 Del Rio in 2016 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | José Alberto Rodríguez Chucuan (1977-05-25)25 May 1977 (age 48)[3][12][18] |
| Alma mater | Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí |
Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives |
|
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring names | |
| Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[12][13] |
| Billed weight | 239 lb (108 kg)[14][13] |
| Billed from | San Luis Potosí, Mexico[13] |
| Trained by | |
| Debut | 29 September 2000[17] |
José Alberto Rodríguez Chucuan[20] (born 25 May 1977)[3][12] is a Mexicanprofessional wrestler,professional wrestlingpromoter,sports commentator, andmixed martial artist. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his time inWWE under thering nameAlberto Del Rio, andImpact Wrestling under the ring nameAlberto El Patrón.
Before working for WWE, Rodríguez used the ring nameDos Caras Jr. as both a mixed martial artist andluchador in mostly Mexico and Japan, achieving success inConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) by winning theCMLL World Heavyweight Championship once. Rodríguez signed with WWE in 2009 and made his debut on their main roster the following year as Alberto Del Rio. In WWE, he became the firstMexico-born world champion in WWE history after he won theWWE Championship and theWorld Heavyweight Championship twice each. He also won the2011 Royal Rumble and the2011 Money in the Bank ladder match, making him the only professional wrestler to win both in the same calendar year.
Rodríguez departed WWE in 2014 and wrestled as Alberto El Patrón in other promotions such asLucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA),Ring of Honor (ROH),Lucha Underground, Japanese and Puerto Rican promotions, and various United Statesindependent promotions. He returned to WWE in 2015, winning theUnited States Championshiptwice, before departing again in 2016. He subsequently signed withImpact Wrestling and won theImpact World Championship before departing in 2018. Rodríguez would return to AAA in 2023, where he would win theAAA Mega Championship for a second time.
Born inSan Luis Potosí into one of the most well known Mexican wrestling families, his father is noted luchadorDos Caras, while his uncles areMil Máscaras and Sicodelico. His cousins,Sicodelico Jr. and Hijo de Sicodelico, are also wrestlers.[12] His younger brotherGuillermo signed a WWE contract in August 2012 and was assigned to the promotion's developmental territoryNXT under the ring name Memo Montenegro,[21] but was released in July 2013.[22]
Rodríguez graduated fromUniversidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí where he earned a degree inarchitecture.[12][18][15]
Growing up in a family of wrestlers Rodríguez decided to take upGreco-Roman wrestling, training under Leonel Kolesni and Juan Fernández.[3][12][15] He earned a place on the Mexico national team in Greco-Roman wrestling and while competing on the national team obtained several accomplishments.[23] In 1997, he placed third at the World Junior Championships, in theCzech Republic.[23] He also won theCentral American and Caribbean Games in his weight division three times and won a medal at thePan American Games. Rodríguez was on track to compete at the2000 Summer Olympics inSydney,Australia, but due to a lack of funding and support, Mexico did not send a wrestling team that year.[18]
After not competing at the 2000 Olympic games, Rodríguez turned to the family business, and trained with his father to become a professional wrestler. He made his debut appearance on 9 May 2000 as Dos Caras Jr. when he ran in during anAAA (now known as Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide) show to save his father from a beat down fromEl Texano andPirata Morgan.[24] Over the next couple of years, Caras worked both in Mexico and Japan to gain experience in the ring. In Mexico he worked exclusively for AAA making appearances at shows such as the 2002Verano de Escándalo, where he teamed withEl Gronda and El Hijo del Solitario to defeat the trio of Pirata Morgan, Sangre Chicana andEl Brazo.[25]
Rodríguez's first foray intopuroresu was in 2001 for theBattlarts promotion, where he defeatedKazunari Murakami at the YUKI-BOM-BA-YE event.[26] Rodríguez returned toJapan the following year wrestling forPro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1) andAll Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW).[27][28][29] After wrestling for Zero1 primarily throughout 2002 and 2003, Rodríguez joinedHustle, debuting on their inaugural Hustle 1 event. He would continue to wrestle for Hustle under thering names Dos Caras Jr. and Hustle Kamen Gold until October 2004.[30]
In 2005, Caras was signed to a contract withConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL).[31] In his first test in the company, Caras competed in the 2005La Copa Junior, but the storyline of the tournament saw him defeated in the semi-final byDr. Wagner Jr.[12][32] Caras's advancement to the semi-final of the cup, mere months after signing with the company was an indicator that the bookers were interested in elevating him up the rankings, this was further supported when he received matches for both theCMLL World Heavyweight Championship and theCMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship inside a three-week period.[12][33] The following year on 31 March 2006 Caras was entered again into theLa Copa Junior tournament and earned a return victory over Dr. Wagner Jr. who knocked him out of the tournament the previous year.[12] He also won againstHeavy Metal andApolo Dantés to gain a place in the final, defeatingHéctor Garza to win the prize.[34] While working in Japan, Caras had taken to teaming with another second-generation wrestler,Lizmark Jr., and when both found themselves in CMLL they were teamed up once again with the team's famous fathers being the selling point. Over the next year Caras found himself without much direction, he worked storylines withÚltimo Guerrero andKenzo Suzuki but nothing long term came of it. Caras received two opportunities to challengeUniverso 2000 for the CMLL World Heavyweight title but came up short until his third attempt on 8 July 2007 when he became the CMLL World Heavyweight Champion.[33] While in wrestling promotions outside of Mexico the Heavyweight title would indicate that he was the top man in the federation, Mexican wrestling promotions tend to put more emphasis on the lower weight divisions over the heavyweights.[35]
After the contract dealings with WWE surfaced he began showing signs of becoming arudo (villain). He turned his attention away from the matches and instead try to win the approval of the fans, often costing his team the match because he was distracted. Caras himself explained this behavior by stating that he "hurt his shoulder, but bravely stayed in the arena".[36] After hinting at a change for weeks Caras finally cemented his villainous persona on 11 April 2009, the second member of the Rodríguez family to be a heel (after his uncle, El Sicodélico Sr).[37] Caras's run with the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship remained largely uneventful with only four title defenses in the 533 days that he held the championship, before losing it and departing for WWE.[12][33]
He made brief appearance forWWE as a security guard on 30 June 2008 episode ofMonday Night Raw.[38]By the fall of 2008, a story broke that Rodríguez had wrestled a dark match forWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and that they had offered him a contract.[12][39] Over the following months conflicting reports of whether he had signed or not arose, but he remained CMLL World Heavyweight Champion. When he lost the title to Último Guerrero it was believed that he had indeed signed with WWE,[33] with him being rumored to be a surprise participant in the 2009Royal Rumble. However, he remained with CMLL and stated that he signed a four-year deal and chose CMLL because they offered him a better deal than WWE.[12][40]
On 17 June 2009, Rodríguez confirmed that he had signed a three-year contract with WWE, stating that he would not have to go toFlorida Championship Wrestling (FCW), WWE'sdevelopmental territory, but directly to the main roster.[12] Furthermore, he would retain the rights to his name, mask and image, but allow the WWE to use it for promotional purposes while he is under contract with them. He agreed to the contract since it addressed the main reasons why he turned down the WWE's offer in January 2009.[41] Despite his claims, he had a match withKris Logan at FCW under the name Dos.[42] He later also went on to wrestle under the ring names Dorado and El Dorado.[3] During a segment on theAbraham Washington show at the 6 August taping, Rodríguez revealed a new, unmasked wrestling character named Alberto Banderas.[4] When he revealed his face, he was criticized by some Mexicans for revealing, to which he responded that only a few people know why he lost the mask in that way.[31] During WWE'sWrestleMania Revenge tour of Europe in April 2010, he made numerous appearances in untelevised matches for theRaw brand. One night he wrestled as Dos Caras, but he did not wear his mask. He was presented as a villain in a losing effort againstChristian.[8][43] The following month Caras put his mask back on for WWE's tour of Mexico and worked as a hometown hero, prior to returning unmasked during untelevised matches for subsequentRaw andSmackDown shows.[44][45] Later, Rodríguez said that he hated his time in FCW, but that he learned a lot.[31]
On 25 June 2010, episode ofSmackDown, Rodríguez appeared on a taped promotional video as the unmasked Alberto Del Rio.[5] Thereafter, a vignette aired every week onSmackDown promoting his character as an arrogant rich Mexican aristocrat, espousing his own virtues of honesty, integrity and mental faculties. After two months, Del Rio wrestled his first match at a house show inBrisbane, Australia and a week later, he made his television debut on the 20 August episode ofSmackDown by defeatingRey Mysterio in the main event by submission with thecross armbreaker.[3][46] As part of his act, Del Rio made his entrances in an expensive car, while he was introduced by his personal ring announcer,Ricardo Rodriguez.[46] The following week, Del Rio continued the storyline with Mysterio by attacking him after his match withKane, giving him a storyline injury by refusing to relinquish hisarmbar.[47] Two weeks later, he defeatedMatt Hardy via submission in Hardy's last appearance with the company[48] causing Hardy's friend Christian to challenge Del Rio to a match atNight of Champions on 19 September.[49] Despite declining the match, on the 24 September episode ofSmackDown Del Rio attacked Christian and injured him the same way he did Mysterio the previous month.[50] This was done to write Christian off television, as he had suffered a tornpectoral muscle.[51] Mysterio returned on the 8 October episode ofSmackDown, and handed Del Rio his first defeat in the main event match.[52] On the 15 October episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeatedChris Masters to represent the SmackDown brand atBragging Rights on 24 October, but during the pay-per-view event, he attacked teammate Rey Mysterio, before being eliminated from the match by Team Raw'sCM Punk.[53][54] AtSurvivor Series on 21 November, in the traditional five-on-five elimination match, Del Rio captained a team against Rey Mysterio's team. Despite Del Rio's team losing, he was removed from the match afterBig Show knocked him out with a WMD.[55] On the 26 November episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Big Show via countout to qualify for the2010 King of the Ring tournament.[56] In the tournament the next week onRaw, he madeUnited States ChampionDaniel Bryan submit in the first round, but was defeated byJohn Morrison in the semifinal after being distracted by Mysterio who was inside his car.[57] AtTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on 19 December, Del Rio competed in afatal four-wayTables, Ladders and Chairs match for theWorld Heavyweight Championship, which was won byEdge and also included Kane and Rey Mysterio.[58] On 7 January 2011 episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Mysterio in atwo-out-of-three-falls match, with help from Ricardo Rodriguez by holding Mysterio out of the ring to end his long feud with Mysterio.[59]
On the fourth season ofNXT, starting in December 2010, Del Rio mentored rookieConor O'Brian,[60] who became the second contestant to be eliminated from the competition on 18 January.[61] The following week the rookies competed in a fatal-four-way match, of which the winner could change their pro.Brodus Clay won the match and chose Del Rio as his new pro.[62] After the conclusion ofNXT, Del Rio hired Clay as his bodyguard.[63]
At theRoyal Rumble on 30 January, Del Rio defeated 39 other participants, last eliminatingSantino Marella, to win theRoyal Rumble match and earn the right to compete for either the World Heavyweight Championship or theWWE Championship atWrestleMania XXVII on 3 April.[64] The next night onRaw, Del Rio chose to compete for Edge's World Heavyweight Championship.[65] AtElimination Chamber on 20 February, Del Rio attacked Edge, after he had successfully defended his title and solidified his spot as Del Rio's opponent at WrestleMania. However, Edge managed to come out the exchange victorious, after Christian returned from his injury and attacked Del Rio.[66] On 18 March episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio and Christian finally had their first one–on–one match in asteel cage, in which Christian won.[67] At WrestleMania XXVII, Del Rio was unsuccessful in his World Heavyweight Championship match against Edge.[68] On 8 April episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Christian to earn a rematch against Edge atExtreme Rules on 1 May.[69] However, when Edge unexpectedly retired from professional wrestling on 11 April episode ofRaw, Del Rio was instead booked to face Christian in aladder match for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship, after Christian won a battle royal.[70]
On 25 April episode ofRaw, Del Rio was drafted to the Raw brand.[71] Ricardo Rodriguez moved to Raw with him, while Brodus Clay remained on SmackDown. At Extreme Rules, Del Rio lost to Christian in a ladder match for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship.[72] On 23 May episode ofRaw, Del Rio slapped Big Show after he had gotten into a confrontation with Ricardo Rodriguez. After competing in a match, Big Show was run over by Del Rio's car, driven by Rodriguez, leaving him sidelined with a storyline knee injury.[73] Big Show made his return three weeks later, chasing Del Rio out of the ring and beating Rodriguez down.[74] On 19 June atCapitol Punishment, Del Rio defeated Big Show via referee stoppage, when he was unable to continue the match due to a pre-match assault byMark Henry.[75] On 27 June episode ofRaw, Del Rio defeated Big Show in a steel cage match, again after interference from Henry.[76]
On 17 July atMoney in the Bank, Del Rio defeatedAlex Riley,Evan Bourne,Jack Swagger,Kofi Kingston,The Miz,R-Truth and Rey Mysterio in the RawMoney in the Bank ladder match for a futureWWE Championship match whenever and wherever over the next year, while also becoming the first wrestler in history to win a Royal Rumble and a Money in the Bank match in the same year. Following the orders ofVince McMahon, Del Rio attempted to cash in his contract later that same night on CM Punk, who had just defeatedJohn Cena for the WWE Championship, but was attacked and laid out by Punk before he could do so.[77] Del Rio eventually cashed in his contract on 14 August atSummerSlam, challenging CM Punk after the main event, where he had defeated John Cena to become the undisputed WWE Champion. Between the two matches, Punk was attacked byKevin Nash, which led to Del Rio scoring a quick pinfall victory to win the WWE Championship for the first time.[78] In winning the title, Del Rio became the first ever Mexican-born WWE Champion.[79] Del Rio made his first televised title defense the next night onRaw, defeating Rey Mysterio to retain his title.[80] On 18 September atNight of Champions, Del Rio lost the championship to John Cena, but gained it back on 2 October atHell in a Cell by defeating Cena and Punk in aHell in a Cell match.[81] On 23 October atVengeance, Del Rio successfully defended the WWE Championship against John Cena in aLast Man Standing match, after The Miz and R-Truth interfered.[82] On 20 November atSurvivor Series, Del Rio lost the WWE Championship to Punk.[83] Del Rio received a rematch for the WWE Championship on the 28 November episode ofRaw SuperShow, but lost after Punk dropped him onto an exposed turnbuckle, managing to avoid a disqualification, which would have cost him the title.[84] On 18 December atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Del Rio failed again to regain the WWE Championship from Punk in a triple threat Tables, Ladders and Chairs match, also involving The Miz.[85] The next night onRaw SuperShow, Del Rio suffered a torn groin muscle, which required surgery and sidelined him for four to six weeks.[86]
Del Rio returned at a WWE house show inSan Francisco on 11 February 2012, arm wrestlingSheamus to a no contest.[87] On 19 February atElimination Chamber, Del Rio made an appearance to show support to Raw General ManagerJohn Laurinaitis.[88] Del Rio returned on the 2 April episode ofRaw SuperShow, confronting World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus and vowing to become the next champion.[89] On the 6 April episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Sheamus in a non-title match by disqualification to earn a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.[90] On 20 May atOver the Limit, Del Rio failed to capture the World Heavyweight Championship from Sheamus in a fatal four-way match, also involvingChris Jericho andRandy Orton.[91] On the 25 May episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Kane and Randy Orton in a triple threat match to become the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship.[92] The next week onSmackDown, Del Rio suffered a legitimate concussion,[93] which led to WWE pulling him from his scheduled World Heavyweight Championship match against Sheamus atNo Way Out.[94] Del Rio returned on the 18 June episode ofRaw SuperShow, defeatingUnited States Champion Santino Marella in a non-title match.[95] The next week onRaw SuperShow, Del Rio wrestledDolph Ziggler to a no contest in aContract on a Pole match for a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.[96] As a result, both Del Rio and Ziggler were entered into the championship match four days later onSmackDown, where Sheamus retained the title after pinning Ziggler.[97] Del Rio received another shot at the World Heavyweight Championship on 15 July atMoney in the Bank, where he again lost to Sheamus.[98] The next night onRaw SuperShow, Del Rio was looking to take out his frustrations onZack Ryder, but his post-match assault was interrupted by his longtime rival Rey Mysterio making his return and attacking him.[99] Four days later onSmackDown, Del Rio and Ziggler lost to Mysterio and Sheamus by disqualification after Rodriguez interfered, but Del Rio viciously attacked Sheamus.[100] On the 27 July episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Daniel Bryan, Kane, and Mysterio in a fatal four-way match to again become number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.[101] The title match, originally set forSummerSlam, was moved to the 10 August episode ofSmackDown, after Del Rio threatened to press charges against Sheamus for stealing his car on the 6 August episode ofRaw, which would have prevented Sheamus from appearing at SummerSlam. However, before the match began, Del Rio attacked Sheamus along with men posing as police officers,[102] which led to SmackDown General ManagerBooker T taking away his number one contender's status in result.[103] However, the next week, Sheamus had the title match put back on for SummerSlam on 19 August,[104] where Del Rio again failed in another attempt to dethrone Sheamus after the referee did not notice Del Rio's foot on the bottom rope.[105] On the 24 August episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Randy Orton by submission to once again become the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.[106] On the 7 SeptemberSmackDown, Del Rio filed assault charges against Sheamus, after Sheamus had attacked him and Rodriguez on the 3 September episode ofRaw, which led to Booker T banning theBrogue Kick[107][108] with the caveat that Sheamus would be stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship if he used the move again.[109] However, on 16 September atNight of Champions, Booker T concluded his investigation into the dangers of the move and lifted the ban. In the match that followed, Sheamus used theBrogue Kick to defeat Del Rio and retain the World Heavyweight Championship.[110]
With his rivalry with Sheamus behind him, Del Rio moved on to feuding with Randy Orton, with the two attacking each other on the 28 September episode ofSmackDown.[111] The rivalry built to a singles match on 28 October atHell in a Cell, where Orton emerged victorious.[112] On the 31 October episode ofMain Event, Del Rio teamed withThe Prime Time Players (Darren Young andTitus O'Neil) to face Orton, Rey Mysterio, andSin Cara in six-man tag team bout that ended with Orton pinning Del Rio for the win.[113] On the 6 November episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio was again defeated by Orton in aFalls Count Anywhere match, after taking anRKO onto the ringside steel steps.[114] The two were then on opposing teams for the traditional five-on-five elimination tag match on 18 November atSurvivor Series. Del Rio's team, led by Dolph Ziggler, defeated Orton's team, led byMick Foley, despite Del Rio being eliminated by Orton prior to the finish.[115] The next night onRaw, Del Rio once again lost to Orton in a two-out-of-three-falls match, ending the feud.[116]
On 16 December atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Del Rioturnedface when he saved Ricardo Rodriguez and the Spanish announcers from 3MB (Drew McIntyre,Heath Slater, andJinder Mahal). Later in the event, Del Rio teamed with The Miz andThe Brooklyn Brawler to defeat 3MB in a six-man tag team match.[117] The next night onRaw, Del Rio and Miz teamed up withTommy Dreamer to defeat 3MB in another six-man tag team match.[118] On the 28 December episode ofSmackDown, Ricardo Rodriguez was awarded a title match against World Heavyweight Champion Big Show, but Big Show knocked Rodriguez out backstage. Del Rio was then awarded the title match in Rodriguez's place, however, the match ended in a no contest after Sheamus attacked Big Show.[119] On the 31 December episode ofRaw, Big Show chose to defend his title against Ricardo Rodriguez. As Rodriguez was about to lose the match, Del Rio attacked Big Show from behind, causing a disqualification and re-igniting a feud between Del Rio and Big Show.[120] On the 11 January episodeSmackDown, as Del Rio's character transitioned into a hero of theLatino fanbase,[121] he defeated Big Show in a Last Man Standing match to win his first World Heavyweight Championship.[122][123] Del Rio made his first successful title defense on 27 January at theRoyal Rumble, defeating Big Show in another Last Man Standing match, after Rodriguez duct taped Big Show's legs to the ropes.[124] After repeated attacks from Big Show to both himself and Rodriguez, Del Rio and Big Show faced off in a singles match on 17 February atElimination Chamber, where Del Rio submitted him to the cross armbreaker to retain his title.[125] Del Rio then began a feud with his new number one contender, Jack Swagger, over his opposing political views regarding immigration in America.[126][127][128][129][130] The feud escalated on the 18 March episode ofRaw, when Swagger broke Rodriguez's ankle with hisPatriot Lock submission.[131] Del Rio continued feuding with Swagger on the 1 April episode ofRaw, defeating Swagger's managerZeb Colter via disqualification after Colter hit Del Rio with Ricardo Rodriguez's crutch.[132] On 7 April atWrestleMania 29, Del Rio defeated Swagger via submission to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.[133] The next night onRaw, Del Rio defeated Swagger and Zeb Colter in a Two-on-one handicap match after forcing Swagger to submit to the cross armbreaker. After that, Del Rio lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Dolph Ziggler who cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, ending his reign at 90 days.[134] After losing the title, Del Rio would continue feud with Swagger and Ziggler over the title.[135][136][137] On the 29 April episode ofRaw, Ricardo Rodriguez defeatedBig E Langston and Zeb Colter in a three-way match to give Del Rio the right to choose the stipulation of his three-way match atExtreme Rules and chose a ladder match.[138] However, Ziggler would suffer a legitimate concussion at aSmackDown taping, thus removing their match from Extreme Rules.[139][140] In result of Ziggler's injury, Del Rio instead would be booked to face Swagger in a number one contender"I Quit" match at Extreme Rules on 19 May,[141] which Del Rio won.[142] In the following weeks, Del Rio would face Ziggler'senforcer Big E. Langston in a series of matches, which Del Rio won 3–2.[143]
Del Rio finally received his title shot on 16 June atPayback, and during the match, a double-turn occurred; Del Rio turned heel once again by repeatedly and ruthlessly targeting Ziggler's head after his recent concussion to defeat Ziggler and regain the World Heavyweight Championship.[144][145] Del Rio later explained that he targeted Ziggler's head the same way Ziggler targeted Del Rio's injured leg when Ziggler cashed in Money in the Bank to win the title from Del Rio.[146] On 14 July atMoney in the Bank, Del Rio defeated Ziggler by disqualification to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, after Ziggler's girlfriendAJ Lee hit Del Rio in the face with herDivas Championship belt.[147] The next night onRaw, Del Rio defeated Ziggler in a non-title rematch after a distraction by AJ.[148] On the 29 July episode ofRaw, Del Rio re-entered a feud with Christian after losing to him in a non-title match.[149] On the 2 August episode ofSmackDown, after Christian won a triple-threat match to become the number on contender to the World Heavyweight Championship, Del Rio attacked him during a post-match interview.[150] On the 5 August episode ofRaw, Del Rio lost a non-title match toRob Van Dam, after Ricardo Rodriguez's interference backfired, which led to Del Rio viciously attacking Rodriguez post-match.[151] On the 9 August episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio again lost to Christian in a non-title match.[152] On 18 August atSummerSlam, Del Rio successfully defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Christian.[153] Upon Rodriguez's return, he aligned himself with Rob Van Dam,[154] accompanying him to matches and helping him defeat Del Rio in a non-title match to earn a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.[155] On the 13 September episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Rodriguez in a single match.[156] On 15 SeptemberNight of Champions, Van Dam defeated Del Rio by disqualification after Del Rio refused to relinquish the cross armbreaker, retaining the World Heavyweight Championship in result. After the match, Van Dam attacked Del Rio and executed theVan Terminator.[157] On 6 October atBattleground, Del Rio defeated Van Dam in aHardcore match by submission to again retain the World Heavyweight Championship.[158] The next night onRaw, Del Rio lost to Ricardo Rodriguez afterVickie Guerrero announced hisHell in a Cell opponent as John Cena. Afterwards, Del Rio brutally attacked Rodriguez.[159] On 27 October at Hell in a Cell, Del Rio lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Cena, ending his reign at 133 days.[160] Del Rio received his rematch for the title on 24 November atSurvivor Series, but again lost to Cena.[161]
The following night on the 25 November episode ofRaw, Del Rio teamed up with Randy Orton in a losing effort against John Cena and Big Show in a tag team match. On the 2 and 9 December episodes ofRaw, Del Rio suffered upset losses to the returning Sin Cara.[162][163] Del Rio finally defeated Sin Cara on the 6 January 2014, episode ofRaw. After the match, Del Rio insulted the soon-to-be returningBatista and that he would eliminate Batista in the Royal Rumble to get everyone talking about him.[164] On the 13 January episode ofRaw, he defeated Rey Mysterio and after the match, once again confronted Batista. On the 20 January episode ofRaw, after he defeated Rey Mysterio, Batista returned and attacked Del Rio with aBatista Bomb.[165] Six days later at theRoyal Rumble, Del Rio entered the Rumble match at number 27 and performed well, but was eliminated by Batista who went on to win the match.[166] On the 3 February episode ofRaw, Del Rio confronted and ultimately assaulted Batista,[167] which led to Batista powerbombing Del Rio through the broadcast table the following week. Before that, Del Rio squashed Dolph Ziggler.[168] This led to a match between Del Rio and Batista atElimination Chamber, which Batista won.[169] The following night on Raw, Del Rio defeated Batista in a rematch from the previous night.[170] AtWrestleMania XXX, Del Rio participated in theAndre the Giant memorial battle royal and made a number of eliminations before being eliminated by Sheamus.
On the 2 June episode ofRaw, Del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler to qualify for the2014 Money in the Bank ladder match which later became for the vacantWWE World Heavyweight Championship; Del Rio would lose the match to John Cena. On the 4 July episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio unsuccessfully challenged Sheamus for the United States Championship. He defeated Ziggler on the 7 July episode ofRaw to earn another United States Championship opportunity against Sheamus, but was again unsuccessful after aLast Man Standing match the following night onMain Event. AtBattleground he participated in a battle royal for the vacantIntercontinental Championship but was eliminated by Dolph Ziggler. Del Rio lost several matches over the following weeks and was fired from WWE on 7 August, due to "unprofessional conduct" following an altercation with an employee who allegedly made a racist joke.[171]
On 11 August 2014, AAA announced that after bring fired by WWE, Rodríguez would be returning to the promotion atTriplemanía XXII.[172][173] In a press conference on 14 August, Rodríguez acknowledged that WWE owned the Alberto Del Rio name and also revealed that he would be working for AAA under the new ring name El Patrón ("The Boss"). He was nicknamed this in WWE by Ricardo Rodriguez, during ring introductions and Spanish commentary, but it was not trademarked. Rodríguez also stated that for the moment he was under a 90-day no-compete clause, which would prevent him from wrestling for AAA.[9][174] He later also revealed that as part of his departure from WWE, Del Rio was banned from wrestling in the United States for one year.[175] On 17 August at Triplemanía XXII, El Patrón and his fatherDos Caras appeared to open the show, speaking on coming to AAA and addressing WWE, claiming that the company was racist. They were interrupted by theLos Perros del Mal stable. After one of the members laid his hands on Caras, El Patrón ran after the stable and cleared house, while officials reminded him that he has the no-compete clause from the WWE.[176] The show ended with El Patrón attackingLos Perros del Mal leaderEl Hijo del Perro Aguayo, after his win in the main event.[177] In early September 2014, Rodríguez's lawyers had resolved his issues with WWE and he was no longer restricted by the 90-day no-compete clause.[178] On 14 September, Rodríguez, now billed as "El Patrón Alberto", made his AAA in-ring return teaming withMyzteziz andLa Parka in a six-man tag team main event, where they defeated Aguayo,Averno andEl Texano Jr.[10] Alberto then began feuding with El Texano Jr. over theAAA Mega Championship.[179] On 28 November, Ricardo Rodriguez made his AAA debut, once again becoming Alberto's personal ring announcer.[180] On 7 December atGuerra de Titanes, Alberto defeated El Texano Jr. to become the new AAA Mega Champion.[181] With the win, Rodríguez became the first wrestler to have held both the CMLL and AAA world heavyweight championships.[182] On 24 May 2015, Alberto came together with Myzteziz and Rey Mysterio Jr. to form the "Dream Team" for AAA'sLucha Libre World Cup. The trio eventually won the tournament, defeatingJohnny Mundo, Matt Hardy andMr. Anderson in the finals.[183] AtTriplemanía XXIII, El Patrón defeated Brian Cage in a Hair vs. HairLucha de Apuestas.[184] AtHéroes Inmortales IX, El Patrón retained the Mega Championship against Johnny Mundo.[185]
After Rodríguez returned to WWE and it became clear that he would not return to AAA to defend the Mega Championship and was therefore stripped of the title on 9 November.[186] WWE had allowed him to participate at Guerra de Titanes but when the event was canceled, WWE rescinded the offer.[187]
In 2018, it was announced that El Patrón would make his return atTriplemanía XXVI, facing a mysterious opponent. However, during a press conference on 21 August, AAA did not mention El Patrón's match as part of the final card. Rodríguez explained he would not appear since he had an unsuccessful discussion with Dorian Roldán over money and they did not find an opponent for him.[188] Roldán said that Rodríguez had no communication with the promotion, so they did not include him in the final card.[189]
On 24 August 2014, theWorld Wrestling Council began a storyline by airing a backstage segment where heel manager Juan Manuel Ortega talked by telephone with someone only identified as "patrón" and referenced a reunion previously held at WrestleMania XXX.[190][191] The following week featured a segment where the manager picked Ricardo Rodriguez fromLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport and drove to a golf club whereRay González Sr. (who had been feuding with several of Ortega's protégés) was playing a round.[192] There it was revealed that the former WWE ring announcer had been sent on behalf of El Patrón, delivering a sign of disrespect as a "personal message" before fleeing the scene.[192] The following week a match between both was confirmed for Septiembre Negro, where González Sr. defeated and injured Rodriguez (now promoted as "El Emisario del Patrón") and immediately challenged El Patrón to a match atWWC Aniversario.[193][194] On 24 September 2014, the storyline with Rodriguez continued, when he was depicted calling Ortega to confirm the presence of El Patrón at Aniversario.[195] However, after being announced he was unable to make an appearance and the storyline digressed, withHernandez supplanting him at Aniversario.[196]
On 7 November 2015, WWC resumed the angle with El Patrón, beginning with a segment where he assaulted Ray González's son,El Hijo de Ray González, during a training session atTexas Wrestling Academy in retaliation for the injury that his father inflicted on Rodriguez.[197][unreliable source] The following day, Ray González Sr. challenged El Patrón to a match.[197] The majority of the promotional skits were filmed before he returned to WWE, but was given continuity, being the only external appearance cleared by the promotion after the enactment of a new contract.[198][199] On 5 December 2015, González Sr. defeated El Patrón (who, by then was theWWE United States Champion) by disqualification in WWC's season closing event, Lockout.[200]
On 15 October 2016, El Patrón returned to World Wrestling Council (WWC) at the second night of WWC's annual Aniversario event, where he faced Ray Gonzalez in a "Jaula de la Muerte" match.
On 1 November 2014, Rodríguez, working under the ring name "Alberto", made his debut for the JapaneseWrestle-1 promotion, defeatingMasakatsu Funaki.[201]
On 11 December 2014,Ring of Honor (ROH) announced that Rodríguez, billed as "Alberto El Patrón",[14] had signed to make his debut for the promotion on 3 January 2015.[6] He defeatedChristopher Daniels in his debut match.[202] During the ROH Winter Warriors tour on 30–31 January, El Patrón defeatedA. C. H. andRoderick Strong.[203][204] On 1 March 2015, atROH 13th Anniversary Show, El Patrón unsuccessfully challengedJay Lethal for theROH World Television Championship.[205]
Rodríguez competed for theWorld Wrestling League defeating championGlamour Boy Shane andRicky Banderas to capture theWWL World Heavyweight Championship in January 2015.[206] The title was vacated on 19 September 2015, after a controversy during a defense against Ricky Banderas.[207]
On 17 January 2015,Lucha Underground announced that Rodríguez had signed with the promotion.[208] He debuted at the promotion's television tapings inLos Angeles, California later that same day.[209] During his debut, Rodríguez, billed as Alberto El Patrón, was attacked by his AAA rival El Texano Jr., who was also making his debut.[210] This led to a match on the 25 March episode, where he successfully defended the AAA Mega Championship against El Texano Jr. in aBullrope match.[211] On 6 May, Alberto defeatedJohnny Mundo in a match for the number one contender for the Lucha Underground Championship. However, on 13 May 2015, Alberto was defeated by Hernandez after Mundo threw him against a window, losing his opportunity. Then, Alberto and Mundo feuded untilUltima Lucha, where Mundo defeated Alberto after an interference fromMelina, Mundo's girlfriend.
Del Rio made a surprise return to theWWE atHell in a Cell on 25 October 2015, withZeb Colter as hismanager, and defeatedJohn Cena to win the United States Championship.[212] The next night onRaw, Del Rio revealed that he and Zeb Colter had started their new country "MexAmerica"[213][214][215] and unofficially renamed the United States Championship the "MexAmerican Championship".[216][unreliable source] In November, Del Rio took part in the tournament for the vacantWWE World Heavyweight Championship,[217] defeatingStardust in the first round[218] andKalisto in the quarterfinals,[219] before being eliminated byRoman Reigns in the semi–finals atSurvivor Series.[220]
On the 30 November episode ofRaw, Del Rio joinedSheamus' new stable,The League of Nations,[221] and a week later ended his association with Zeb Colter.[222] After retaining his championship againstJack Swagger, in achairs match, at theTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view,[223][224] Del Rio reignited hisfeud with John Cena, after the latter returned on 28 December.[225] On the 11 January episode ofRaw, Del Rio lost the United States Championship toKalisto, regained the championship on the 14 January episode ofSmackDown, but lost it again to Kalisto atRoyal Rumble.[226][227][228] After scoring three tag team victories over Kalisto and his partnerSin Cara, Del Rio demanded a two-out-of-three falls match for the United States Championship atFastlane, which Del Rio then lost 1–2.
AtWrestleMania 32, Del Rio was part of a six-man tag match along with his fellow League of Nations members Sheamus andRusev, againstThe New Day, where his team won when Sheamus pinnedXavier Woods.[229] After WrestleMania, The League of Nations began to dissolve whenKing Barrett was ejected from the group on the 4 April episode ofRaw, where Del Rio and the rest of the group attacked him.[230] On the 28 April episode ofSmackDown, the group officially disbanded after Del Rio and Rusev walked out on Sheamus during a six-man tag match against Kalisto,Cesaro andSami Zayn.[231]
On the 2 May episode ofRaw, Del Rio was involved in aBattle Royal to determine the No. 1 contender for Kalisto's United States Championship, but was eliminated byZack Ryder. On the 26 May episode ofSmackDown, Del Rio defeated Zack Ryder to qualify for the2016Money in the Bank ladder match.[232] At Money in the Bank, Del Rio was unsuccessful as the match was won byDean Ambrose. During the2016 WWE draft, Del Rio was drafted to the SmackDown brand.[233] On the 26 July episode ofSmackDown Live, Del Rio participated in a 16-man battle royal to determine who would advance in a number one contenders tournament for theWWE World Championship, he was ultimately unsuccessful in the match. His last appearance in WWE was on the 16 August episode ofSmackDown Live, in which Del Rio was defeated by John Cena.
On 18 August 2016, Rodríguez was suspended for thirty days for his first violation of WWE's wellness policy.[234][235] On 30 August, it was reported that Rodríguez would be exercising an opt-out clause from his WWE contract, allowing his departure should he be unhappy with his position within the company. Reportedly, Rodríguez was unhappy with WWE, claiming he had been given empty promises, including a main event push, when he made his return in October 2015.[236] On 9 September, WWE officially announced that they had come to terms with his release from the company.[237][238]
Following his second departure from WWE, Rodríguez would begin taking bookings on theindependent circuit, returning to his Alberto El Patrón ring name. He stated that he did not want to sign with any promotion and would limit himself to 60 dates per year for the next two years before retiring from professional wrestling.[239][240] Rodríguez was scheduled to return to AAA on 2 October atHéroes Inmortales X, but ended up no-showing the event.[241] The following day, Rodríguez claimed that he had been attacked by a "knife-wielding criminal" at a restaurant prior to the event, suffering multiple lacerations on his arm and other parts of the body.[242]
El Patrón made a number of appearances for the What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) promotion, endingBig Damo's WCPW career in his first match before challenging unsuccessfully for WCPW's Internet and Tag Team Championships.[243] He was forced to miss the "Delete WCPW" PPV on 30 November 2016, due to flight issues[244][unreliable source] but was at their "Loaded" episode taping the following day, defeatingJohnny Mundo.[245]
El Patrón made a number of appearances for World Association Of Wrestling (WAW) promotion, El Patrón defeatedRobbie Dynamite via pinfall then El Patrón defeatingChris Masters in the same event and won WAW Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship.
In 2019, Rodríguez andChavo Guerrero Jr. created their own promotion,Nación Lucha Libre, which aired their first show on a television channel.[246]
During theImpact Wrestling tapings on 2 March 2017, Rodríguez debuted forImpact Wrestling, under the ring name Alberto El Patrón. He would defeat Magnus to win theGFW Global Championship on the television shiw and defeated Lashley atSlammiversary, El Patrón defeated Lashley to unify the GFW and the Impact Wrestling Championship. As champion, he started a feud with the stable LAX, most notably with the newest member,Low Ki. El Patron was scheduled to defend his Unified GFW World Heavyweight Championship against Low Ki atDestination X, but on 12 July 2017, El Patrón was suspended due to a personal domestic violence issue with his girlfriendPaige.[247] As a result of the suspension, on 14 August, he was stripped of the title.[248]
On 5 November 2017, atBound for Glory, El Patrón returned from suspension.[249] He was released from Impact on 7 April 2018 afterno-showing theLucha Underground vsImpact Wrestling event in New Orleans.[250]
On 19 March 2023, El Patrón made his first appearance in AAA in over seven years at the 2023Lucha Libre World Cup. He was part of the "Dream Team" that was defeated in the semi-final, and wrestled as atécnico. On 27 April 2024 atTriplemanía XXXII: Monterrey he lost to Nic Nemeth (the former Dolph Ziggler) in a match for the vacantAAA Mega Championship. AtTriplemanía XXXII: Mexico City on 17 August 2024, El Patrón reclaimed the title from Nemeth, turningrudo and aligning himself withKonnan and Dorian Roldán.
It was reported that Del Rio re-signed with WWE on 5 May 2025 as part of WWE'sacquisition of AAA, but he never appeared on WWE programming.[251][252] On 31 May 2025, El Patrón lost his title toEl Hijo del Vikingo at Alianzas, ending his reign at 287 days.[253] On 25 July at Alianzes, El Patrón lost toEl Mesías and was exiled from AAA, ending his third tenure with the promotion.[254] However, he would briefly return to AAA at ahouse show on 9 August, teaming withNueva Generacion Dinamita (Forastero andSanson) in a losing effort againstLa Parka,Niño Hamburguesa, andPsycho Clown.[255]
| Dos Caras Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1977-05-25)25 May 1977 (age 48) San Luis Potosí,Mexico |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)[256] |
| Weight | 96 kg (212 lb; 15.1 st)[19] |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Style | Professional wrestling |
| Fighting out of | San Luis Potosí,Mexico |
| Years active | 2001–2010, 2019 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 15 |
| Wins | 9 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 7 |
| Losses | 5 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 1 |
| By disqualification | 1 |
| No contests | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | |
After making his professional wrestling debut in 2000, Dos Caras Jr. decided to try his hand atmixed martial arts (MMA). Dos Caras most notably facedMirko Cro Cop in thePride Fighting Championships promotion, losing by first-round head kick knockout.
On 11 October 2016, he was named President of MMA promotionCombate Americas.[257] The presidency was afigurehead role, where Rodríguez held no actual power in the company and was mainly in charge of promoting the brand to Mexican media.[258] Rodríguez stepped down from the role on 20 July 2017, to concentrate on his professional wrestling career.[258]
On 9 July 2019, it was announced that Rodríguez would be returning to mixed martial arts competition for the first time since 2010 to take onUFC Hall of Famer and formerUFC Light Heavyweight ChampionTito Ortiz in Combate Americas.[259][260] The event, which was contested at acatchweight of 210 pounds, took place in Hidalgo, Texas on 7 December 2019. Rodríguez lost the bout via first round submission.[261]
In March 2022, it was reported that Rodríguez had signed with theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as aSpanish-language commentator.[262] He debuted for the promotion on 19 March at theirUFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall event.[262]
Rodríguez was previously married to Angela Velkei, with whom he has three children.[263] Velkei filed fordivorce from Rodríguez in June 2016 and stated that the marriage ended the previous month due toadultery.[264] On 28 April 2022, Del Río shared a video asking forblood donations for Velkei, who was hospitalized on the Hospital San José inSatélite,Naucalpan,State of Mexico, though without disclosing the health issue for which she was hospitalized.[265] On 2 May of the same year, Del Río announced on his social media that Velkei had died.[266]
In May 2016, Rodríguez and fellow professional wrestler Saraya-Jade Bevis, better known asPaige, went public with their relationship.[267][268] The two became engaged in October 2016.[269] They split up in late 2017.[270] On 14 July 2021, during an interview withHannibal TV, Rodriguez made threats to expose Paige for previous arrests and also made claims of domestic violence against her.[271]
Rodríguez owned a restaurant inSan Antonio, Texas named La Cantinita, which opened in 2016.[272] However, the restaurant closed in November 2017.[273]
On 24 May 2018, Rodríguez became a naturalized citizen of the United States.[274]
Rodríguez was arrested on 9 May 2020, inSan Antonio,Texas after allegedly battering and sexually assaulting his girlfriend. He was booked into theBexar County jail and charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of assault causing bodily harm.[20][275][276][277] Rodríguez was later released on $50,000 bail at approximately 3:30 A.M. on 10 May.[278] On 9 October, Rodríguez was indicted by a grand jury and formally charged with aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault, twofelonies.[279] Rodriguez's trial was delayed several times,[280] until the charges were ultimately dropped on 10 December 2021.[281]
| 15 matches | 9 wins | 6 losses |
| By knockout | 3 | 2 |
| By submission | 6 | 2 |
| By decision | 0 | 1 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 9–6 | Tito Ortiz | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Combate 51 | 7 December 2019 | 1 | 3:10 | Hidalgo, Texas, United States | Catchweight (210 lb) bout. |
| Loss | 9–5 | Yamamoto Hanshi | TKO (punches) | Cage of Combat 4 | 27 February 2010 | 2 | 2:47 | Madrid, Spain | |
| Win | 9–4 | Arthur Bart | KO (head kick) | Cage of Combat 3 | 13 February 2010 | 1 | 3:51 | Torreón, Mexico | |
| Win | 8–4 | Toshiyuki Moriya | Submission (neck crank) | Cage of Combat 1 | 26 December 2009 | 1 | 3:17 | Veracruz, Mexico | |
| Win | 7–4 | Ignacio Laguna | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Berkman MMA Promotions 1 | 15 December 2008 | 2 | 2:36 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| Win | 6–4 | Hato Kiyoshi | Submission (rear-naked choke) | MMA Xtreme 17 | 15 December 2007 | 2 | 2:31 | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | |
| Win | 5–4 | Joao Tua | Submission (guillotine choke) | MMA Xtreme 14 | 13 October 2007 | 1 | 2:41 | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | |
| Win | 4–4 | George King | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Vale Tudo Fighters Extreme: Mexico | 27 May 2007 | 1 | 4:00 | Tláhuac, Mexico | |
| Loss | 3–4 | Kazuhiro Nakamura | Decision (unanimous) | Pride 27 | 1 February 2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Loss | 3–3 | Mirko Cro Cop | KO (head kick) | Pride Bushido 1 | 5 October 2003 | 1 | 0:46 | Saitama, Japan | Heavyweight debut. |
| Win | 3–2 | Brad Kohler | TKO (shoulder injury) | Deep: 12th Impact | 15 September 2003 | 1 | 1:25 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 2–2 | Hiroyuki Ito | DQ (grabbing the ropes) | DEEP 9 Impact | 5 May 2003 | 1 | 3:21 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 2–1 | Tatsuaki Nakano | Submission (rear-naked choke) | DEEP 6 Impact | 7 September 2002 | 1 | 4:05 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 1–1 | Kengo Watanabe | Submission (rear-naked choke) | DEEP 4 Impact | 30 March 2002 | 2 | 3:52 | Nagoya, Japan | |
| Win | 1–0 | Kengo Watanabe | TKO (broken arm) | DEEP 2 Impact | 18 August 2001 | 1 | 0:50 | Yokohama, Japan | Openweight debut. |
| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dos Caras Jr. (mask) | Darketo (mask) | Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes | Live event | 6 March 2003 | [15] |
| El Patrón Alberto (hair) | Brian Cage (hair) | Mexico City | Triplemanía XXIII | 9 August 2015 | [184] |
Traditionally the heavyweight division was not considered the biggest draw, nor the most important division in Mexico
,Cagematch,Wrestlingdata,Internet Wrestling Database| Preceded by | Royal Rumble winner 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Mr.Money in the Bank 2011 (WWEC) With:Daniel Bryan (WHC) | Succeeded by |
