Andrade El Ídolo opened up about the reasons behind his second WWE departure and the ongoing legal issues that are currently preventing him from competing.
Speaking on TV Azteca’s DeporTV, Andrade described his decision to return to the company and his eventual departure as a “very long story”.
The Decision to Return to WWE
Andrade revealed that his primary motivation for leaving All Elite Wrestling to return to WWE last year was directly related to his then-wife, Charlotte Flair.
“I was in a company called AEW and at that time I was happy…” Andrade stated. “But I was married—my wife was Charlotte Flair and she works in WWE, so the idea was to return to WWE to be with her and many things happened later. I was a little upset and we got divorced”.
Andrade clarified that the separation ended “in the best way”. He then mentioned his brief return to AEW at Dynamite in Hollywood, Florida. He then implied that WWE was not pleased. “I imagine they didn’t like it,” he said, before adding that he is “very grateful to WWE”.
Current Non-Compete Clause and Negotiation
The conversation quickly shifted to the current situation preventing Andrade from stepping back into the ring: a binding legal clause. He indicated that there was no non-compete activated until he showed up on AEW. He confirmed that he is currently involved in a legal process to expedite his return to competition.
Andrade stated that his original lawyer was also the lawyer for his then-wife, Charlotte Flair.
He then confirmed that the clause is the subject of his current legal fight. “They left you without being able to compete and that is the clause you are fighting today to be able to return to the ring as soon as possible,” the interviewer stated, which Andrade confirmed.
Andrade explained that the legal process can be long and the biggest difficulty is the financial cost involved.
“They are trying to negotiate so as not to go to court with that and have reached a good agreement and the lawyers are doing things a little better,” Andrade said. He added that he has a “good response” and “I think soon, more or less, I think I have a date, I think, and the lawyer too…”
Offers and Training
Despite his inability to compete, Andrade confirmed he has not been idle and is in high demand.
“I have many companies, I have several proposals right now, I cannot sign them because of the clause,” he revealed.
Andrade has been spending his time training in his new hometown of Miami Beach, where he recently relocated. “I live in Miami, Miami Beach. I moved to Miami Beach. I live there, it is getting up, going to the gym, going down to the beach, training again. I was training boxing, eating well because at the beginning I didn’t have a clause,” he said.
The wrestler explained that he had initially been training two or three times a day.
American vs. Mexican Wrestling
Andrade was also asked about the global visibility of Mexican wrestling compared to American promotions like WWE and AEW.
While Mexican wrestling is recognized in the United States, Andrade argued that it lacks global recognition.
“It is difficult to answer this question, since the American companies, both AEW and WWE, are companies that have talent in Mexico, but [they] also travel to Saudi Arabia, Australia…” Andrade explained. He noted that in places like India, Africa, Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong, many do not know about Mexican wrestling.
When asked to compare the quality of the wrestling talent between the two countries, Andrade gave a diplomatic response. He reflected on his own career path, having first achieved star status in Mexico. “First I was here in Mexico, I managed to be a star at a national level, a local first in my hometown, Gómez Palacio Durango, then at a national level,” Andrade said. The full interview can be seen below.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit TV Azteca with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
