Alberto El Patron, the former WWE champion known as Alberto Del Rio, made his Impact Wrestling debut last night during the television tapings.

Ed Nordholm of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, and the man who is overseeing the new era of the company, tweeted a photo of El Patron and Jeff Jarrett in the middle of the ring during the day, so his appearance was not a complete surprise to those in attendance.

El Patron has been wrestling on the independent scene ever since leaving the WWE back in September of last year and made numerous appearances in the United Kingdom. He has also opened a restaurant in San Antonio, Texas.

This is his first stint with Impact Wrestling. His girlfriend, former WWE Divas champion Paige, was with him backstage at Universal Studios in Orlando. She is still under a WWE deal but has been out of action for several months, first due to two consecutive Wellness Program failures and then a neck injury which required surgery. She is expected back soon.