New WWE contracts have lengthy non-compete if fired for cause or breach

An update to WWE & TKO’s contract structure is what currently has Andrade on the sidelines after his AEW return.

Earlier this morning, our Bryan Alvarez reported that Andrade’s mysterious AEW absence was believed to have something to do with his WWE non-compete. Now, Alvarez has confirmed with multiple sources that it’s standard for new WWE/TKO contracts to have a clause where wrestlers have a one-year non-compete if fired for cause or breach:

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.

Andrade returned to AEW on October 1, showing up in the promotion less than a month after his WWE release. He has not appeared for AEW since. It was originally believed that Andrade did not have a non-compete from WWE, with multiple wellness policy failures reported to be what led to WWE cutting him.

In addition to returning to AEW, Andrade worked a match for The Crash in Mexico on October 3. He’s been scheduled for upcoming dates for WWC in Puerto Rico and Mucha Lucha in Atlanta. The latter of those is no longer being advertised.