Andrade reveals original AAA Worlds Collide plans before WWE release
Andrade addressed what the original plans were for him at the first Worlds Collide during a recent interview.
Dave Meltzer noted around the time of Andrade’s WWE release that there had been talk that WWE wanted him involved with AAA. Andrade has now clarified that he was originally slated for a four-way match against El Hijo del Vikingo, Rey Fenix, and Oba Femi, but plans changed when he was placed in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match at WWE’s PLE later that same day.
Andrade said during an interview with Eduardo Bates (translated):
“The thing is that I was going to be on a AAA show. They told me that the match was going to be Vikingo, Fenix, Oba Femi and me. It was going to be a four way at the first event.”
He continued:
“Later everything changed because that same night was Money in the Bank. I went into Money in the Bank and that event no longer included me, so I never went back to AAA. After that, Dominik went in. They had talked about the idea that Dominik would be the face on the rudo side in AAA or something like that, and they had ideas about the Mega Championship and everything.”
In the days following Andrade’s release on September 13, reports suggested he had “ghosted” the company leading up to his departure. However, during the interview with Bates, Andrade said he never stopped answering WWE’s calls.
Andrade said in the interview (translated):
“I do not feel bad about my departure from WWE. I am very thankful for everything I did, whether it was a lot or a little, during that year and a half. I never missed any dates and I never stopped answering my phone, despite what some gossiping people who spread that news said.“
Andrade added that there was one occasion where he was on a day trip and temporarily unreachable, but that he returned the company’s call shortly afterward.
Andrade continued:
“I was traveling when they called me. What happened was that I had a day trip because I was not scheduled, and they contacted me. I returned the call an hour or two later, but it had nothing to do with me refusing to answer or disappearing. It was one, two, maybe three hours where I did not pick up, and all that happened was the company messaging me asking, ‘Where are you?’ and things like that.“
He said his delayed response was due to being out of the country, limited signal, and other factors.
Andrade’s full interview with Eduardo Bates is available below. The section where he discusses original plans for the first Worlds Collide begins at approximately 1:28:07. His comments on not having “ghosted” WWE begin at approximately 6:30.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.