More details have come to light regarding the abrupt disappearance of Andrade El Idolo from AEW programming. After making a surprise return in early October, Andrade was quickly pulled from television and independent bookings.
PWInsider.com reports that “the word making it’s way in lucha circles today is that Andrade could be kept out of ring for one year by WWE contractually due to breach of his WWE deal when he was terminated.” A new report from Fightful Select has shed light on the situation, revealing that WWE sent a cease and desist letter to AEW, indicating that Andrade was still under contract to them for a 90-day period following his release.
Widespread Confusion Over Contract Status
According to the Fightful report, the cease and desist from WWE came as a surprise to many, including those within AEW and WWE itself. Sources familiar with the situation told Fightful that they did not believe the fault lay with either AEW or Andrade. The prevailing belief, even among WWE staff and roster members, was that Andrade had been outright fired and was a free agent with no additional time left on his deal.
The report notes that after his WWE departure, which was rumored to be related to the company’s wellness policy, Andrade began taking independent bookings and signed a contract with AEW under the assumption he was free to do so. His representatives spoke with Tony Khan, and the two reportedly saw each other for the first time on the day of his AEW return.
The 90-Day Non-Compete
The central issue is a 90-day period that is often referred to as a “non-compete” clause. Typically, this is a paid period that serves as a notice of contract expiration. A previous report from PWInsider stated that Andrade would not be paid during this 90-day window, a detail Fightful has not been able to confirm.
The report suggests that an unpaid non-compete would be “very easy to fight in court,” but acknowledges the practical issue that any legal battle would likely last longer than the 90-day period itself. This clause is different from past non-competes, such as the one Brock Lesnar signed in 2004, which was for several years and did not hold up in court.
Impact on AEW Creative
Andrade’s unforeseen absence had a direct impact on AEW’s creative plans. The report states that his unavailability affected immediate plans for both AEW Dynamite and the WrestleDream pay-per-view. However, AEW sources indicate there is no bad blood towards Andrade over the situation. The working plan is still for him to compete in AEW once the contract issue is fully resolved. A source close to Andrade also told Fightful that he was in “good spirits this week” despite the circumstances and was keeping the matter quiet.
Andrade’s 90-day non-compete period is expected to conclude in early January 2026, at which point he should be clear to make his full-time return to AEW programming. That is, if the 90 days stay intact as it is right now. His return in October saw him align with the Don Callis Family, and his absence has left that storyline paused.
