WWE history dictates that there is never any bridge so burned between a former employee and the company that it cannot be rebuilt. Bret Hart returned after The Montreal Screwjob, and after decades away, Ultimate Warrior was inducted into the Hall of Fame days before he passed away. All of that said, it seems highly unlikely Alberto Del Rio will ever wrestle in WWE again, but that won't stop the former WWE Champion from claiming he has spoken with higher-ups about it.

Del Rio Claims WWE Wanted Him Back

Yes, Del Rio, now Alberto El Patron and wrestling in other promotions, is once again claiming he came close to a WWE return, this time in 2022 right before Vince McMahon's retirement. That's according to the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required). Noting Del Rio had likely wrestled his last match of 2023 due to a knee injury, WON also noted the Mexican star had once again claimed he was nearing a WWE return, but McMahon's retirement prevented that from happening.

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On top of WON mentioning that this isn't the first time Del Rio has made such a claim so his comments should probably be taken with a grain of salt, the same outlet that refuted Del Rio's claims last time has done the same thing again. Fightful Select (via WrestleTalk) asked a WWE source if there was any chance Del Rio returns, to which the source replied "No f*cking way". Very similar to the last time they were asked when they replied "No f*cking chance".

This Has Happened Before

The last time Del Rio claimed the door was open for him to return to WWE may well have been the same time he's referencing here. Right before McMahon briefly retired, Del Rio claimed we might see him in the 2023 men's Royal Rumble. That obviously didn't happen, and perhaps that was because McMahon was the person who wanted to bring Del Rio back in. Or, you know, there was actually never a plan to bring Del Rio back at all.

Del Rio was brought in as a surprise opponent for John Cena in 2015 and that run came to an end against the same opponent less than a year later. It was a surprise WWE was willing to bring Del Rio back in 2016, so it would be a shock on a monumental scale if WWE were to bring him back in 2023. I think it's far more likely we see CM Punk back in WWE before the end of the year which feels like a wild thing to say. If Del Rio is telling the truth and it was McMahon who wanted him back, well, sounds like the chairman doesn't have that sort of pull anymore.