10 Times WWE Turned Trash Into Treasure

8. Andrade 'Cien' Almas

Becky Lynch Ronda Rousey
WWE.com

Andrade 'Cien' Almas was never "trash", but WWE didn't half botch his introduction.

It was uncharacteristically lazy of NXT. Even to NXT's in-the-know audience, lucha libre remains something of a fringe concern watched only by the most dedicated among the U.S. wrestling fandom. WWE then literally removed him from any vague recognition by unmasking the former La Sombra who, incidentally, was a tranquilo badass in CMLL. Reimagined by NXT, he arrived at TakeOver: The End decked out like Jeff Jarrett (!), slapping hands as he made his way to the ring.

His enhancement talent opponent, Tye Dillinger, was easily more over than the debuting international superstar. This felt like a backwards step, and so WWE took a step further backwards to rehabilitate the act by pairing him with one of those manager thingies that were so fundamental to pro wrestling at its most popular. Almas and Zelina Vega were an instant success; her rabid support compensated for his insouciance, and her verbal skills allowed him to enter the long-term, high-stakes storytelling domain. Almas was always capable of delivering ultra-precise masterclasses of hard-hitting, blood-pumping drama.

He was always in-ring royalty, but Vega handed him the keys to the kingdom.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!