Jesús Rodríguez (February 17, 1986) is a Mexican American professional wrestler and ring announcer who was previously signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under the ring name Ricardo Rodriguez as Alberto Del Rio's personal ring announcer and occasional wrestler.
Professional wrestling career[]
Early career[]
Before wrestling for independent California promotions, Rodriguez wrestled with other upcoming wrestlers in backyards for BBW Beyond Backyard Wrestling. Rodriguez formerly wrestled for various promotions as the masked wrestler Chimaera, and his professional wrestling debut came at UEW's 1st Annual West Coast Cruiser Cup Tournament on August 11, 2006. At Pro Wrestling Affiliates, Chimaera was defeated by Charles Mercury in a PWA Light Heavyweight Championship tournament in the first round. Chimaera and Jason Watts teamed up to take on the NWPW Tag Team Champions Aerial Star & Ric Ellis and lost the first time but would defeat them for the championships on October 4, 2008. The pair would lose the championships in a two on one handicap match against Ryan Stone. On August 2, 2009 he was part of a three-way match for the AWS Lightweight Championship including Peter Avalon and Chris Kadillak. At Chikara he participated in the Young Lions Cup VII but was eliminated by KC Day. At Dragon Gate USA, Chimaera competed in a Dragon Gate Fray match which was won by Brad Allen on March 26, 2010. For Deutsche Wrestling Allianz, Chimaera had two championship opportunities one for the DWA Cruiserweight Championship and one for DWA Tag Team Championship. On May 23, 2010, Chimaera participated in the finals of the Vendetta Pro Wrestling Tri-Force Championship tournament, defeating Brian Cage and Jason Watts to become the first Vendetta Pro Tri-Force Champion. He would later vacate that title upon signing with WWE. He also participated in the AWS World War III 159 Man battle royal.
Rodriguez was a trainer for California-based promotion, Fit Pit Pro Wrestling. He wrestled in So Cal Pro Wresting, EMLL, CWX, NWPW, NWT/NTLL, BPW, the West Coast Wrestling Company, Vendetta Pro, and IWL, among others.
World Wrestling Entertainment[]
Florida Championship Wrestling (2010–2011)[]
Rodriguez would work under the Chimaera name in Florida Championship Wrestling making his debut on December 2, 2010, in a 10-man Tag match with Husky Harris, Buck Dixon, Matt Clements and Kenny Li, where they defeated the team of Big E. Langston, Darren Young, James Bronson, Kevin Hackman and Roman Leakee. On December 17, 2010, Chimaera lost to Richie Steamboat.
Since appearing on WWE television, was competing in FCW under the Ricardo Rodriguez gimmick. On August 28, 2011, Ricardo Rodriguez said that Alberto Del Rio was an employee of his father's agency. Ricardo Rodriguez formed a stable called "The Ascension" with Conor O'Brian, Tito Colon, Kenneth Cameron, and Raquel Diaz. However, by September 26, the Ascension no longer associated with Rodriguez, as a video package promoting the Ascension only featured the latter four Ascension members without Rodriguez, and when the Ascension had their first match together in October, Rodriguez did not accompany them.
Alberto Del Rio's ring announcer (2010–2013)[]
Rodriguez debuted for the WWE on the SmackDown brand on August 20, 2010, as Ricardo Rodriguez, a personal ring announcer to Alberto Del Rio. As part of his gimmick, he speaks almost exclusively in Spanish, to help generate heat and polarize the crowd. As well as being his personal ring announcer, Rodriguez would also try and help Del Rio win matches by distracting his opponents.
On the January 4, 2011 episode of WWE NXT, Rodriguez would take Del Rio's place in a battle royal for the NXT Pros, but was quickly eliminated by R-Truth. On NXT, Rodriguez would feud with Del Rio's rookie, Conor O'Brian, after he claimed a rat problem. On the January 18 episode of NXT, Rodriguez and O'Brian brawled backstage, which would set up Rodriguez's first singles match in the WWE against O'Brian, in which Rodriguez would get the upset victory. After the match, O'Brian was eliminated from NXT. Del Rio gained a new rookie, Brodus Clay, after Clay won a match which allowed him to change his Pro. Del Rio passed Pro responsibilities of Clay to Rodriguez on the February 1 episode of NXT. In the season finale on March 1, Clay ended the competition in second place, losing to Johnny Curtis.
At the 2011 WWE Draft, Rodriguez and Del Rio were drafted to the Raw brand; the duo clashed with Big Show when Rodriguez ran over Big Show's leg with Del Rio's car, injuring him. Later that night, Del Rio placed the blame solely on Rodriguez. On June 6, Rodriguez masqueraded as Big Show as Del Rio mocked Big Show. On his return to Raw on June 13, Big Show attacked Del Rio, and when Rodriguez came to his employer's aid he was brutally attacked instead, which caused him to take time off television for an injury angle.
On July 18, Rodriguez returned to his duties as Del Rio's ring announcer. On the August 30 episode of SmackDown, when John Cena called out Del Rio, Rodriguez walked out alone to reply to Cena. Rodriguez spoke in a mixture of English and Spanish, explaining that Del Rio was not present. Cena then asked Rodriguez to deliver a message to Del Rio, and then promptly punched Rodriguez in the face. On the September 12 episode of Raw, Rodriguez would compete in his first match on the brand, teaming with Del Rio in a losing effort against John Cena and Bret Hart.
At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2011, Rodriguez tried to help Del Rio regain the WWE Championship during Del Rio's Triple Threat Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match match. Rodriguez climbed to the top of a ladder in the ring to try to reach the WWE Championship hanging above the ring, but Del Rio's opponents, CM Punk and the Miz, tipped the ladder over such that Rodriguez fell out of the ring and crashed through a table at ringside. Rodriguez's fall was described by critics as dangerous and scary-looking, as well as "the major moment of the show". Fellow professional wrestler Mick Foley, well known for his participation in various dangerous matches, also commented that it was "one heck of a bump".
On the January 9, 2012 episode of Raw, when Del Rio was absent, the Miz bullied Rodriguez into insulting and calling out R-Truth. R-Truth came out and made Rodriguez sing La Cucaracha. After that, R-Truth delivered his finisher to Rodriguez. At the 2012 Royal Rumble event, Rodriguez participated in the Royal Rumble match, entering at #8. He and Mick Foley eliminated Justin Gabriel, after which Rodriguez was eliminated by Santino Marella.
On the April 20 episode of SmackDown, Rodriguez and Del Rio were traded to the SmackDown brand. On the May 21 episode of Raw, Santino Marella criticized Rodriguez's announcing and then he attacked Rodriguez with the Cobra. On the May 25 episode of SmackDown, Rodriguez challenged Marella to a match, but lost. On the June 8 episode of SmackDown, to tie in with Del Rio's feud with World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, Rodriguez dressed up as Sheamus and mocked Sheamus' mannerisms. Rodriguez's portrayal of Sheamus was praised as very funny from critics and fans alike. On the June 11 episode of Raw, Rodriguez would continue his feud with Marella by teaming up with Beth Phoenix to beat Marella and Layla. After the match, Marella embarrassed Rodriguez by ripping off Rodriguez's shirt to reveal that Rodriguez was wearing a Justin Bieber T-shirt underneath. Rodriguez's feud with Marella ended at No Way Out when Rodriguez lost to Marella in a non-title tuxedo match, which was Rodriguez's first pay-per-view singles match for WWE.
During the early and mid-months of 2013, Rodriguez had strong involvement in Del Rios' matches. During the course of the rivalry between Del Rio, Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler, Rodriguez wrestled in a unique triple-threat match to decide the stipulations for the match for the World Heavyweight title between Del Rio, the champion Dolph Ziggler and Swagger at Extreme Rules. Rodriguez represented Del Rio while Big E. Langston competed on behalf of Ziggler and Zeb Colter for Swagger. Rodriguez scored an incredible upset victory over his opponents and won the right for Del Rio to determine the triple threat match stipulations. However, the match for Extreme Rules was changed due to an actual concussion sustained by Ziggler on the May 10 episode of Smackdown, the week prior to the pay-per-view. The match then became an I Quit Match between Swagger and Rio, which Del Rio won and allowed him to become No. 1 Contender for the title. Since this time, Rodriguez has continued to serve as Del Rio's ring announcer but also has expanded his duties to being a recurring guest commentator for the Wednesday nightly WWE Main Event. Ricardo then was RVD's manager now he's floating around as a Commentator.
He was released from the WWE on July 30, 2014.
World Wrestling Council[]
On August 30, 2014, Rodríguez made his debut for World Wrestling Council, mocking Ray González. On September 7, 2014 at Septiembre Negro, was defeated by González.
Other media[]
Rodriguez appears in WWE '12 and WWE '13 as a non-playable character.
Personal life[]
Rodriguez is fluent in English and Spanish.
In wrestling[]
- Finishers
- As Ricardo Rodriguez
- Running splash
- Corkscrew moonsault
- As Chimaera
- Chimaera's Rage (Corkscrew splash form the top rope)
- As Ricardo Rodriguez
- Signature Moves
- Dropkick
- Repeated forearm clubs to an opponent's chest
- Double Stomp
- Nicknames
- "R-Rod"
- Wrestlers managed
- Entrance themes
- "Realeza" by Jim Johnston featuring Mariachi Real de Mexico (WWE/FCW; August 20, 2010 – present)
Championships and accomplishments[]
Battleground Pro Wrestling
- BPW Maximum Championship (1 time)
CWX
- CWX Lucha Libre Championship (1 time)
Insane Wrestling League
- IWL Tag Team Championship - with Jason Watts (1 time)
New Wave Pro Wrestling
- NWPW Tag Team Championship - with Jason Watts (1 time)
Premium Pro Wrestling
- PPW World Championship
- Vendetta Pro Tri-Force Championship (1 time)
