Rumor: Andrade 'Cien' Almas Facing Major Problems On SmackDown Live

It took a long time for Andrade “Cien” Almas to find his footing in NXT. His stint as the smiling babyface didn’t work at all. His initial heel turn didn’t change his status either, but Zelina Vega and a mean streak turned him from a huge flop into the NXT Champion.

After WrestleMania 34, Almas was moved to SmackDown Live. Thus far, he’s just been showcased in squash matches to give the WWE Universe a taste of what he can do. His future remains unclear and many fans believe he’s going to face some major problems.

According to RingSideNews, Brad Shepard speculated that Almas will struggle to reach a certain level because of his height. It seems silly to make that statement considering his success in NXT and performs like Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, and others haven’t struggled despite their size. However, it’s easy to make such a claim with Almas unproven on the main roster thus far.

It’s true that mainstream wrestling fans think very differently than those in Full Sail University. Almas will have to deal with the assumptions people will make about him being foreign and being smaller than the Roman Reigns’ of WWE. However, the cream rises to the top and it’s hard to imagine he won’t find a great spot on the main roster.

For ‘Cien’ Almas, a year made all the difference:

Masked mariachi band plays Andrade "Cien" Almas to the ring: NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia

A lot of people expect every wrestler to capture the WWE Championship. Their career wasn’t complete without it, but that’s not in the cards for every WWE Superstar. It isn’t how success should be measured. ‘Cien’ should have every opportunity to become an excellent heel on the main roster and potentially a great midcard champion eventually.

Do you think Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas will be successful on SmackDown Live?