Times have been confusing for former WWE star Andrade, who was released in September 2025 and subsequently rejoined AEW. However, now he could be coming back to WWE in a shocking turn.
After his WWE release, Andrade re-debuted in AEW shortly after, leading to the company receiving a cease-and-desist letter. They were trying to enforce a one-year non-compete clause, which is a lot longer than the typical 90-day ones Superstars get after leaving.
However, there may be a reason for that: WWE wants Andrade to return. PWInsider (via Wrestling News) reports that some promotions believe WWE is enforcing his one-year non-compete as “leverage” to bring him “back into the fold.”
WWE did not confirm PWInsider's report. They did note that this is the narrative “making the rounds” in Mexico across various promotions, though.
Andrade's WWE release has been confusing
It has been a wild couple of weeks for Andrade. Just weeks after his WWE contract expired, he was seen in AEW. This raised some eyebrows, as released WWE talents usually have to abide by non-compete clauses after their exit.
However, it seems neither Andrade nor AEW was under the impression that he had a non-compete. He has since been taken off AEW TV, and it remains unclear if he will ever return.
Still, he is advertised for shows on the independent circuit. As Wrestling News notes, he was advertised for a WWC show in Puerto Rico, but he did not wrestle. He is advertised for shows in Maine and New York, but it's possible he doesn't wrestle at those either.
Andrade's release came nearly two years after his return to the company in January 2024. During his second stint, he teamed with the likes of Rey Mysterio and also feuded with Carmelo Hayes in a best-of-seven series.
He was first with WWE from 2015 to 2021. Andrade was released in March 2021, and he subsequently joined AEW. In his WWE career, Andrade is a former NXT and United States Champion. He also won the Speed Championship once.
