You might know him as a wrestler, commentator or Alberto Del Rio’s personal ring announcer but RF VIDEO will know him as the guy who gave us a solid 3 hour interview and takes us thru the trials and tribulations of Ricardo Rodriguez from his rise from the CA indy scene to making it into the WWE.
Ricardo sits down with RFVIDEO as he holds nothing back for his first ever post WWE interview. He made it clear from the start that he would not sugar coat any of his answers and would be very open and honest with us as he wanted to get his story out there on why he left the WWE on his terms and he was super open to all of our questions making this interview so much fun to listen to. If you are a WWE fan over the past 8 years you are going to love this interview as there are endless WWE locker room stories on all of your favorite wrestlers from the WWE.
We started off the interview talking about his liking of the business and how he started out as a backyard wrestler early on as a kid. Like most wrestlers Ricardo had goals set for himself early on in life. What was the CA indy scene like for him and who did he consider his mentor. You will hear all of the road stories and brutal stories of his paying his dues early on as a active wrestler.
How did he break into the WWE and why was he a ring announcer right off the bat. How did the other WWE wrestlers react to Ricardo when he was put on the road right off the bat when signing with FCW. Were the horror stories of Bill Demont true on the way he broke WWE talent in as Ricardo gives his view points on Bill Demont. What locker room heat did he have early on and what did he do to change how the guys took to him. You will be shocked to hear how so many people in the company did not even know he was a worker at first and how did that effect him in the company.
What did Ricardo think about the pairing with Alberto Del Rio early on and who was the captain of the team. You will hear all about his thoughts on the top WWE talent like John Cena, CM Punk, Edge, John Laurinaitis, VKM, Undertaker and of course HHH. Let’s just say that Ricardo was not that fond of HHH and he goes into great detail on what issues he had with HHH over the last few years and his time in the company.
As Ricardo and Alberto solidified themselves as being one of the WWE’s hottest new heel duo’s you will hear what it was like to be apart some of their more infamous angles like working with Bret Hart and John Cena. What was his feelings on his insane bump at TLC and how the company brushed it off. How did he learn how to sell since he was not supposed to be a wrestler and how frustrating at times was it for Ricardo to just take a back seat and not show the world his skills in the ring as a wrestler? You will find out during this shoot interview as this is a hot topic. What was it like to work with Edge? Who called the matches and came up with their spots?
Did he like doing some of the comedy spots or did he feel it hurt him down the line. What were his thoughts on turning baby face with Alberto Del Rio? What heat did he have with the Shield in real life? This is a great story as you will also learn why they had heat in the WWE locker room when they first were brought to TV. Ricardo talks about the new powerful regiment lead by HHH and how it changed from the old school guys to the new HHH guys in the office like Joey Mercury, Outlaws and a few others and why he might have had heat with some of them. This is where the interview gets juicy!!
What was it like to work for NXT as a wrestler under a hoot and did he enjoy doing commentary with the Spanish Announce Team. Ricardo also worked with a lot of the new talent to come into the WWE as he became a trainer at TV for a lot of the guys when they got dark matches which also led to his issues with the company. What were those issues and why did Ricardo get upset when the office pulled him on the side and told him to stop helping other talent out?
What were his thoughts on how they fired Alberto Del Rio and what was the real story here? Want to know what heat Alberto Del Rio might have had with HHH and how it started a long time ago. What really happened before Summer Slam with Alberto Del Rio and HHH behind closed doors before Dolph Ziggler won the World title from him and how heated did it really get backstage a few days before that PPV?
Ricardo goes into great detail on why he was so unhappy with the company that he asked for his release as he goes into great detail on what finally caused him to wake up one day and ask for his release. This part of the interview is worth it for the price alone.
Ricardo has so many amazing locker room and road stories about all of the top acts in the WWE. Who did he feel the office pushed to much and who did he want to see get on TV more? Will he ever go to TNA or AAA and will he ever want to be back with ADR? If you are a WWE fan this is a must because there are stories about all of the top acts and Ricardo was not scared to share his view points with the RFVIDEO fan base worldwide.
What are your first memories of professional wrestling?
How did you first become a fan?
When did you decide you wanted to get into the business and what led to
you backyard wrestling?
Looking back, do you regret getting into the business that way?
What are your memories of working Beyond Backyard Wrestling in
California?
For fans who never saw you work in that era, describe your style and
character, Chimera?
Talk about making your official debut at UEW’s West Coast Cruiser Cup
Tournament in August 2006?
What was the California independent scene like in that era?
Memories of working for PWA, NWPW and the AWS, as well as the promoters
for each group?
Were there other talents that you thought at the time would break
through in a major way – if they did or didn’t, break down why that
didn’t happen?
Most guys look back at the earlier part of their careers and can talk
about mistakes they made when it came to the business and how they
performed – what mistakes did you make in that era?
What were your favorite promotions to work for in that era?
What led to you starting to train talents in CA?
Memories of working CHIKARA at the Young Lions Cup VII?
Memories of working for Dragon Gate USA?
Talk about your tryout and signing with WWE? What was the process like?
First impressions of Florida Championship Wrestling when you arrived?
Compare FCW in 2010 to WWE NXT in 2014?
Memories of being part of the early version of The Ascension?
Thoughts on Conor O’Brian, Tito Colon, Kenneth Cameron, and Raquel Diaz?
Why were you removed from the group?
When did you find out you were going to specifically work with Alberto
Del Rio full time?
When did you find out you were going to be paired with him?
What were your first impressions of him as a person and as a performer?
What were the origins of the Ricardo Rodriguez name?
First thoughts on the role. How was it explained to you and how did it
change as it developed, if at all?
Memories of your debut on the Smackdown brand with Alberto in August
2010?
What was the backstage scene like on the main roster vs. NXT?
What’s the hardest part of being the newest guy on the roster?
What are the mistakes people make backstage that leads to them getting
heat in WWE?
Talk about your role as Ricardo and what your job was in terms of
helping to get Alberto over and with getting heat for him?
Thoughts on the vignettes used to create the ADR character for the main
roster?
Memories of the initial feud with Rey Mysterio?
First impressions of:
John Cena
Triple H
CM Punk
Miz
Dolph Ziggler
Stephanie McMahon
John Laurinaitis
Edge
Christian
Vince McMahon
Kofi Kingston
Kane
Undertaker
Michael Cole
Memories of feuding with Conor O Brien on NXT?
What led to you replacing ADR as a Pro on NXT?
Memories of working with and managing Brodus Clay?
Were you surprised that WWE cut Clay?
Alberto feuded with Edge going into your first Wrestlemania for the
company, Wrestlemania 26 – what are your memories of working your first
Mania?
Were you aware going in there was talk that Edge might have to retire
from his neck issues or was that kept quiet.
When you look back at the show, what are your memories? Is it a high
point for your career?
Memories on the Christian feud coming out of Wrestlemania and the Edge
feud?
Were you excited when you and ADR were moved to Raw in the 2011 draft?
What are the differences backstage between Raw and Smackown, if any?
How about the PPVs vs. the TV shows?
Is there more pressure being on live TV vs. a taped Smackdown or a
house show?
Memories of the feud with Big Show?
What led to the angle where Show beat you up so you were off TV a few
weeks?
Memories of going back and forth in the ring on the mic with John Cena
live on Raw when you were sent to send a message from Alberto?
Memories of teaming ADR vs. John Cena and Bret Hart?
Memories of the insane bump you took at the TLC PPV where ADR fought CM
Punk and Miz?
How did you feel when you saw Mick Foley put it over?
WWE would book you into embarrassing situations on Raw, such as when
R-Truth made you sing La Cucharacha. Was there ever anything you
didn’t want to do and went forward with it? Anything you ever turned
down?
Memories of Alberto working with CM Punk at MSG for Survivor Series and
Howard Finkel coming out to introduce Punk?
Did you ever feel they did anything that too close to home or racist in
nature for yourself and/or ADR as Latin men?
Memories of working the 2012 Royal Rumble?
Were you let down that you and Alberto were moved back to Smackdown in
April 2012?
Memories of your program with Santino Marella?
Since you had been used in a comedy role, were you concerned about
being taken seriously as a talent later or is it all the same, since
it’s wrestling and you are performing?
Where did the idea to have your clothes ripped off to show you wearing
a Justin Bieber shirt come from?
Memories of the Tuxedo match at No Way Out?
Memories of working with Sheamus, including the angle where you dressed
like him on Smackown?
Thoughts on the angle where you and Davd Otunga tried to have the
Brogue Kick banned?
At TLC, you turned babyface out of nowhere, confronting 3MB as they
were screwing with the Spanish announcers. When did you find out that
was the plan and what were your thoughts on the turn for you and ADR?
Did you feel being babyfaces was the right way for the duo to go?
Memories of trying to save Tommy Dreamer from The Shield?
Memories of challenging Big Show for the World title?
Memories of the feud against Jack Swagger and the entire story where
Alberto was now defending the common man and immigrants against,
basically, the Tea Party?
Memories of the night Dolph Ziggler beat Alberto to win the World title?
Did you feel Ziggler earned it?
Were you surprised when WWE booked ADR to get it back after Zigger
suffered his concussion?
How did you feel when WWE decided to turn you and Alberto heel again?
When did you learn they were going to split you and ADR up?
How did you feel about being put with Rob Van Dam?
How was Rob to work with?
When RVD left to take his hiatus, were you concerned about your spot?
Why were you never put back with him?
Do you think the pairing worked?
Compare working with him vs. working with ADR?
You began working as El Local under a mask on some of the WWE Saturday
Morning Slam episodes in 2013. How did that come about? Had you been
pushing to wrestle? Was it done to give you a tryout? Were there any
plans for the character?
How did Tyson Kidd end up as your partner in Los Locales?
You began doing commentary on WWE PPVs for the Spanish Announce Team
around the same time. Talk about the team and what it’s like working
with them?
There’s so many stories of Vince McMahon screaming at the announcers
and feeding them material – does that happen to the Spanish announcers
as well? Any good stories about dealing with Vince and the other
producers?
You as El Local were working the NXT shows during the same time period.
What are your thoughts on NXT?
Thoughts on the Performance Center?
There continue to be rumors to this day about Bill DeMott being too
rough with or playing mental games with developmental talents – did you
ever witness any of this and if so, why do you think WWE allows it to
go on?
Thoughts on the different NXT trainers and what you may have learned
from them – Norman Smiley, Bill DeMott, Terry Taylor, Steve Keirn, etc.
Talk about working with WWE to put talents through tryouts at WWE TV
tapings and what the company looks for in talents they seek to sign?
Who was the most impressive talent you saw tryout that you knew would
get signed?
Talk about teaming with Kalisto against the Ascension at the NXT
Takeover PPV?
Talk about the circumstances of your WWE release. Were you surprised
when it went down? Could you see it coming? Were you angry? How did
they tell you?
What’s the first thing that you did after you heard the news?
What was your thoughts on the fans’ reaction online?
After you were released, you tweeted a few comments that were
accusatory of Triple H, noting he called you “bumblebee” and acted like
he didn’t care about you but then you deleted them. What happened
there?
What are your thoughts on WWE releasing Alberto Del Rio?
Had you witnessed any issues with the social media manager ADR slapped?
Do you think WWE is a racist company?
What were the highlights and lowlights of working for WWE?
What led to you working for WWC in Puerto Rico?
Thoughts on your debut there earlier this month against Rey Gonzales?
How much are you looking forward to working with ADR again?
Now that you are both free and clear, do you think TNA is a possibility?
What are your long term goals for the business at this point?
Any final words for everyone watching?