Fans Need To Be Excited About Andrade 'Cien' Almas

Fans who don't know Andrade 'Cien' Almas are in for a treat. The former Mexican pro wrestler who just recently made his debut on SmackDown Live is a delicacy that keeps on giving and arguably one of the most underrated talents in WWE, on any brand. He recently came off a run as the NXT Champion and he'll be bringing his high-flying, heavy impact skills to the blue brand, making the jump and surprising many with just how good he really is.

There's really no effective way to quickly run through the accomplishments of the man fans are about to see on Tuesdays, so we'll do our best to provide a quick reference for what people can expect. He's charismatic, he's unique and he's a damn good wrestler.

Below is a list of some of the reasons fans should be excited about Andrade 'Cien' Almas.

His Background

Almas formerly wrestled under the ring name La Sombra (Spanish for "The Shadow"). He was part of the CMLL from 2007 until 2015 when he was brought over to NXT by Triple H. Wrestling since the age of 14, Almas is still young but insanely experienced and able to work both a high-flying and technically-sound style match.

He's also a decorated champion as in CMLL he won the 2007 Torneo Gran Alternativa tournament, the 2011 Universal Championship and at one point he was a triple champion. During his CMLL stint, he also appeared for New Japan Pro Wrestling, having won the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.

NXT History

In 2015, Almas was added to the NXT Performance Center roster. The time spent in the Performance Center was less about his wrestling skill as it was about learning English and by January of 2016, he was debuting on NXT programming.

Almas started as a babyface, likely because of his flashy in-ring style and wild outfits. He didn't immediately have success but by August of 2016, he had turned heel and that was where he truly began to shine as a performer. NXT gave him a female companion who fans later learned was named Zelina Vaga and they two were off and running.

He started winning matches that just a few months earlier he might have been booked to lose and by NXT TakeOver: WarGames in November of 2017, he was crowned NXT Champion.

Five-Star Quality Matches

While Almas spent the first part of his NXT days under the radar, once he turned heel and was given a spotlight, he started turning in matches that were among the best in the company. He wrestled Johnny Gargano at TakeOver: Philadelphia in a highly acclaimed bout that earned five stars from Wrestling Observer Newsletter journalist Dave Meltzer. This was just the start of the great matches Almas would have with nearly everyone he came in contact with.

A series of matches with Gargano proved Almas was one of NXT's best and after continually getting the upper hand on Johnny Wrestling, at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans on April 7, Andrade lost the NXT Championship to Aleister Black in another high-quality match, passing on the championship in preparation for his main roster call-up.

What To Expect From Almas

If fans haven't been paying attention to NXT over the last year, it's time to get excited. Almas is just 28 years old but has over a decade worth of experience around the world. He’s a charismatic third-generation wrestler who was a perfect acquisition for NXT but took a little time to grow on fans. Now that he has, SmackDown Live is the perfect place for a talent like Almas who can have great matches with almost anyone but will shine in bouts with talents like AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Shinsuke Nakamura, and other top-notch in-ring wrestlers.

He offers a mix of high-flying moves, interesting and unique maneuvers and a flashiness not often found in today's heels. He's extremely versatile and that could create a ton of options for the former Lucha Libre star who took a risk to come to WWE. As fans will quickly learn, that risk has paid off in a major way.