FanSided MMA was invited into the training camp of former PRIDE fighter and WWE champion, Alberto Del Rio as he prepares for his first MMA fight in more than 10 years.

Phoenix, AZ — When former WWE champion, Alberto Del Rio, announced he would be returning to MMA after a 10-year hiatus to take on former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz many in the MMA community raised a few eyebrows. What exactly was the motivation for Del Rio to venture back into the cage? Some wondered if it was an elaborate trick to draw attention to Combate Americas, the promotion he was President of until stepping down in July 2017. Others even accused Del Rio of taking the fight preparation lightly or planning to throw the bout entirely.

FanSided was invited in the gym with Del Rio, who moved his whole life, leaving his family behind, to focus solely on his return to La Jaula in an effort to show the MMA world exactly how serious he’s taking things.

“I train, eat and sleep every single day. We’re training two, three times per day depending on the week, and we are doing what you have to do when you’re in training camp,” Del Rio said. “I left my kids in San Antonio because I don’t want to have any distractions. I’m by myself. I got a house in Arizona because, of course, I want to be comfortable. I didn’t want to stay in hotels, so I rented a place in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m loving the city. I’m loving the people.”

Del Rio is training in and around Phoenix, AZ with the likes of UFC fighter C. B. Dollaway and Bellator two-division champion Ryan Bader. He’s being overseen by Javier Torres and Team USA Olympic boxing coach Eddie Ochoa who have both raved about his skills and determination.

“All of his life, he has been an athlete,” Torres said. “People forget about it. Yes, he does pro wrestling, but they forget that he was actually one of the first wrestlers to ever fight in a bigger show like PRIDE.”

One of the biggest criticisms of this match-up is the age of both Del Rio, 42, and Ortiz, 44. Neither fighter is in his prime and many fans wonder if the bout will be competitive or even interesting to watch.

His teammates don’t think that will be an issue.

“He’s dialed in,” Dollaway said. “He’s a fighter. He has one hundred percent focus on the fight. This isn’t something that he’s doing for fun. He’s taking it very seriously. I think he really wants to win this fight and prove he’s a stud. He wants to represent the WWE championship and his time in PRIDE fighting championships.”

Bader agrees with Dollaway’s sentiment.

“He showed up, and he’s been showing his team that he does belong in there,” Bader said. “And I do think it can definitely be a competitive fight. Yes, I do think Tito has the advantages in a lot of the areas, but Alberto trained his butt off. I think he’s going to be definitely in better shape than Tito, and he’s going to give himself a chance to go out there and be successful.”

All four men spoke of Del Rio’s intense training regime which began months before his fight was ever booked. He prepared to return to MMA for more than a year ahead of the announcement.

“He’s actually been preparing [for] 10 to 12 months,” Ochoa said. “He’s definitely training to win and me as a coach, I’m training him to win, not just to compete and the sacrifice that goes with it on your body … mentally, physically. That way, come fight time, the war was in the gym and come fight time, the fight was easy because he’s been training for war, for battle with some solid guys.”

The gameplan in camp, we’re told, was to increase Del Rio’s cardio, footwork and boxing fundamentals and well as to re-introduce him to the skills he hasn’t used in over a decade.

“We’re prepared to knock Tito out,” Ochoa said. “These are two big guys. And I’m sure Tito, obviously, is coming in for the knockout. He says Alberto’s not gonna make it past the first round. So, you got two big guys like that, so the best way — the best chances to be more fundamentally sound is good solid fundamentals. And so we’re working a lot on footwork, good, solid turning of the punches, but the majority of it is footwork because if you’re not in position, you can know how to throw 10, 15, 20 punch combinations. But if you don’t have footwork, you’re not going to be able to deliver. So, big on the footwork.”

Another element of Del Rio’s camp, which is controversial these days with the rise of boxing deaths and CTE diagnosis’, is hard sparring. Del Rio says he’s entered the hard sparring portion of the camp and while other fighters are beginning to forego hard sparring altogether, he believes it’s necessary for this camp.

“I’m doing the hard sparring because I retired for many years,” Del Rio said. “That’s what you have to do. Yes, I agree about not going crazy in sparring, but that’s for someone like Tito, who has been active his entire life. But for someone like me, who stopped doing MMA and did pro wrestling for so many years, no. You have to go back there in the cage or in the ring and trade punches. There’s no other way because, you know, you get too comfortable just doing the pro wrestling stuff, but then you have to remember how it feels when they punch you and react to that part [and] react to that kicks, or you won’t see those kicks or punches in the cage.”

His coaches agree with this sentiment.

“We always start slowly into the sparring,” said Torres. “We bring in the best to go with him. I’ve taken Alberto and we’ve been working together with the MMA Lab [with] John Crouch, Benson Henderson, Jared Cannonier. So, I bring in the best for Alberto to become the best. He’ll be the best on Dec. 7.”

Another naysayer may mention the amount of time that Del Rio has been out of active competition. His last professional MMA bout came on Feb. 27, 2010, a loss to Yamamoto Hanshi. Prior to that, he was on a six-fight win streak, including a first-round head-kick KO and five submissions. His team plans to bring that Del Rio back, though they say he’s stayed in fight shape ever since.

“When you come back, you’re hungry and you’re motivated,” Dollaway said. “You got something to prove. I think that’s what we see with Alberto right now. He’s hungry. He’s motivated. He hasn’t been doing this, day in and day out for the last 20 years like Tito has. So, [it’s] probably pretty easy for him to find motivation [and] inspiration to get ready for this fight with Tito. He’s been doing this for a long time and it’s hard to get out of bed every day with these trainings when you’re looking at the guy you’re fighting. [Tito is] probably underestimating Alberto. And I think it’ll be a big mistake if he does.”

His opponent has remained active at a high-level throughout Del Rio’s 10-year absence. Ortiz is riding a two-fight win streak including a first-round KO of Chuck Liddell in Nov. 2018. Though he’s been active, Ortiz has been open about his multiple health issues including back and neck injuries. These are things that Del Rio’s team is considering, but they aren’t underestimating Ortiz either.

“Tito didn’t pick a fight that he thinks he will lose,” Ochoa said. “I can tell you right now. There’s not one doubt in Alberto’s mind, that [Tito] is going to lose this fight. We’re trying to win and Alberto believes he can win and he’s training to win. So, that says a lot about Alberto. You got MMA guys that are fighting today that won’t even take a fight with Tito Ortiz.”

Another element to Del Rio’s camp that Ortiz does not have is a former opponent. Bader fought Ortiz under the UFC banner in July 2001. Bader didn’t come out the victor but still feels there are elements of that fight which can be carried over to now for Alberto.

“Tito is older now, but he’s still at the top of his game. He’s very, very strong. He goes in there and gets in your face and he has great takedowns and obviously, you know, you don’t lose that ground and pound. He has been successful with [that] forever, so it’s definitely a tough fight for Alberto. I’m not gonna sit there and say it’s not,” Bader said. “For Alberto to get in there and take that fight is commendable for sure. He wants to get in there with one of the best guys and go in there and mix it up with him. So, he definitely has a fight on his hands, but I know meeting Alberto and training with him, he’s doing everything he can to prepare.”

The doubters of this fight are loud and their words have reached Del Rio’s camp, but they aren’t paying those negative thoughts any attention.

“I think there’s been a couple of MMA guys that didn’t have any experience and they went and fought in MMA. They probably have a bit of a bad taste in their mouth, so to speak, but I say, Alberto is different from those,” Ochoa said. “As a coach, I wouldn’t have taken this if I knew that he wasn’t serious.”

Though his coaching team is on point and in sync for everything else, one thing they differ on is their fight predictions. Torres predicts a submission early in the third round, Dollaway sees the fight standing for a “slugfest on the feet.”

One thing that Del Rio is certain of, win or lose, this is an experience he will remember for a long time to come.

“These guys who started as my training partners have become my friends,” Del Rio said of his training camp partners. “And now I think they have become my family.”

Combate Americas: Tito vs. Alberto – What Side Are You On? takes place on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, live from McAllen, TX. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your live results and highlights from the whole event.