Andrade returned to AEW on Wednesday night, and now we have more details about how it happened so quickly.
Shortly after he appeared on AEW Dynamite, Fightful (via Fightful Select) reported that Andrade signed a new contract with AEW. The former WWE United States Champion had been released by WWE earlier last month, which normally would mean he’d be sidelined waiting for his non-compete clause to run out. However, Fightful reported that Andrade didn’t have a non-compete clause as part of his termination.
A new report from PWInsider.com also confirmed “El Idolo” did not have a 90-day non-compete clause, and shared why he was fired by WWE in the first place. Multiple WWE sources told PWInsider’s Mike Johnson that Andrade was cut “due to numerous WWE Wellness violations over the last year.” In addition, WWE made the decision to cut him outright instead of continuing to pay him during a non-compete period. The Takedown on SI’s Jon Alba first reported that Andrade had “at least one” Wellness Policy violation on September 14.
What’s next for Andrade?
Andrade is now free and clear to perform elsewhere, including AEW and the various independent dates he’d already lined up. PWInsider also noted that Andrade’s departure basically confirms a longstanding theory that WWE is not publicly announcing Wellness Policy violations, which had been the standard in the past.
The specific number of violations Andrade had over the past year is unclear. However, this was not his first time being reprimanded for breaking the policy. Andrade was suspended for 30 days in January 2020, during his first run with the company.
WWE initially said a first violation of the substance abuse policy would result in a 30-day suspension. A second would mean a 60-day suspension, while a third could lead to that talent being terminated. Past violations could influence how the policy is enforced or impact the decision to re-hire a performer after being terminated.
Read More: Andrade Comments On His AEW Return
