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When news broke that Andrade El Idolo was not going to re-sign with AEW when his contract came to an end at the end of December, it felt like only a matter of time before the former Los Ingobernables de Japon member would make his way over to WWE to rejoin his wife Charlotte Flair as she rehabs from a compound knee injury.
… but then it didn't happen.
That's right, RAW Day 1 came and went, as did NXT New Year's Evil and SmackDown New Year's Revolution, and yet, Andrade seemingly remained surprisingly absent, with some wondering if he was still available on the open market despite having dropped off of a GCW show on Royal Rumble weekend.
Well, at the 2024 Royal Rumble, all of that speculation came to rest as, after watching the first three men, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, and Grayson Waller, enter the ring, Andrade came out as entrant number four, wearing a variation of the black mask he'd wear to the ring in AEW to a largely positive reaction from the crowd. Working through an incredibly crowded field, with “La Sombra” sharing a moment with fellow second-generation luchador Santos Escobar, Andrade didn't land a single elimination but did last quite a while before being eliminated, with Bronson Reed ultimately doing the deed as the eighth official exit from the match.
So what does WWE have planned for Andrade? Will he enter The Fed as a babyface, joining the LWO alongside his former manager Zelina Vega as a legitimate tide-turner in their feud with Legado del Fantasma? Or will the promotion instead ship him to RAW as a show where he could shine as the lone major Lucha presence? Either way, with the other 29 members of the match all already working for WWE on one brand or another, Andrade was the lone surprise in the men's Royal Rumble and thus should benefit from being able to pick and choose his spot as the hot new commodity on the roster.
ANDRADE!@AndradeElIdolo is back and competing in the Men's #RoyalRumble Match! pic.twitter.com/MmL2jJHARv
— WWE (@WWE) January 28, 2024
Tony Khan says there's always a spot for Andrade in AEW.
While Tony Khan isn't likely all that excited about giving WWE another top-tier performer to help fill out their cards moving forward, as the Royal Rumble is filled with ex-AEW guys like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and Jade Cargill, it sounds like the AEW booker was at peace with his exit, as, during the Worlds End media scrum, he noted that El Idolo always has a home in All Elite Land.
“Somebody who has not been with us the entire five years, but they've been with us about half the time. They've been outstanding and somebody I really respect and I don't expect to see necessarily, as it stands right now renewing the contract, but somebody that I have a great amount of respect for and would be parting on good terms and was tremendous, was here and did wrestle tonight is Andrade El Idolo,” Tony Khan told fans in attendance via SE Scoops.
“Andrade El Idolo's contract is up at the end of the year. We've had great talks. I have a tonne of respect for Andrade El Idolo. He's been a huge performer in the Continental Classic week after week I talked about this great run Collision's been on, Andrade El Idolo has been a huge part of it. Also has wrestled on the other shows and the Blue League of the Continental Classic.
“He's outstanding. I wanted to keep him involved at the top. If we had been able to reach an agreement, certainly he would be somebody we would slot in, in a prominent position. I think we did everything we could to show Andrade El Idolo we really do value him. I think this last run he's had in recent months has been tremendous. If this is going to be the way he's gonna leave AEW, talk about leaving on a high note because he had a great match with Miro tonight.”
While much has been said about how Andrade was booked in AEW, with some fans wondering why he was given such a strong push during the Continental Classic if he was just going to leave the promotion, it's safe to say the exit hasn't affected Collision all that much, just like his addition to either RAW or SmackDown likely won't change the face of the WWE Universe all that much either. Why? Well, because Andrade is a midcard guy who tops out in the Intercontinental Championship picture, as opposed to the World Championship field, as his meh showing in the Royal Rumble highlights.
