WWE News: TNA Wrestling Reportedly Offered Alberto Del Rio Hefty Sum To Come In Before He Went Back To WWE

Alberto Del Rio might be back with WWE, but many thought it would never happen. Much less did people believe he would win the WWE United States Championship immediately upon his return to the company. Many thought that Alberto Del Rio was happy on the Independent scene, where he had been working with various promotions all over the place. He eventually went to AAA and Lucha Underground, where he had some amazing matches and programs.

Del Rio then won the AAA Mega Championship, which is by no means a slouch title. You have to be a top tier star there to get a chance at the championship, and Del Rio was able to capture it very shortly into coming in.

WWE is planning on bringing John Cena back late this year, and he will end up in Del Rio for his return rivalry. It is unknown as of now if WWE will have Cena win his United States Title back, but we do know that he will be facing Del Rio upon his return. WWE does feel that Del Rio is a big deal to have. Since WWE has had issues connecting to the Hispanic audience ever since Del Rio and Rey Mysterio left, there was always a hope that they could get both or either back to better their viewership in that area.

On top of this, WWE wants to create a new Hispanic star. They simply need a big one for now, and then they can make someone slower. That meant that they were willing to pay Del Rio well to come back in. The thought was that they were seemingly desperate for a top Hispanic star so bad that they would have paid almost anything. They broke the bank for sure with Del Rio, as his deal with WWE, according to the Wrestling Observer, is said to be for $1,450,000, guaranteed. This does not include any bonuses or merchandise sales, where Del Rio could make a lot more money.

WWE was not the only ones after Alberto Del Rio, however. AAA wanted to keep him, and they were said to have been okay with paying more, but no number has been given out yet. However, TNA Wrestling has had an interest in Del Rio for the better part of a year and were willing to offer him a big deal to return, as well. According to Cageside Seats, TNA was willing to offer Del Rio $300,000 to sign. This, like the WWE deal, was speculated to be guaranteed and not representative of what he would make on bonuses or merchandise.

TNA was said to have offered this deal to Del Rio before he signed a contract with WWE.

Unlike WWE, TNA offering a deal of this amount seems a bit steep for them, as they have decided not to re-sign anyone when their deal came up. They have lost several TNA originals from AJ Styles and Samoa Joe to James Storm and Chris Daniels, among many more. Two of them are now with WWE under the NXT brand. The others are either working in Ring of Honor or New Japan Pro-Wrestling, making more than they did with TNA.

AJ Styles claimed that he made more in 8 to 9 months than what TNA was offering him for a full year, which is a big deal. That means that TNA was willing to sign Del Rio to a big deal and let everyone else’s deal expire. This would surely not be a good way to endear Alberto Del Rio with his new TNA comrades. WWE did offer triple this moneywise, so it made sense that Del Rio took the WWE contract, as the money was too good to pass up.

At the end of the day, even though Alberto Del Rio and WWE parted ways and had an issue in court at this time last year, money offered means more than any grudge in the world of professional wrestling. It’s smart business to take WWE’s money, and anyone saying otherwise does not understand the world Del Rio is in where you can injure one body part and have your career ended in an instant. You have to make as much money as possible during the time you can make said money. Del Rio can make it now, so he took the WWE offer.

The fact that Alberto Del Rio got so much respect by TNA and other companies goes a long way and it’s probably the main reason WWE offered so much for him to come back to begin with.

[Image via WWE]