Ex-WWE Star Facing One-Year Ban After ‘Breaching Secret Contract Clause’
A former WWE star could be set for a one-year ban from competing after a reported breach of his contract.
Andrade returned to WWE for a second spell in January 2024 when he appeared in the Royal Rumble match.
He acquired the WWE Speed championship and was a regular on WWE programming, teaming with Rey Fenix in a tag team title ladder match at SummerSlam in August.
But mysteriously Andrade became absent from TV and left the company on September 13, with the Mexican issuing a statement on his exit.
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It was then reported by PWInsider that Andrade was sacked "due to numerous WWE Wellness violations over the last year".
To the surprise of many, he returned to AEW (All Elite Wrestling) on October 1, attacking Kenny Omega and joining the Don Callis Family faction.
In his native Mexico, he also captured the Crash Heavyweight Championship. But Andrade has not been seen on AEW TV since and now it has emerged why.
WWE clause the reason for Andrade's absence
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE sent a legal letter to AEW about the use of Andrade.
AEW appeared to be under the impression that there was no non-compete clause, which typically allows wrestlers to return to action imminently.
However, as reported by Mike Johnson of PWInsider as part of a new policy under TKO's ownership, those who are fired are said to have a one-year non-compete clause.
"The word making its way in lucha circles today is that Andrade could be kept out of ring for one year by WWE contractually due to breach of his WWE deal when he was terminated," the PWInsider report stated.
"That would be subject to whether that stipulation of his WWE deal could be challenged successfully from a legal perspective."
The information was followed up by the Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez, who added: "We have it confirmed through multiple sources that the new TKO contracts have a clause where if you are fired, there is a one-year non-compete.
"The older contracts had this but it’s standard now. This is the hold-up involving Andrade. Very skeptical this would hold up in a legal battle, but it’s in the contracts.”
Because he was not released unlike other talents, Andrade could well be left in limbo for a whole year before he can resume his career unless a solution can be reached.
He had been expected to have a marquee match with Omega at the WrestleDream show this weekend but that will no longer occur.
SPORTbible has contacted TKO for comment.
Josh Lawless