Confirmed: Alberto Del Rio Returning To AAA; Exact Details On His WWE Release

Alberto officially confirmed for return at AAA's TripleMania.

By Douglas Scarpa /

The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter details the full story behind Del Rio's release, confirming many of the rumors and leaks. Cody Barbierri - who was previously suspected of being the other party involved in the incident - did indeed make a comment that was construed as racist. Alberto Del Rio retaliated by slapping Barbierri, apparently with enough force to knock him to the ground. However, there are some interesting new details. Reportedly, Triple H contacted ADR himself to give him the news. Furthermore, the Observer reports that the original plan was to suspend Del Rio until after SummerSlam. However, Barbierri reportedly threatened to sue Del Rio and the WWE for both the attack and the company's handling of the situation. The decision was then made to release Del Rio. It also didn't help that Alberto and WWE were both in the midst of essentially a waiting game - biding their time until the contract between the two ran out. Also, in an somewhat surprising twist, sources claim that Del Rio has the support of numerous superstars in this situation due to a general dislike for Barbierri. The Manager of Social Media Live Events reportedly has a habit of talking down to talent -- hence the disdain for him in the locker room. However, it's also said that Barbierri is a relatively high-ranking member of the staff and furthermore, has the support of the McMahon family. Another rumor that has been confirmed in the wake of all of this is Del Rio's imminent return to Mexico's AAA promotion. As reported on this site, there have been countless rumors and rumblings that the former Dos Caras Jr. was headed back to AAA and his native Mexico. These rumors have now been confirmed by none other than Del Rio himself through a short video posted by AAA€™s official YouTube account. In the below clip, Del Rio - real name Alberto Rodriguez - addresses his fans.A translation of Alberto€™s comments: €œHello aficionados of Mexico and AAA, the boss is back. What better place to call my home than AAA. Thanks for all the supporters and you guys know there is quality wherever the boss is, and there is quality in AAA. There is no better place to go. See you soon and God bless you.€ Alberto€™s return to AAA has now been officially confirmed, and the title of the video itself confirms an appearance of some sort at this Sunday€™s TripleMania event. However, there are still a number of questions regarding the situation -- such as, what Del Rio€™s role will be at TripleMania and under what name he will appear. When ADR shows up on Sunday, it€™s likely that it will not be in a competitive capacity due to the typical 90-day no-compete clause found in WWE€™s contracts. Let us know your thoughts on these further details in the comments below, as well as your thoughts on the still lingering questions surrounding Alberto Del Rio.