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Mustafa Ali has had a tumultuous run since joining WWE in 2016. He was initially an alternate in the Cruiserweight Classic. His role in the tournament led to him being signed by the company, and he later appeared on 205 Live and Monday Night RAW.
While Ali had an incredible run on the purple brand, he never captured the Cruiserweight Championship before being moved to SmackDown. Since joining the main roster in 2018, he's been on the receiving end of stop-start pushes. His TV time never lasted long, and he ultimately disappeared from television in late 2019. After a seven-month hiatus from television, Ali returned in July 2020.
The Disruptor recently featured heavily on WWE RAW, and on the latest episode of the red brand, he began feuding with Seth Rollins, indicating that Ali's stock in the company is on the rise.
But why is the company potentially pushing Mustafa to be the next hot babyface on RAW? What are the possible reasons behind The Disruptor's sudden screen-time?
Below are five reasons why WWE might push Mustafa Ali to be the next hot babyface against Seth Rollins.
#5. WWE needs more stars
WWE might be pushing Mustafa Ali for many possible reasons as the 36-year-old star has several positive attributes. While the company currently might have enough top stars but there's another key reason too.
World Wrestling Entertainment currently has seven hours of prime time television per week. They also have NXT Level Up and Main Event. In addition to all of that wrestling, more NXT brands will be popping up in the future, including NXT Europe. To fill that much time, you need a lot of wrestlers. To keep fans watching, WWE needs to build a lot of stars.
During the Vince McMahon era of WWE, the company would often only put the spotlight on a few individuals. In fact, dozens and dozens of wrestlers have been let go over the past few years due to budget cuts.
Triple H is likely aware that with so much television time, the company needs more wrestlers and more stars, with more people being given opportunities to succeed. Ali is one of those people.
#4. Ali is a great in-ring worker
One reason Mustafa Ali might be pushed as the next hot babyface against Seth Rollins is his incredible in-ring work. When it comes to the effort put in from bell-to-bell, Ali is just as good as just about anybody in the industry.
Fans who have only seen Ali's matches on RAW against the likes of Bobby Lashley and Austin Theory might not know just how good Mustafa truly is. He had fantastic matches with Kevin Owens and Daniel Bryan on SmackDown and even on Main Event with the likes of T-BAR.
Ali's most impressive work likely came during his time on the 205 Live brand. His bouts with the likes of Cedric Alexander, Buddy Murphy, and Hideo Itami weren't just showstealing but were regularly the best match of any brand that week. His fun and at times innovative offense mixed with great storytelling, drama, and fantastic selling makes for a joyful combination.
#3. Mustafa Ali represents an underserved demographic
Mustafa Ali was born in Illinois in the United States, but he is the son of a Pakistani father and an Indian mother. Many fans were unaware of his Indian heritage, but he is proud of where he comes from.
Unfortunately, there haven't been many Muslim, Pakistani, or even Indian superstars portrayed in a positive light in mainstream wrestling. This is something Ali has openly said that he is hoping to change.
Ali wants to send a message to people all over the world that anybody can accomplish their goals. You can check out Mustafa Ali discussing his mission in the Tweet and video below:
The inspirational Ali isn't just doing this for himself. He wants to make a difference and represent those who feel they can't make it in wrestling and in life due to the color of their skin, where they're from, etc.
The former 205 Live star even mentioned before that if his legacy is opening the doors for others, he'll be happy with that. Ali's mindset and goals are truly admirable.
#2. The Disruptor is passionate and goes the extra mile
Mustafa Ali might be getting pushed on the WWE RAW roster due to his attitude. He has the drive and motivation to succeed like very few others. He doesn't just talk the talk, though, he walks the walk.
Ever since he started competing regularly on 205 Live, The Disruptor has filmed on-location and sometimes even cinematic vignettes and promos to hype up his character and whatever match or rivalry he's involved with. The latest took place in the past week as he discussed his change in attitude. You can watch the video above.
Anybody who will spend their own money and take their own time to hype themselves up is the kind of person you want on your roster in a high-profile position. His drive to succeed never seemed to click when Vince McMahon was in-charge, but it may just mesh well with Triple H's vision.
#1. Mustafa Ali is an incredible babyface
This entry, in many ways, is a culmination of the others. Mustafa Ali is an incredible in-ring worker who is both a morally good individual but also somebody who works hard to succeed. He'll go the extra mile. These qualities all help make somebody incredibly likable.
His likability goes beyond those entries, however. Ali has a special kind of charm that leads to fans gravitating towards him. His time on WWE 205 Live led to him being known as the heart of the brand.
Ali proved in his battle with Lashley a few weeks ago that he won't quit. He also showed Seth Rollins that he wouldn't stand by and let somebody be a manipulative bully.
Mustafa will stand his ground and fight for himself and for those who believe in him. You can't find better babyface values than those. WWE would be wise to push Ali going forward.
