Alberto Del Rio

Born into Mexican nobility, Alberto Del Rio is the son of famous luchador Dos Caras, who is linked by blood to Spanish royals Ferdinand and Isabella. Although hailing from a wealthy family, Del Rio has great empathy for the working class in addition to his passion for high culture.

During summer 2010, Del Rio debuted in WWE, making an immediate impact on SmackDown by interrupting and insulting the 619’s own Rey Mysterio. Later that night, Del Rio backed up his bluster by making the former World Champion tap out to his signature Cross Armbreaker. Del Rio quickly followed up on his early success by winning several high-profile matches, including 2011’s 40-Man Royal Rumble Match and WWE Money in the Bank’s Raw Ladder Match that July. These triumphs were key in helping Del Rio fulfill his “destiny” at 2011’s SummerSlam, where he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to defeat CM Punk and become the first-ever Mexican-born WWE Champion.

In October 2011, Alberto Del Rio captured championship gold a second time, in a Triple Threat Match against CM Punk and John Cena at WWE Hell in a Cell. In April 2012, Del Rio officially became a SmackDown Superstar. Day by day, the Mexican Superstar is proving that his unbounded talent, pride and aggression are more than just a formula for winning inside the ring, but the very “Essence of Excellence” in WWE.

Del Rio’s quest to capture the World Title ran through Night of Champions, where he faced World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus. Heading into the pay-per-view, Del Rio built up a great deal of momentum, even playing an intricate role in SmackDown General Manager Booker T’s banning of Sheamus’ signature Brogue Kick. It seemed that the affluent Superstar’s destiny would be fulfilled, but Booker T reinstated the maneuver before the contest at Night of Champions, and Del Rio ultimately fell to the bottom of Sheamus’ boot.

For Del Rio’s next target, he set his sights on Randy Orton, attacking The Viper before a No. 1 Contender’s Match. The attack kept Orton from winning that contest, but Del Rio wasn’t done. He unleashed a wave of assaults against Orton, mocking The Viper’s signature poses and christening himself as the “new Apex Predator of WWE.” At Hell in a Cell, however, Del Rio's attempt to supplant the pecking order fell short when Orton defeated him with his signature RKO.

Just more than a month later at WWE TLC, Del Rio found himself in strange company, teaming with The Miz & The Brooklyn Brawler to challenge and defeat bullies-turned bandmates 3MB.

Then, on the Jan. 8 SmackDown taping, Del Rio finally fulfilled his World Title destiny, defeating Big Show in an epic Last Man Standing Match to claim the World Heavyweight Championship. The new champion was victorious once again in a rematch at the Royal Rumble with identical stipulations, and he made the challenger tap out in another encounter at Elimination Chamber.

Del Rio's next challenge came from Jack Swagger. The self-proclaimed "Real American," along with his xenophobic associate Zeb Colter, felt that Del Rio's Mexican heritage was part of the reason that the America they once knew was fading away. The two met at WrestleMania 29 with the World Heavyweight Title on the line. Though he found himself trapped in Swagger's Patriot Lock, Del Rio fought his way out, eventually forcing his challenger to tap out to the Cross Armbreaker.

The following night on Raw, Del Rio won his match against Jack Swagger, but was injured during the bout. Taking full advantage of the champion's weakened knee, Mr. Money in the Bank, Dolph Ziggler, decided to cash in. Though he fought valiantly, the combination of an amped-up Showoff and an aching knee was too much for Del Rio to overcome, and Ziggler claimed the World Title.

Del Rio will have a chance at World Heavyweight Championship redemption in the near future. He became the No. 1 contender at Extreme Rules, defeating Jack Swagger in a vicious "I Quit" Match, despite Zeb Colter trying to steal the title opportunity away from him.