Andrade El Idolo’s Non-Compete Status Raises Questions After The Crash Walkout

New developments have surfaced surrounding Andrade El Idolo’s contract situation following his abrupt walkout from The Crash’s 14th-anniversary show in Tijuana, Mexico, on November 7.

Andrade appeared at the event’s scheduled meet-and-greet but left the venue before the show began and did not perform. Initial reports speculated that Andrade’s WWE non-compete clause only applied within the United States, making it possible for him to work in Mexico. That assumption may no longer hold.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, “Andrade was on the show, probably the main attraction on the show. He was there signing autographs, and then he left. The only thing that we heard was that he was unhappy. His non-compete is only [in the] United States so he can work in Tijuana [and] Mexico City.”

However, the latest update in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter casts doubt on that understanding. Meltzer now reports that people close to the situation believe Andrade’s non-compete may actually be global—not just U.S.-based. That would explain why Andrade hasn’t wrestled anywhere, including Mexico, since his departure from WWE.

“There are those now claiming that his non-compete is worldwide and not just for the United States, which does make sense given he’s wrestled nowhere outside the U.S. either. There is also no way that would hold up in court if he tried to challenge it.”

Andrade was fired “with cause” by WWE back in September due to multiple wellness policy violations. As a result, he is believed to be under a one-year non-compete clause. Despite returning to AEW on the October 1 episode of Dynamite, he was quickly pulled from television. Behind the scenes, WWE allegedly sent a legal letter to AEW warning them of Andrade’s contractual status. Since then, AEW announcers have reportedly been instructed not to mention Andrade at all on broadcasts.

This legal and contractual limbo is leaving Andrade stuck without work, not just in AEW but apparently anywhere across the globe.

With Andrade’s status shrouded in red tape, fans are left wondering when—or if—he’ll be able to wrestle again. Was this WWE’s way of keeping him off the table entirely, or will Andrade eventually challenge the clause in court?

What do you think about the situation? Should Andrade take legal action to fight the global non-compete? Let us know in the comments below.