 |
REAL NAME: Hazem Ali
6' 2", 235 pounds
BORN: Chicago, Illinois
NICKNAMES: Osama, Osama Rodriguez Alejandro, Big Lalo
Armando Alejandro Estrada was actually born Hazem Ali in Chicago of Palestinian descent. Arriving in Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2004, Ali acted as a bodyguard named Osama for Muhammad Hassan and Daivari. With their departure to WWE, Osama remained in basically the same anti-American gimmick that Hassand and Daivari were using on the Raw and, later, Smackdown rosters.
With the arrival of Paul Heyman on the OVW writing staff, Osama became Osama Rodriguez Alejandro and revealed himself to be half-Palestinian, half-Cuban and affected a Fidel Castro-like gimmick. While managing Robbie Dawber, Alejandro imagined himself to be creating a Spanish version of OVW and asked fans and wrestlers to help him become the Dictator of Kentucky (which he would rename Los Kentuckos).
Signed to a developmental deal with WWE in January 2006, Alejandro debuted on Raw as Armando Alejandro Estrada on April 3rd. He interrupted a Ric Flair promo and after some verbal sparring led his charge, Umaga in an attack on Flair. Estrada saw to it that Umaga followed the attack up with a victory over Flair at Backlash.
--- compiled by John M. Milner
ARMANDO ALEJANDRO ESTRADA STORIES