Speculation regarding a potential WWE return for Alberto El Patron, known in WWE as Alberto Del Rio, has intensified following TKO’s acquisition of Lucha Libre AAA, especially considering his past controversies.
The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter sheds light on the situation, indicating that the relationship between El Patron and WWE may not be as strained as some perceive. According to the report, sources close to El Patron believe an eventual return to WWE is on the cards, although not in the immediate future.
This insight emerges as El Patron, the current AAA Mega Champion, is seemingly positioned to lose the title to Vikingo, based on promotional materials. El Patron recently engaged in promotional activities for his match against Vikingo on a Mexican talk show, which included a physical altercation on May 29 on TV Azteca’s “Venga La Alegría” where he attacked King Vikingo, El Hijo del Vikingo’s father, and production crew members.
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This incident, which Dave Meltzer noted garnered significant attention, was described: “Every major Mexican media outlet covered it, it was all over social media and both non-wrestling and non-sports media as well as influencers reported on it and most did so thinking it was real.” The nature of the altercation, whether a worked angle or a genuine loss of control, has become a subject of widespread discussion.
Further complicating the landscape is the advertising for the upcoming WWE AAA Worlds Collide show. In the United States, Vikingo is advertised to defend the AAA Mega Championship against Chad Gable. However, in Mexico, this match is promoted without the championship stipulation. Meltzer commented that while such bifurcated promotion was common in wrestling’s territory days, WWE was perhaps unwise to assume this discrepancy would not be noticed in Mexico.
Meltzer also explained the implications of TKO’s growing influence, stating, “This does show that even though TKO hasn’t purchased AAA yet, they are in control of at least the top booking and the championship scene.” This control apparently signifies a shift from AAA’s original plans for their title picture, likely moving away from El Patron as champion. Despite these developments, Meltzer suggests El Patron is unlikely to be featured by WWE during the initial phases of the AAA crossover. Nevertheless, former WWE and AAA broadcaster Hugo Savinovich has reportedly been advocating for WWE to utilize El Patron at the Worlds Collide event, adding another layer to his complex standing.
READ MORE: El Hijo Del Vikingo Retains AAA Mega Championship at Worlds Collide
