Backstage News On WWE's Interest In Alberto Del Rio
Over the past year or so, Alberto Del Rio has made it clear he's deserving of a WWE Hall of Fame induction, not to mention one more run as a top superstar in WWE. However, wrestling promoters across the world — even in his home country of Mexico — have seemingly distanced themselves from the controversial Del Rio to the point where AAA pulled his scheduled match at TripleMania XXX in April citing undisclosed reasons.
For context, Del Rio's match at a New Evolution Wrestling event in New York last month was his first taste of in-ring action since August 2019.
Despite the growing uncertainty surrounding his pro wrestling future, Del Rio is still hopeful of a return to the limelight, telling WrestlingNews.Co in a recent interview that he still has a lot to offer to the business. When asked about a potential WWE return, Del Rio admitted he had yet to talk to "the new administration" led by Triple H but was in communication with former WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis in previous years.
"...We [Laurinaitis and I] had a couple of phone calls that didn't go anywhere," Del Rio revealed in the interview.
In an update from Fightful Select, the chances of Del Rio winding up back in WWE remain next to impossible even under the Triple H-led administration. According to a WWE higher-up, there were "never any serious conversations or pitches to bring Del Rio back" even in the Vince McMahon era, and the conversations Del Rio had with Laurinaitis were more about "Del Rio gauging possible interest for himself than back and forth discussions and negotiations."
The WWE source could also not remember Del Rio's name ever being pitched "for a possible Royal Rumble entry in previous years" and added that key people in WWE management "haven't been keen on him [Del Rio] since well before his WWE exit [in 2016]."
Furthermore, the same WWE higher-up was quoted as saying "There's no f—ing way that happens" when asked about a Del Rio – WWE reunion last year.