Ex-WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio to Return to MMA for Combate Americas Fight

Former WWE champion Alberto Del Rio confirmed Monday he plans on returning to mixed martial arts in 2019 with promotion Combate Americas. 

"I'm going to jump back in the cage—or in the cage for the first time—because I used to fight in rings in Mexico and in Asia, but never inside the cage," Del Rio said on The MMA Hour (h/t MMA Fighting's Alexander K. Lee). "So for 2019, I'm going to be doing that. I'm going to be fighting in the cage for Combate Americas, mi familia, mi casa, and I'm not just saying this because my boss is here and he writes my checks."

Del Rio, whose real name is Jose Rodriguez, made his MMA debut in August 2001. He went 9-5 in his combat career, last fighting Mamoru Yamamoto in a February 2010 defeat. His biggest fight came against Mirko Cro Cop for Pride in October 2003. Cro Cop was victorious with a first-round knockout.

The end of his MMA career coincided with his WWE debut on the Aug. 20, 2010, edition SmackDown.

Del Rio remained with WWE until his release in August 2014. He returned to the company at Hell in a Cell in October 2015 but left again in September 2016.

A month later, the 41-year-old signed with Combate Americas as the promotion's president. He explained to ESPN.com's Brian Campbell that he wouldn't be fighting for the company and instead would identify and recruit potential talent to bring in.

Del Rio's opponent for his MMA return is unknown, with Lee writing Del Rio "plans to leverage his fame into a matchup with a big-name MMA fighter."