What’s the story?
Mike Johnson and PWInsider are reporting that TNA’s plan to bring Alberto El Patron (Alberto Del Rio to WWE fans) into the company is all but dead at this point.
John Gaburick was the major voice pushing to bring Alberto into the company and with Gaburick no longer with the company, it seems as though his replacements aren’t interested in signing the former WWE and World Heavyweight Champion.
TNA higher-ups simply don’t think that Alberto is worth the fee he demands. PWInsider are reporting that El Patron was initially scheduled to appear at the March Impact tapings, but this will no longer be the case.
In case you didn’t know
Del Rio and WWE parted ways once again in September 2016 after his return to the company didn’t quite go as well as it was initially hoped.
Since then, Del Rio has been fairly quiet on the independent scene, working a number of dates for What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) and World Wrestling Council (WWC) but otherwise staying in the news purely through the interest in his upcoming marriage to WWE Superstar Paige.
Also read: Paige and Alberto Del Rio: 5 facts you need to know about them
2017 is shaping up to be a brave new world for TNA now that Dixie Carter and much of the previous administration are gone. Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantell are back in the company and the roster is being freshened up as a result.
The heart of the matter
Alberto Del Rio is one of the biggest names in pro wrestling that isn’t currently working for WWE, but adding a Superstar with such name value to your roster doesn’t come cheap.
Those in charge of TNA reportedly don’t feel that Del Rio would prove to be worth the fee the company would have to pay for him, and as a result are reluctant to bring the former WWE United States Champion in.
What’s next?
Despite the PWInsider report, it is unlikely that news outlets will cease talking about the possibility of Del Rio turning up in the Impact Zone.
TNA has signed far too many former WWE performers over the years for it to not be rumoured, and Del Rio could still be regarded as being in the prime of his career.
It could well be true that Del Rio has no interest in signing a full-time contract with anyone at this point either, especially considering his role as president of the MMA promotion Combate Americas.
Sportskeeda’s take
We would love for Del Rio to turn up in TNA sometime soon, but at the same time feel that the man deserves to enjoy his time off and plan his forthcoming wedding. There is plenty of impressive independent wrestling talent that TNA could look at instead.
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