WWE Might Let Andrade Go Early from 1-Year Non-Compete Clause

Andrade El Idolo might be lounging in the sun and “not thinking about that”—but WWE reportedly isn’t letting him off the hook so easily.

Just when fans thought they had the full story, an explosive update from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter flips Andrade’s calm narrative on its head.

According to Meltzer, the idea that Andrade left WWE on good terms is completely divorced from WWE’s internal version of events. WWE insiders are telling a very different—and far more damning—story about why the former champion was let go, and what they’re legally entitled to do next.

“The idea he ended up leaving WWE on the best terms is as completely opposite to how WWE described it as possible.”

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The report claims that Andrade was fired for disciplinary reasons after multiple failed drug tests—and WWE allegedly used that to avoid paying him any severance while still enforcing a strict 12-month worldwide non-compete clause.

“They claimed multiple drug test failures and he was fired and because he was fired for disciplinary reasons they felt they didn’t have to pay the usual 90 day severance… and still hold him to a non-compete for a year worldwide.”

That’s a far cry from Andrade’s version of events, where he said he left WWE with mutual respect, but got caught off guard by a clause his lawyer overlooked. In an earlier interview with Los Protagonistas, he said:

“The contract I signed, the lawyer did not realize a clause of 12 months without competition… At first I didn’t have clause, I could fight leaving WWE. Then the clause came when they saw me debut in AEW.”

He also claimed that personal issues—including his divorce from Charlotte Flair and shared legal representation—left him vulnerable to contract pitfalls. Now? Andrade says he’s just waiting for WWE to sign off on a shortened clause. He shared:

“My lawyers are already talking to the WWE lawyers. They have reached a good arrangement… I think I have a date and my lawyer too, but it remains for WWE to officially sign it.”

But with WWE reportedly feeling justified in their right to not only terminate him without pay, but also lock him out of wrestling worldwide for a year, the deal may not be as close to final as Andrade thinks. Still, Meltzer did offer a glimmer of hope — WWE “may not hold him to the full one year,” meaning negotiations are very much ongoing behind the scenes.

For now, Andrade is staying patient, focusing on the beach, training, and dodging drama. But this saga may be far from over—and it’s clear both sides are playing by very different scripts.

What do you think? Do you believe Andrade’s version of events, or is WWE’s side more convincing? Should fired wrestlers still be held to non-compete clauses? Drop your thoughts below—we want to hear from you.