Teddy Long reveals details of Alberto Del Rio's WWE firing (Exclusive)

Alberto Del Rio was released by WWE in 2014 following a behind-the-scenes incident with an employee. Teddy Long, a former WWE on-screen authority figure and referee, recently reflected on the controversial incident.

Del Rio became one of WWE's top stars after debuting on the main roster in 2010. The Mexican abruptly left the company in 2014 due to "unprofessional conduct." He returned in 2015 before departing again a year later.

Long appeared on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine with legendary reporter Bill Apter and host Mac Davis. He recalled how Del Rio's former manager, Ricardo Rodriguez, told him the former WWE Champion reacted angrily after someone made a racist remark.

"Ricardo Rodriguez came up and told me that there was a person there, and I won't call their name, but called him a racial slur," Long said. "It was just like calling me the N word. And he told me that to my face. And I know the person. I'll leave it at that." [3:51 – 4:08]

In the video above, Long gave his opinion on John Laurinaitis after the former executive sided with Janel Grant in her lawsuit against Vince McMahon.

Bill Apter on Alberto Del Rio's possible WWE future

Speculation about Alberto Del Rio returning to WWE has been rife since the company purchased Mexican promotion AAA. Del Rio was the AAA Mega Champion when the announcement was made in April. However, he recently lost the title to El Hijo del Vikingo.

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Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter would not be surprised to see Alberto Del Rio appear on WWE television again one day:

"Again, it's the wrestling business. Some enemies that you had two hours ago could be the people helping make your business flourish the next day." [4:17 – 4:30]

In 2024, Del Rio told Sportskeeda Wrestling that his "legacy was stolen" after an ex-fiancée made false accusations against him. The 48-year-old also confirmed he would like to wrestle for WWE again.

Please credit Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart