There wasn't much substance behind Del Rio's turn late in the year. Reportedly, McMahon wanted a strong Latin champion, and since Rey Mysterio battled injuries and Sin Cara had proven unreliable, Del Rio was hastily pulled to the tecnicos' side. Weeks later, he toppled Big Show in a last man standing match to win the World Heavyweight title. Once a villain that insulted fans for their lack of wealth or class, Del Rio was now fighting for the 'working man', and treating personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez as his bestest buddy, as opposed to an underling. There was no story catalyst for any of these changes. Fans didn't appreciate having the turn foisted on them, and cheered uproariously when heel Dolph Ziggler cashed-in his Money in the Bank briefcase the day after WrestleMania 29 to dethrone Del Rio. If you're going to turn someone, give the fans a reason to buy it.
Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.
