When Tony Khan announced at Worlds End that Andrade El Idolo was heading to free agency following the culmination of his contract, it left folks from around the professional wrestling world, from folks on social media to wrestling podcasters like Jim Ross, having a pretty good idea of where he'll wrestle next: WWE.

On paper, it makes sense, right? For all of the value Andrade can bring to any promotion in the ring, he's married to the second lady of WWE, Charlotte Flair, and could spend more time with his wife on the road while being booked as an upper mid-carder. Factor in a presumed bump in pay associated with being a prominent free agent in 2024, and so on, “El Idolo” could be back to a one-named wonder either as a solo act, reunited with Zelina Vega, or even as the latest member of the LWO.

Discussing Andrade's future on his Grilling JR podcast, JR explained why he believes the third-generation wrestler is WWE-bound and why the move makes the most sense for his family.

“We haven't seen his ceiling yet, in my opinion. The guy's really good, and losing him is unfortunate for AEW because he always gave quality work. A very skilled guy. If I was guessing, and that's something we're doing here because I don't have any clue as to what his future holds, I'd say it's WWE. They're always looking for quality talents, Andrade is a quality talent and certainly has earned his opportunities to move up the cards, whatever company he's working with. He's a main-event skillset guy, no matter what,” Jim Ross shared on his podcast via Fightful.

“But if I were a betting man, I would certainly lean toward Andrade to be a WWE guy sooner than later. They're doing a lot of nice things with their Latin athletes. He fits the bill there very well. I'm a fan of his work, and I'm sorry to see him leave, but he fulfilled all his obligations and did a h*ll of a job for us. He's a keeper, no doubt about it. So I'm thinking if WWE, like they have been, that's a layup, I think. It's just really good in that regard. So we'll see how it works out. Quality talents always rise to the top. If you're good enough, you're gonna get noticed in the right way, and I think Andrade used AEW to get notice and to continue to develop his work. So I'm happy for him and Charlotte. Maybe they're gonna be able to spend some additional time together because of her injury. So good for him. He's a good guy, he's a classy guy. Good worker, and I'm glad that he was here for a while. He helped the company, and that's what you're looking for.”

As of the first week in January, Andrade has yet to debut in WWE, with opportunities on RAW and NXT having come and gone without much so much as a hint at the former La Sombra. Could that change on SmackDown New Years Revolution? Or maybe Andrade will return to AEW instead, turning a mock free agency into an even bigger return in the future? Could CMLL be the new long-term home of the Durango, Mexico, native? Fans will have to keep an eye on… well, pretty much every wrestling promotion around the world to see where Andrade will show up next.

Jim Ross opens up about his recovery timeline.

Elsewhere on his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross provided an update to fans on his road back to the commentary booth, which has proven to be far more winding than he initially expected.

“It's pretty good. I got an MRI yesterday. They had to make sure that nothing was wrong with the bone in my tibia, where that radiation issue is located. Haven't got the results to that back yet. I had it done yesterday. So sooner or later, we'll get the results of that. Don't feel like there's anything to be worried about. My doctor just wants to be more cautious than not. The wound is healing, but as long as this blood sugar issue is prominent, it's gonna be hard to heal. I wish we could have known that a year ago. But in any event, it is what it is, and I'll just make it work. That's always been my mantra, to overcome adversity. So it's all good. The wound is still there, still hurts. But I've kind of gotten adjusted to it, in a way. It sounds morbid as h*ll, but it's what it is. You gotta keep fighting. So I'm gonna keep fighting, and then get past this thing,” Jim Ross said via Fightful.

“I had a great time in Oklahoma. Tony Khan let me sit in on a match [with the] announcers. It was kinda cool. Fans were seemingly happy to see me, which made me feel great. So it's all good. It's just a matter of continuing to battle, stay positive, and get to the finish line. That's where we are now. We're en route to the finish line. We're not there yet, but we're closer than we've ever been. Therefore, I don't know exactly when I'm coming back on the air. Sooner than later, hopefully.”

Will the day eventually come when Jim Ross is back to calling AEW shows full-time? No, probably not, as at this point, such an expansive workload may simply be too much for the 72-year-old. Still, it will be nice to eventually see the University of Oklahoma supporter back on the road full-time, as few folks can provide the same level of instant gravitas to a match like good old JR.