Any talk of an Alberto Del Rio WWE return is on hold, as the former champion’s next venture will be on a farm, not in a ring. He has been announced as part of the cast for the Mexican reality show La Granja VIP on the Azteca Uno network.
The show, modeled after Big Brother, places celebrities in confinement for months. TV Azteca confirmed Del Rio’s participation on social media, with the premiere set for October 12. This commitment removes him from the free-agent market and shuts down recent speculation about a comeback.
The development is a sharp turn from the narrative of the past few months. Buzz around a return intensified on August 18 at Triplemania XXXIII, when Rey Mysterio, responding to chants, told the Mexico City crowd he would bring Del Rio back.
Backstage support reportedly matched the fan reaction. According to a Lucha Libre Online report from Hugo Savinovich, major figures including Roman Reigns, The Undertaker, Cody Rhodes, and Drew McIntyre advocated for Del Rio to get another chance. Savinovich noted The Undertaker was willing to help rebuild his character, while Reigns’ support stemmed from cultural values of loyalty. Andrade, Angel, and Berto echoed that sentiment.
Despite that backing, WWE’s stance never wavered. After Del Rio’s Loser Leaves AAA match in July and Mysterio’s public comments in August, internal sources reiterated on August 18 that there were no plans for El Patrón’s return. His controversial reputation—including an incident where he attacked production crew members during his AAA run—remains a major hurdle under Triple H’s leadership.
Del Rio’s move to reality television now gives a definitive answer to his immediate future. After losing the AAA Mega Championship to El Hijo del Vikingo on May 31 and dropping his final singles match for the promotion to El Mesias in July, his next chapter is set.
The announcement confirms that despite support from influential WWE figures, Del Rio’s path has diverged from wrestling. His new long-term commitment rules out a return, ending recent “what if” scenarios and placing him firmly outside the wrestling world for now.