Alberto El Patron lost a match to El Mesias in AAA on July 25, and as per the stipulation of the match, must leave AAA for good. This departure has led some to speculate on a return to WWE, but fans shouldn’t expect ‘Alberto Del Rio’ anytime soon.,
Per Fightful Select, Alberto’s status with WWE “has not changed,” even after his storyline exit from AAA. WWE has no plans to bring Alberto back, despite him allegedly telling members of the AAA locker room that WWE has reached out to him. According to El Patron, WWE is interested in a potential Royal Rumble return, though one higher-up reportedly stated:
“If we wanted Alberto at all, much less in the Royal Rumble, he’d be here… [There is] never any difference or change to his status.”
The report also notes that WWE deliberately distanced itself from the former World Champion, especially after announcing its acquisition of AAA. El Patron was not present during the announcement that took place during WrestleMania weekend. WWE wasted no time in taking the AAA Mega Title off El Patron in a match with El Hijo del Vikingo. Though WWE sources told Fightful that this move may have drawn some backlash in Mexico it was considered a “long-term benefit.”
Earlier this year, it was reported that WWE had signed El Patron, leaving some to theorize that a return was happening. It was later clarified that WWE had simply acquired Alberto’s pre-existing AAA contract. An incident with a fan at an AAA event in May would result in Alberto being suspended from competition in Tijiuana, hardly a good look for someone trying to get a third chance in WWE.
This report adds that El Patron is “legitimately done in AAA” and that “no plans” exist for a future in WWE. El Patron was fired from WWE in 2014 after a backstage altercation, and after being rehired the next year, was cut in 2016. While he may continue to talk of a WWE future as a certainty, it appears that this simply isn’t in the cards.