Alberto Del Rio Announces MMA Return

Ex-WWE superstar Alberto Del Rio has announced his plans to return to MMA ... more than 8 YEARS after his last real fight!!

The 41-year-old -- real name Jose Rodriguez -- announced his decision to return to MMA for Combate Americas on Monday ... and he's gunning to get in the cage in 2019.

Del Rio's last MMA fight was a Cage of Combat event back on Feb. 27, 2010 ... when he lost to Yamamoto Hanshi in a 2nd round TKO.

“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 told The MMA Hour.

“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 says he expects to fight a big-name MMA star and draw a huge pay-per-view ... but says his opponent has not been made official yet.