WWE: Alberto Del Rio Vindicated? Employee Who Told ‘Racist Joke’ No Longer With Company


The WWE and Alberto Del Rio have had something of a falling out. This is no mystery in wrestling circles, as the wrestler now known as El Patron heard a reportedly racially offensive joke from a WWE employee and slapped him when the man refused to apologize.

The man who took the slap is said to be Cody Barbieri, and he was the WWE social media manager involved in the incident, according to WrestleView.

Was is the operative term, as this week the WWE posted an opening for Barbieri’s job.

The posting went up on Friday, though little has been said by the company with regards to Barbieri’s involvement in the Alberto Del Rio brouhaha that cost the superstar his job.

Many fans have criticized the WWE for its handling of the Alberto Del Rio character. He was undeniably one of the best workers the company had on the roster, but over time WWE Creative failed to find use for him, and Del Rio grew more agitated with his position in the company.

It all came to a head earlier this year in two reported incidents involving Barbieri.

The firing of Alberto Del Rio had some speculating that there was more to the story than just the actions of Barbieri and Del Rio — like WWE racism, for instance. That speculation has also been linked to Rey Mysterio, Jr., and his decision to distance himself from the company.

So far, all we know about the “truth” is that the first incident occurred “seven or eight months prior” to the famous slapping incident, where it’s said that Barbieri made a bad joke using the Mexican slang for slut.

The second incident occurred in Texas, and allegedly many WWE employees witnessed Barbieri insult Alberto’s Mexican heritage in some unspecified manner, and Alberto could not contain himself any longer.

We also know a little bit about how Vince McMahon and Triple H reacted to the slapping incident. It’s said that HHH offered to hire Alberto Del Rio back after the news blew over and if Alberto “kept his nose clean.”

McMahon also seemed to support Alberto when they talked personally, but then the next day he was suspended by the WWE setting up a lawsuit between the superstar and the WWE over a 90-day no-compete clause in his contract.

Del Rio would win that lawsuit and begin working for AAA Wrestling immediately under the El Patron name at TripleMania.

With Barbieri now gone from the company, supporters now believe the WWE is quietly trying to do damage control. It does seem to back up the Alberto Del Rio version of events.

What do you think, readers? Was Del Rio unfairly let go by the WWE? Do you think Barbieri’s departure is related to the past incidents?

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