Ricardo Rodriguez Reveals Legends Who Guided Him Backstage In WWE

Former WWE personality Ricardo Rodriguez was with the company from 2010 to 2014, acting as the personal ring announcer and onscreen assistant to Alberto Del Rio. Speaking on the "Under The Ring" podcast, Rodriguez discussed several figures who served as mentors during his time with WWE.

"Paul Bearer was somebody that was very close to me and he would guide me through a lot of stuff," Rodriguez said. "Mick Foley would kind of pull me aside from time to time and tell me things here and there. Same thing with Paul Heyman."

Rodriguez remembered Heyman giving him pointers on what worked and didn't work in his segments, letting him know what he should keep doing and what to get better at. Another veteran who Rodriguez recalled fondly was Dean Malenko.

"Malenko was our main producer [and] agent," Rodriguez continued. "He's like my wrestling dad in WWE."

According to Rodriguez, it was Malenko who informed him that his accompaniment of Del Rio was only initially planned for the wrestler's debut. However, Malenko told Rodriguez that then-CEO Vince McMahon liked what he did and made the decision to bring him on full-time.

Though he was with the company for just a few years, Rodriguez took full advantage of what he learned there, as well as his experiences as an in-ring performer before his WWE run. After spending some time teaching at The Great Khali's school in India, Rodriguez opened up his own school here in the United States, which also now serves as an independent promotion in Pennsylvania.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Under The Ring" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.