10 Awesome Things You Don't Remember About WWE's Ruthless Aggression Era
5. A Decade Too Late
When WWF/E historians look back on the fabled OVW Class Of 2002, theyll cite megastars John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Batista and Randy Orton. Theyll recall wrestlers with the potential for greatness like Matt Morgan, Ali Stevens, Shelton Benjamin and Rene Dupree.
Chances are they may have forgotten about Rico, however. A former SWAT police officer and professional bodyguard, he started training for pro wrestling late at age thirty-seven after a phenomenally athletic turn as an American Gladiators winner.
Debuting on Smackdown in March 2002 as Billy & Chuck's stylist and manager, as time went on he developed an exótico gimmick straight from the lucha libre playbook. However, Rico owed more than a little to the example of the legendary Exotic Adrian Street, whose blessing and advice he received when he took on the role.
When his flamboyant, outrageous heel character took off with the crowd, Rico turned babyface, teaming with Charlie Haas with Jackie as their valet. Asking Vince McMahon how far he should take the flirtatious, flaming homosexual gimmick, the boss told him to "strap a rocket to your ass and take off... I'll tell you when to quit".
Rico took McMahon at his word, and rose to become one of the most entertaining things on Smackdown in the spring and summer of 2004, until he was unexpectedly released in November 2004. The word was that hed asked for a raise due to his characters popularity, but that at forty-three years old and running a defiantly midcard gimmick, the office didnt see a future in him.
Thats a crying shame, because Rico had extraordinary form. Incredibly athletic considering his size (a shade smaller than John Cena), his double-vertical into a Falcon Arrow was stunning, his moonsault was practically perfect, and his kicks (unlike many supposed martial artists in the WWE) were on point and straight-legged.
He was a significant in-ring talent with a great look and a fantastic character guy, able to get serious noise from a crowd as a heel or a babyface. Had Rico tried out five years earlier, he could have been lost in the Attitude Era shuffle.
Ten years earlier, however, and we could be talking about him in the same way we talk about Owen Hart today.