- Big Show Assaults Alberto Del Rio’s Father (2013)
Del Rio had just turned babyface and won the World Heavyweight Championship from Big Show, and we were trying to come up with an angle that would escalate their feud and generate heat for Big Show and sympathy for Del Rio.
I suggested we bring in Del Rio’s father, Dos Caras, who had a legendary career in Mexico as a masked luchador, for an appearance on WWE TV that culminated with Big Show attacking the sexagenarian, removing his mask and proceeding to carry it around like a trophy in the ensuing weeks. As is the tradition for masked pro wrestlers in Mexico, Dos Caras never appeared in public unmasked, and forcibly removing a luchador’s mask was the ultimate sign of disrespect.
Vince McMahon shot down the pitch for two reasons: He said the American audience wouldn’t grasp how sacred the mask is to Mexican wrestlers, and he also believed a senior citizen in street clothes and a mask would look ridiculous.
I thought McMahon was wrong on both counts. The significance of masks in Mexican pro wrestling had been played up in WWE before in angles involving Rey Mysterio, and it would be easy enough have commentators explain why Big Show’s actions were so heinous. As for the notion that Dos Caras would look ridiculous, perhaps he would to non-wrestling fans, but I didn’t think the WWE audience would feel that way.
After all, no one seemed taken aback when Dos Caras’ brother, Mil Mascaras, delivered his WWE Hall of Fame induction speech in 2012 wearing his mask and a tuxedo.