This last Friday on AEW Dynamite, former WWE star Andrade appeared as Andrade El Idolo (Andrade the Idol) to the surprise of many, but what’s really surprising his the road he took to get there following his WWE release.
As reported in Wrestlingrepublic.com who reported from WrestlingInc, he did not have a 90 day non compete clause as he met with AEW owner Tiny Kahn the week he was released in March.
This is the first surprise as it’s generally known that the WWE tends to have their wrestlers sign a 90 day non complete agreement so they don’t pop up at a rival the next day or even that night.
We can thank Eric Bischoff and WCW for that, and many have stated they think Andrade didn’t have this clause due to being engaged to Charlotte Flair.
Whether that’s the reason or not is immaterial as he didn’t have one and pursued his options.
List of demands
Like any good star that knows their value and what they want, Andrade had a list of demands that were reportedly too much for Tony Kahn at the time.
They included creative control and veto power on losing matches.
They eventually worked out of deal where Andrade has come of the creative control in his finishes that he wanted, and it should make for a good team going forward.
But things could’ve worked out differently between the two parties as there were other offers out there.
One thing we’ve heard from a lot of wrestlers, and artists in general, is the desire for creative control.
While it can cause a blockade as Hulk Hogan was accused of causing in WCW, it helps draw out the person’s creative side if they feel they have a legitimate say in how things play out.
A couple of other suitors were ROH (Ring of Honor) and Impact Wrestling, with Impact being the biggest option as they were close on a deal after accepting Andrade’s creative control demand.
They couldn’t come to an agreement on the number of dates he’d perform as he would’ve been paid per date instead of a guarantee downside.
It looks like things worked out for the best as he’s available to work with AAA, NJPW, and Impact Wrestling is he chooses to, and with Vickie Guerrero managing him, the sky’s the limit.
It’s going to be fun watching him in action outside of the WWE’s influence as he never reached the level he was at in NXT.
What do you think of Andrade El Idolo’s signing? Is this the beginning of something special? Let us know in the comments below.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: Get The Overtimer’s Hottest Stories, Breaking News and Special Features in your email, CLICK HERE!
Remember to stay up to date with the latest news on TheOvertimer. Don’t forget to visit Gamestingr for great videos, news, and gameplay!