History Wrestling / MustafaAli

Adeel Alam (born March 28, 1986) is a Pakistani-American [[ProfessionalWrestling professional wrestler]] currently signed to Wrestling/{{WWE}} under the moniker Mustafa Ali. He began his career in his hometown of Chicago and in the independent scene around Illinois, usually working for places like AAW, IWA Mid-South, NWA, Proving Ground Pro, and [=WrestleCircus=], all while maintaining a job as a night-shift Police officer, before being signed to the WWE after a fantastic set of matches in the Wrestling/WWECruiserweightClassic. Initially placed in the company's cruiserweight division, ''205 Live'', Ali moved up to ''Wrestling/WWESmackDown'' in the winter of 2018 and officially joined the main roster, leaping to the top of the blue brand's card at an astonishing pace with his inspirational message, high-flying skill, and willingness to do some absolutely insane things in order to "Chase the Light".

* BreakoutCharacter: Initially qualified for the Cruiserweight Classic after another competitor had to withdraw, and was one of the competitors to join the revived cruiserweight division afterward. Taken to another level in 2018 as he emerged as one of the feature stars and a finalist for the Cruiserweight Title at Wrestling/WrestleMania 34.

* FinishingMove: An imploding 450 splash, dubbed the ''[[SdrawkcaBName 054]]''. Will also end matches with the normal 450 on occasion. He later dropped the move because of the dangers

* TriumphantReprise: His [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb0-SGZ2FbM new theme, "Problematic"] is an orchestrated version of "Disruptor", even though he still used this after he returned as a babyface.

* ActionDad: He has two children.

* {{Archenemy}}: Drew Gulak, who constantly pesters him about his high-flying wrestling style. Also Enzo Amore, Wrestling/HideoItami, Buddy Murphy, Wrestling/SamoaJoe, Wrestling/TheHurtBusiness, [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]], Wrestling/KofiKingston [[Wrestling/TheNewDay and]] Wrestling/XavierWoods, His former retribution teammates T-Bar and Mace and Theory for the United States Championship.

* OlderHeroVersusYoungerVillain: He has wrestled against Buddy Murphy at 205 Live and Wrestling/SurvivorSeries (2018).

* {{Archenemy}}: Drew Gulak, who constantly pesters him about his high-flying wrestling style. Also Enzo Amore, Wrestling/HideoItami, Buddy Murphy, Wrestling/SamoaJoe, Wrestling/TheHurtBusiness, [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]], Wrestling/KofiKingston [[Wrestling/TheNewDay and]] Wrestling/XavierWoods. Currently his former retribution teammates T-Bar and Mace.

* ItIsPronouncedTropay: As a heel, Mustafa has been insistent that all commentators and backstage personnel learn to pronounce his name correctly. [[note]]It's the Arabic pronunciation, MOO-sta-fa, not the more common pronunciation of Moo-STAH-fa.[[/note]]

* BadassBeard: As a face.

* {{Archenemy}}: Drew Gulak, who constantly pesters him about his high-flying wrestling style. Also Enzo Amore, Wrestling/HideoItami, Buddy Murphy, Wrestling/SamoaJoe, Wrestling/TheHurtBusiness, [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]], Wrestling/KofiKingston [[Wrestling/TheNewDay and]] Wrestling/XavierWoods.

* FinishingMove: An imploding 450 splash, dubbed the ''[[SdrawkcaBName 054]]''. Will also end matches with the normal 450 on occasion.

* TaughtByExperience: Wrestling/RandyOrton has been using the RKO for about fifteen years - and Ali may be the ''only guy'' to have figured out that you can avoid its effect (read: having your face forcefully mashed into the ground) if you're quick enough to get your hands down before impact.

!! ''Distropetor''!!:

!! Trope Em' Down!!:

* {{Archenemy}}: Drew Gulak, who constantly pesters him about his high-flying wrestling style. Also Enzo Amore, Wrestling/HideoItami, Buddy Murphy, Wrestling/SamoaJoe, The Hurt Business, [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]], Wrestling/KofiKingston [[Wrestling/TheNewDay and]] Wrestling/XavierWoods.

* WholeCostumeReference: His entrance attire recalls some portrayals of [[Videogame/MortalKombat Sub-Zero.]] He even has a spinning LED light attached to one of his hands to mimic the character's ice beam during his entrance.

* {{Archenemy}}: Drew Gulak, who constantly pesters him about his high-flying wrestling style. Also Enzo Amore, Wrestling/HideoItami, Buddy Murphy, Wrestling/SamoaJoe, The Hurt Business, [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]], Wrestling/KofiKingstonand Wrestling/XavierWoods.

** Upon his FaceHeelTurn, he added the Koji Clutch in his finisher arsenal.

* {{Archenemy}}: Drew Gulak, who constantly pesters him about his high-flying wrestling style. Also Enzo Amore, Wrestling/HideoItami, Buddy Murphy, Wrestling/SamoaJoe, The Hurt Business, [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]] and Wrestling/XavierWoods.

* {{Archenemy}}: Drew Gulak, who constantly pesters him about his high-flying wrestling style. Also Enzo Amore, Wrestling/HideoItami, Buddy Murphy, Wrestling/SamoaJoe and The Hurt Business.

!! Trope Em'Down!:

!! Trope Em'Down!!:

!! I'ma Go Tropes!:

* BreadOfEvil: As a heel.
* BigBad: As a leader of Retribution.

* EvilCostumeSwitch: After turned heel, Ali wearing a black outfit and remove his LED light.
* FaceHeelTurn: On the October 5 episode of Raw, Ali was revealed as the leader of Retribution after he ordered them to attack The Hurt Business during his match with [[Wrestling/MontelVontaviousPorter MVP]], thus turning heel for first time in his career.

* ForeignWrestlingHeel: Initially he was billed as being from Pakistan, specifically Karachi. His HeelFaceTurn started at the first 205 Live in his actual hometown of Chicago[[note]]well known for their extreme, if not zealous support of their [[Wrestling/CMPunk homegrown talent]][[/note]] when he got a pop that killed any chance of him being taken seriously as a foreign heel, leading them to abandon the angle and begin billing him as from Chicago.
* IWasBeatenByAGirl: In Wrestling/RoyalRumble 2019 he is eliminated by Wrestling/NiaJax. [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] as this doesn't seem to have caused him any lasting mental anguish.

* BadassBeard

* {{Archenemy}}: Drew Gulak, who constantly pesters him about his high-flying wrestling style. Also Enzo Amore, Wrestling/HideoItami, Buddy Murphy and Wrestling/SamoaJoe.

* PowerStable: Retribution with T-Bar, Mace, Slapjack, Retaliation and Reckoning.