Andrade El Idolo shocked AEW fans by joining the Don Callis Family in early October—only to suddenly vanish from television right after. At first, the silence surrounding his absence left many confused. Now we know the reason appears tied to WWE enforcing a 90-day non-compete clause, despite prior uncertainty about his release terms.
According to Fightful Select, this unexpected legal snag hasn’t changed AEW’s plans. Company sources told the outlet that there’s “no bad blood towards Andrade” and they still intend to use him “when the situation is cleared up.” AEW had to adjust some creative plans for Dynamite and WrestleDream in the short term, but long-term booking remains on track.
“AEW sources say this absence did affect immediate creative plans for AEW Dynamite and WrestleDream… however, there appears to be no bad blood towards Andrade, and the working plan is still for him to compete in AEW when the situation is cleared up.”
Internally, the vibe is calm. Andrade is said to be staying quiet and optimistic during this legal pause, and those within AEW fully expect him to return once everything clears up. It’s a messy situation behind the scenes, but if things go as expected, Andrade’s return could be a reset moment—especially given the momentum he had when he aligned with Don Callis.
Do you want to see Andrade back in AEW right away—or should they slow burn his return into something bigger? Let us know in the comments below.
