but his whole schtick got old real quick. When the most interesting thing about you is your ring announcer, then you have a real problem.

[rapidfire187]

The same can be said about everybody on the roster for the most part. Everybody has their 5 or so moves that they use in every match. At least Del Rio's 5 or so moves all look good.

[Krimzon]

The guy has a simple strategy and it works. Can't fault him for dancing with what brought him. What he needs to develop is more of a character. That's what really needs tuning. He's fine in the ring, but more times than I'd care to count, he lost the crowd with a promo. Not good for a supposed top guy.

[Citizen Snips Has Left]

Aug 13, 2011 13:35:18 GMT -5 rapidfire187 said:

The same can be said about everybody on the roster for the most part. Everybody has their 5 or so moves that they use in every match. At least Del Rio's 5 or so moves all look good.

It's not really about the 5 Moves of Doom, though. Take Ric Flair. Yes, he'd spend time setting up the figure-4 but not the majority of the match. Alberto's entire offense is seemingly centered around working the arm.

[Wrestling Curmudgeon]

Aug 13, 2011 13:48:07 GMT -5 Citizen Snips Has Left said:

Aug 13, 2011 13:35:18 GMT -5 rapidfire187 said:

The same can be said about everybody on the roster for the most part. Everybody has their 5 or so moves that they use in every match. At least Del Rio's 5 or so moves all look good.

It's not really about the 5 Moves of Doom, though. Take Ric Flair. Yes, he'd spend time setting up the figure-4 but not the majority of the match. Alberto's entire offense is seemingly centered around working the arm.

Exactly. Del Rio moreso than most is incredibly one-dimensional. I'm sure he can do anything he wants in the ring and make it look great, but working the arm for 5-10 minutes EVERY match is not only boring, it's kind of insulting to the guy... adding a non-submission finisher would make him much more of a threat anyway.

[Djm Doesn't Find You Funny]

Wait, wait, wait.

I thought "working the arm" was an example of the almighty PSYCHOLOGY!!!!!!!! or something?

[Sektor]

Aug 13, 2011 13:35:18 GMT -5 rapidfire187 said:

The same can be said about everybody on the roster for the most part. Everybody has their 5 or so moves that they use in every match. At least Del Rio's 5 or so moves all look good.

Guys like Daniel Bryan don't use all their big spots every single match. There have been a few times where he doesn't kick the guys f***ing head in. And he's finished matches with more than just the Lebell Lock.

The same cannot be said about Del Rio. I can't remember a singles match that he's finished clean without the Cross Armbreaker.

For that matter, I can't remember many times where he hasn't kept it locked in 30 seconds after the guy tapped.

[Prince Petty]

He could do with an alternative finisher, and expand his moveset a bit. Variety is the spice of life, and I'm sure the guy is good enough in the ring to perform any number of moves.

But from the point of view of putting on a convincing performance, why would he do anything but work the arm and set it up for the Cross Armbreaker? What should he do, work someone's legs instead?

[MrBRulzOK]

Aug 13, 2011 14:14:33 GMT -5 Sektor said:

Aug 13, 2011 13:35:18 GMT -5 rapidfire187 said:

The same can be said about everybody on the roster for the most part. Everybody has their 5 or so moves that they use in every match. At least Del Rio's 5 or so moves all look good.

Guys like Daniel Bryan don't use all their big spots every single match. There have been a few times where he doesn't kick the guys f***ing head in. And he's finished matches with more than just the Lebell Lock.

The same cannot be said about Del Rio. I can't remember a singles match that he's finished clean without the Cross Armbreaker.

I do recall one match where the guy won with his corner Enziguri. Can't remember the opponent though.

[Burst]

Aug 13, 2011 14:18:44 GMT -5 MrBRulzOK said:

Aug 13, 2011 14:14:33 GMT -5 Sektor said:

Guys like Daniel Bryan don't use all their big spots every single match. There have been a few times where he doesn't kick the guys f***ing head in. And he's finished matches with more than just the Lebell Lock.

The same cannot be said about Del Rio. I can't remember a singles match that he's finished clean without the Cross Armbreaker.

I do recall one match where the guy won with his corner Enziguri. Can't remember the opponent though.

That was against Sgt. Slaughter, I believe.

[Cela]

I hated Del Rio before it was cool to hate Del Rio.

[Mozenrath]

Aug 13, 2011 14:20:54 GMT -5 Burst said:

Aug 13, 2011 14:18:44 GMT -5 MrBRulzOK said:

I do recall one match where the guy won with his corner Enziguri. Can't remember the opponent though.

That was against Sgt. Slaughter, I believe.

Indeed it was. I think it was partly to spare making the guy tap out, and partly so Del Rio could lock on the hold after the match to get the heel heat.

[Andrew is Good]

Well, that's actually really smart. You work the arm, and then you hit your finish, which is an arm submission. Why wouldn't you do that? He's trying to win a match. That's why I like the PWI 500s over things like, the Observer awards, because they mostly take what one would like in a particular match, where PWI mostly takes into account what happens on television and apart of kayfabe.

It's smart strategy, and so far it's been successful, so stopping it would be kinda dumb.

It contrasts a bit with say, Daniel Bryan, who works a lot of the upper body it seems and goes for multiple submissions. But again, in kayfabe, different guys have different ways in winning, and Del Rio's works for him.

[Citizen Snips Has Left]

Ok, how about this:

Alberto Del Rio is a prime example of using stategy and psychology effectively in pro wrestling. He is also a prime example in implementing strategy and psychology in one of the most boring ways imaginable.

Better?

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2011 14:12:30 GMT -5 Djm Doesn't Find You Funny said:

Wait, wait, wait.

I thought "working the arm" was an example of the almighty PSYCHOLOGY!!!!!!!! or something?

It is. The cross armbreaker is an excellent finisher for thsi reason, but I think the *real* problem here is that so few wrestlers actually do submissions and even fewer tap out to most wrestlers that it causes a lot of people to look weak against it.

He can beat guys with it but it shouldn't be invincible. The best example of a well-implemented submission specialist was Kurt Angle. People feared the ankle lock and it could win matches but you could get away from it if he didn't grapevine. Plenty of guys pinned Angle, but plenty of other guys tapped out to him on the mat.

[Spankymac is sick of the swiss]

Man, the internet turnaround on Del Rio inside of a year has been impressive. Personally, I love it. His finisher is an armbar. He works the arm. I don't see the problem. It's psychology.

[rydndirty]

Bret Hart made a career of working the knee/leg of an opponent. Same 5 moves towards the end of the match, Sharpshooter. What's wrong with that?

I like that Del Rio uses a submission finisher. I really like that he sets his finisher up with a match full of arm holds and shots. Would you rather do a bunch of other moves then hit the arm-breaker out of nowhere?

[Deleted]

I actually like the armbar, but that, the music, and Ricardo are all I like about del Rio.