Career Timeline of Alberto Del Rio: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Alberto Del Rio made an impact.

José Alberto Rodríguez Chucuan, known as Alberto Del Rio (WWE) and Alberto El Patrón (Impact Wrestling), is a Mexican professional wrestler, promoter, commentator, and mixed martial artist. He is currently signed with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA), where he holds the AAA Mega Championship for the second time. He gained prominence in WWE and Impact Wrestling using the aforementioned ring names.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

1997: World Junior Championships

In 1997, Alberto Del Rio placed third at the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic as a Greco-Roman wrestler.

May 2000: Debut as Dos Caras Jr.

On 9 May 2000, Alberto Del Rio made his debut appearance as Dos Caras Jr., saving his father from an attack at an AAA show.

2000: Mixed Martial Arts Debut

In 2000, after making his professional wrestling debut, Dos Caras Jr. decided to try his hand at mixed martial arts (MMA).

2000: Debut as Dos Caras Jr.

In May 2000, Alberto Del Rio made his debut appearance as Dos Caras Jr., saving his father from an attack at an AAA show.

2001: First foray into puroresu

In 2001, Alberto Rodriguez's first foray into puroresu was for the Battlarts promotion, where he defeated Kazunari Murakami at the YUKI-BOM-BA-YE event.

2002: AAA Verano de Escándalo Appearance

In 2002, Dos Caras Jr. appeared at AAA's Verano de Escándalo, teaming with El Gronda and El Hijo del Solitario to defeat Pirata Morgan, Sangre Chicana, and El Brazo.

2002: Wrestling for Pro Wrestling Zero1 and All Japan Pro Wrestling

In 2002, Rodriguez returned to Japan, wrestling for Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1) and All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW).

2003: Wrestling for Pro Wrestling Zero1

Throughout 2003, Alberto Rodriguez primarily wrestled for Zero1.

October 2004: Wrestling for Hustle

Until October 2004, Alberto Rodriguez wrestled for Hustle under the ring names Dos Caras Jr. and Hustle Kamen Gold.

2005: Signs with CMLL

In 2005, Caras signed with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and competed in the La Copa Junior tournament, reaching the semi-final.

March 2006: Wins La Copa Junior Tournament

On 31 March 2006, Caras won the La Copa Junior tournament, defeating Héctor Garza in the final.

July 2007: Wins CMLL World Heavyweight Championship

On 8 July 2007, Caras won the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Universo 2000.

June 30, 2008: WWE Appearance as Security Guard

On June 30, 2008, Alberto Del Rio made a brief appearance for WWE as a security guard on Monday Night Raw.

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January 2009: Turned down initial WWE Offer

In January 2009, Alberto Del Rio turned down the WWE's initial offer due to concerns that were later addressed in a subsequent contract.

April 2009: Turn to Villainous Persona

On 11 April 2009, Alberto Del Rio cemented his villainous persona, becoming a rudo in CMLL.

June 2009: Signs Three-Year Contract with WWE

In June 2009, Alberto Del Rio confirmed that he had signed a three-year contract with WWE and would go directly to the main roster.

2009: Signs with WWE

In 2009, Rodríguez signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) after wrestling as Dos Caras Jr. He had achieved success in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) before signing with WWE.

2009: Rumors of WWE Contract

In 2009, conflicting reports emerged about whether Alberto Del Rio had signed with WWE. He ultimately signed a four-year deal with CMLL.

April 2010: WrestleMania Revenge Tour

During WWE's WrestleMania Revenge tour of Europe in April 2010, Alberto Del Rio made untelevised appearances for the Raw brand, sometimes wrestling as Dos Caras without his mask.

June 2010: Alberto Del Rio Debut on SmackDown

In June 2010, Alberto Del Rio appeared in promotional videos on SmackDown, introducing his character as an arrogant rich Mexican aristocrat.

December 2010: Mentoring on NXT

Starting in December 2010, Alberto Del Rio mentored Conor O'Brian on the fourth season of NXT.

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2010: Previous MMA Fight

In 2010, prior to his 2019 MMA fight, Alberto Rodríguez had not competed in mixed martial arts since 2010.

January 2011: Feud with Rey Mysterio

In January 2011, Del Rio defeated Mysterio in a two-out-of-three-falls match on SmackDown, with help from Ricardo Rodriguez, ending their long feud.

2011: Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank Winner

In 2011, Alberto Del Rio won the Royal Rumble and the Money in the Bank ladder match. This achievement made him the only professional wrestler to win both events in the same calendar year.

February 2012: Return at WWE house show and appearance at Elimination Chamber

In February 2012, Alberto Del Rio made his return at a WWE house show in San Francisco on February 11, arm wrestling Sheamus to a no contest. Then, on February 19 at Elimination Chamber, Del Rio appeared to show support to Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis.

August 2012: Brother signs with WWE

In August 2012, Guillermo, Alberto Del Rio's younger brother, signed a WWE contract and was assigned to NXT under the ring name Memo Montenegro.

July 2013: Brother released from WWE

In July 2013, Guillermo, Alberto Del Rio's younger brother, was released from his WWE contract with NXT.

January 2014: Feud with Batista and Royal Rumble appearance

In January 2014, Alberto Del Rio defeated Sin Cara on the January 6 episode of Raw and proceeded to insult Batista, who was soon to return. On the January 13 episode of Raw, he defeated Rey Mysterio and confronted Batista again. Then, on the January 20 episode of Raw, Batista returned and attacked Del Rio with a Batista Bomb after Del Rio defeated Rey Mysterio. At the Royal Rumble on January 26, Del Rio entered at number 27 and was eliminated by Batista.

August 2014: Return to AAA as El Patrón and no-compete clause

In August 2014, after being fired by WWE, Alberto Rodríguez returned to AAA at Triplemanía XXII, being introduced as El Patrón due to WWE owning the Alberto Del Rio name. He stated he was under a 90-day no-compete clause and was banned from wrestling in the United States for one year.

August 2014: WWC Storyline begins with 'El Patrón'

In August 2014, the World 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.

September 2014: WWC storyline continues, El Patrón fails to appear

In September 2014, the WWC storyline continued with Rodriguez (El Emisario del Patrón) calling Ortega to confirm El Patrón's presence at Aniversario. However, El Patrón was unable to appear, and the storyline digressed.

September 2014: AAA in-ring return and feud with El Texano Jr.

In early September 2014, Alberto Rodríguez's lawyers resolved issues with WWE and he was no longer restricted by the no-compete clause. On September 14, now billed as "El Patrón Alberto," he made his AAA in-ring return, teaming with Myzteziz and La Parka. He then began feuding with El Texano Jr. over the AAA Mega Championship.

November 2014: Debut for Wrestle-1

In November 2014, Alberto Rodríguez, under the ring name "Alberto", debuted for the Japanese Wrestle-1 promotion, defeating Masakatsu Funaki.

December 2014: Signing with Ring of Honor

In December 2014, Ring of Honor (ROH) announced that Alberto Rodríguez, billed as "Alberto El Patrón", had signed to make his debut for the promotion.

2014: Money in the Bank, United States Championship challenges, and WWE firing

In 2014, Alberto Del Rio qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match on June 2, losing to John Cena. On July 4, he unsuccessfully challenged Sheamus for the United States Championship, and after failing to win the title in subsequent matches, Del Rio was fired from WWE on August 7 due to "unprofessional conduct".

2014: Departure from WWE

In 2014, Rodríguez departed from WWE and started wrestling as Alberto El Patrón in various promotions, including Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, Ring of Honor, and Lucha Underground.

January 2015: ROH Debut and Tour

In January 2015, Alberto El Patrón debuted for ROH, defeating Christopher Daniels on January 3. He also defeated A. C. H. and Roderick Strong during the ROH Winter Warriors tour on January 30 and 31.

January 2015: WWL World Heavyweight Championship win

In January 2015, Alberto Rodríguez captured the WWL World Heavyweight Championship from Glamour Boy Shane and Ricky Banderas.

January 2015: Signing with Lucha Underground and debut

In January 2015, Alberto Rodríguez signed with Lucha Underground. He debuted at the promotion's television tapings in Los Angeles later that same day and was attacked by El Texano Jr.

March 2015: ROH World Television Championship challenge

On March 1, 2015, at the ROH 13th Anniversary Show, El Patrón unsuccessfully challenged Jay Lethal for the ROH World Television Championship.

May 2015: Lucha Underground Championship Contender Match

In May 2015, Alberto defeated Johnny Mundo to become the number one contender for the Lucha Underground Championship, but on May 13, he was defeated by Hernandez, losing his opportunity.

May 2015: Lucha Libre World Cup win

In May 2015, Alberto joined Myzteziz and Rey Mysterio Jr. to form the "Dream Team" for AAA's Lucha Libre World Cup. The trio won the tournament, defeating Johnny Mundo, Matt Hardy, and Mr. Anderson in the finals.

September 2015: WWL World Heavyweight Championship vacated

On September 19, 2015, the WWL World Heavyweight Championship was vacated after a controversy during Alberto Rodríguez's defense against Ricky Banderas.

October 2015: Returns to WWE and Wins United States Championship

In October 2015, Alberto Del Rio made a surprise return to WWE at Hell in a Cell, accompanied by Zeb Colter, and defeated John Cena to become the United States Champion. He then revealed the creation of "MexAmerica" with Zeb Colter and unofficially renamed the United States Championship the "MexAmerican Championship".

October 2015: Return to WWE

In October 2015, upon his return to WWE, Alberto Rodríguez was given empty promises, including a main event push, which led to his unhappiness with the company.

November 2015: WWC storyline resumes with attack on El Hijo de Ray González

In November 2015, the WWC storyline with El Patrón resumed with a segment where he assaulted Ray González's son, El Hijo de Ray González, during a training session in retaliation for the injury inflicted on Rodriguez.

December 2015: Match against Ray González Sr. at WWC Lockout

On December 5, 2015, González Sr. defeated El Patrón (who was the WWE United States Champion at the time) by disqualification at WWC's Lockout event.

2015: Returns to WWE and wins United States Championship

In 2015, Alberto El Patron returned to WWE, winning the United States Championship twice during this run.

August 2016: Suspension and Departure from WWE

On August 18, 2016, Alberto Rodríguez was suspended for thirty days due to violating WWE's wellness policy. On August 30, it was reported that he would exercise an opt-out clause from his WWE contract, due to unhappiness with the company and unfulfilled promises since his return in October 2015. On September 9, WWE officially announced his release.

October 2016: Return to WWC at Aniversario event

In October 2016, El Patrón returned to World Wrestling Council (WWC) on the second night of the annual Aniversario event, facing Ray Gonzalez in a "Jaula de la Muerte" match.

October 2016: Named President of Combate Americas

On October 11, 2016, Alberto Rodríguez was named President of MMA promotion Combate Americas in a figurehead role, mainly responsible for promoting the brand to Mexican media.

November 2016: WCPW Appearances

In November 2016, El Patrón was forced to miss the "Delete WCPW" PPV on November 30 due to flight issues, but he appeared at their "Loaded" episode taping the following day, defeating Johnny Mundo.

2016: WWE Career in 2016

In 2016, Alberto Del Rio was involved in a battle royal on the May 2nd episode of Raw to determine the No. 1 contender for Kalisto's United States Championship, but he was eliminated. On May 26th, he defeated Zack Ryder to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match, though he was ultimately unsuccessful at Money in the Bank. During the 2016 WWE draft, Del Rio was drafted to the SmackDown brand, and his last WWE appearance was on the August 16th episode of SmackDown Live where he was defeated by John Cena.

2016: Departs WWE Again

In 2016, Alberto El Patron departed WWE again. Subsequently, he signed with Impact Wrestling and won the Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.

2016: Opening of La Cantinita Restaurant

In 2016, Alberto Rodríguez opened a restaurant in San Antonio, Texas, named La Cantinita.

March 2017: Impact Wrestling Debut and Championship Win

In March 2017, Alberto Rodríguez debuted for Impact Wrestling as Alberto El Patrón, defeating Magnus to win the GFW Global Championship on television.

July 2017: Suspension from Impact Wrestling

In July 2017, El Patron was scheduled to defend his Unified GFW World Heavyweight Championship against Low Ki at Destination X, but on July 12, 2017, he was suspended due to a personal domestic violence issue with his girlfriend Paige.

July 2017: Stepped Down from Combate Americas

On July 20, 2017, Alberto Rodríguez stepped down from his role as President of Combate Americas to concentrate on his professional wrestling career.

November 2017: Closure of La Cantinita Restaurant

In November 2017, Alberto Rodríguez's restaurant, La Cantinita, in San Antonio, Texas, closed.

November 2017: Return from Suspension at Bound for Glory

On November 5, 2017, El Patrón returned from suspension at Bound for Glory.

April 2018: Release from Impact Wrestling

In April 2018, El Patrón was released from Impact on April 7 after no-showing the Lucha Underground vs Impact Wrestling event in New Orleans.

2018: Cancelled Triplemanía XXVI appearance

In 2018, El Patrón's return at Triplemanía XXVI was announced but later cancelled due to unsuccessful discussions with Dorian Roldán over money and the lack of an opponent.

July 2019: Return to MMA

On July 9, 2019, it was announced that Alberto Rodríguez would return to mixed martial arts competition to face Tito Ortiz in Combate Americas.

December 2019: MMA Fight Against Tito Ortiz

In December 7, 2019, Alberto Rodríguez lost to Tito Ortiz via first round submission in their Combate Americas fight in Hidalgo, Texas.

2019: Creation of Nación Lucha Libre

In 2019, Alberto Rodríguez and Chavo Guerrero Jr. created their own wrestling promotion called Nación Lucha Libre, and the first show aired on a television channel.

March 2022: Joins UFC as Spanish-Language Commentator

In March 2022, Alberto Rodríguez signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as a Spanish-language commentator, debuting on March 19 at UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall.

March 2023: AAA Appearance at Lucha Libre World Cup

In March 2023, El Patrón made his first appearance in AAA in over seven years at the 2023 Lucha Libre World Cup, as part of the "Dream Team," wrestling as a técnico.

April 2024: AAA Mega Championship Match Loss

On April 27, 2024, at Triplemanía XXXII: Monterrey, El Patrón lost to Nic Nemeth in a match for the vacant AAA Mega Championship.

August 2024: AAA Mega Championship Win

On August 17, 2024, at Triplemanía XXXII: Mexico City, El Patrón reclaimed the AAA Mega Championship from Nemeth, turning rudo and aligning with Konnan and Dorian Roldán.