More Details About Alberto Del Rio's Release: Originally Suspended?

In another update on Alberto Del Rio's release from WWE, it's now being reported that WWE officials originally made the decision to simply suspend Del Rio after he slapped Cody Barbierri. However, Del Rio apparently slapped him extremely hard, with one source saying that Del Rio "slapped the..." out of him and actually knocked him down to the ground.

The word going around now is that the reason why Del Rio was fired and not just suspended was because Barbierri threatened legal action against the company. WWE COO Triple H then called Del Rio on August 7th and told him he was being released. Del Rio was said to be furious over the phone when HHH informed him.