WWE saw a few surprises during the 2024 Royal Rumble event. Naomi and Andrade both returned to the company, and now we have an update on what is next for them.

WWE’s Plan for Andrade

Andrade concluded his tenure with AEW at World’s End, in a loss to Miro. It was pretty clear that his return to WWE was happening. Despite expectations for an earlier debut, Andrade made his way back during the 2024 Royal Rumble event. 

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Andrade was scheduled for tonight’s WWE Raw. Charlotte Flair, who advocated for his return, showed support backstage at the WWE Royal Rumble, as she helped prepare him for his big moment. 

Charlotte, who is on the Smackdown brand, is currently sidelined with a terrible knee injury. She may be out for about a year at this point, so the fact that they are on different brands isn’t a big deal.

Plans for Naomi in WWE

Naomi also returned during the 2024 Royal Rumble match. The Glow is anticipated to be featured on the Smackdown brand. 

Having previously performed in TNA under her real name, Trinity, Naomi openly communicated her return to WWE and likely participation in the Royal Rumble. TNA sources reportedly mentioned that it became apparent by the start of the year that Naomi would be concluding her time with TNA. 

WWE maintained interest in Naomi for over a year, but due to an informal hiring freeze, her return was delayed until after her TNA obligations were fulfilled. Now, she is back, and ready to battle on the blue brand, where her husband, Jimmy Uso, is still a top act as part of The Bloodline. 

Andrade has returned to WWE after almost 3 years. He claims that he needed to step away to remember who he was and now he is ready to show the world the same.

The former AEW star entered the Royal Rumble at #4 tonight and traded blows with names such as Carmelo Hayes, Finn Balor, Bobby Lashley and Santos Escobar.

Andrade unfortunately was eliminated from the bout by Bronson Reed. He was interviewed backstage after the show and the former champion claimed that now, nobody’s stopping him:

Andrade’s Time Away From WWE

Andrade El Idolo left WWE back in March 2021 after requesting his release from the promotion. He joined AEW not long after and the Mexican star made his debut for the promotion in June that year.

The former NXT champion, however, failed to carve a permanent spot for himself in the AEW roster and he was on and off AEW programming throughout his stint there.

He made his final appearance for Tony Khan’s promotion at the World Ends PPV at the end of December 2023 where he put over Miro in a match.

In the post-show press conference, Tony Khan confirmed that they had failed to reach a new agreement with Andrade. The wrestling star had been expected to return to WWE ever since.

• Triple H Hasn’t Read Vince McMahon Lawsuit, Wants to Focus On WWE’s Positives

WWE brought the Royal Rumble for fans in Tropicana Field, and the night was full of memorable moments. Triple H’s vision for WWE’s creative direction is more than evident at this point, as the Road to WrestleMania is only starting to heat up. Fans saw an exciting return early on in the Men’s Royal Rumble match.

Andrade’s WWE Return

Andrade El Idolo left WWE three years ago, when the company granted his release. He had a stint in AEW, but that time is now over. The former NXT Champion is now back in WWE.

Andrade shocked fans in Tropicana Field as the #4 entry in the 2024 Royal Rumble match. He came out with a mask and a new entrance robe. He also had new music. 

The former AEW star’s return brought a big pop from the Tropicana Field crowd as well. Now, he is back in WWE, and it’s anyone’s guess what he will do next.

ANDRADE!@AndradeElIdolo is back and competing in the Men's #RoyalRumble Match! pic.twitter.com/MmL2jJHARv

— WWE (@WWE) January 28, 2024

Andrade’s AEW Departure.

Andrade, although there was a short period of time when he almost inked a new AEW deal, decided to leave Tony Khan’s company. He was quite vocal on his way out that he was wrapping up his time with AEW after losing to Miro at Worlds End.

Andrade’s return to WWE has a lot to do with Charlotte Flair. She pulled for him to come back, and WWE obviously listened. Sadly, Charlotte Flair is currently out of action with an injury. Andrade will be firmly back in WWE’s landscape by the time The Queen returns.

Keep an eye on SE Scoops for more updates, because the road to WrestleMania is just starting. 

WWE has seen several returns over the last couple of years. Triple H brought back several people that Vince McMahon either released or he let their contract expire. Now, all signs point to Andrade’s return.

Andrade’s Expected WWE Return

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Andrade el Idolo has concluded his time with All Elite Wrestling, and has reached an agreement with WWE. This was said to be a “roller coaster” situation.

Initially Andrade signed to a two-year deal with AEW, the inclusion of injury time extended his contract. So, his contract was stretched to the end of the year.

AEW talent noted Andrade’s transparency regarding his contract status, as he did not hide anything backstage. El Idolo made it clear that his deal would conclude in or by the end of 2023. Despite there was a brief time when he reportedly expressed intentions to stay with AEW and consider another contract, towards the end of his run, he informed fellow wrestlers of his decision to return to WWE.

Some within AEW even anticipated his appearance on WWE programming shortly after his departure. They were surprised that he hasn’t debuted yet. With the Royal Rumble coming up on January 27th, that could very well be a landing pad for his return as well.

Reasons Behind Andrade’s AEW Exit

Although Tony Khan left the door open for Andrade’s return publicly, individuals working closely with Andrade found the process frustrating, with him revealing days before World’s End that he was concluding his time with AEW.

Additionally, it is reported that Charlotte Flair advocated for Andrade’s return to WWE, and Andrade himself had suggested that AEW link up with Ric Flair.

WWE has not confirmed Andrade’s return to the company just yet, but the general belief is that he is coming back to television. The former NXT Champion may be back on RAW or SmackDown very soon.

Andrade El Idolo departed from AEW, and he had kind things to say about Tony Khan’s company. Now, it appears that he is on his way back to WWE, and there is more evidence to support that idea now.

Andrade El Idolo Expected Back In WWE

Having debuted for GCW at the ‘Highest In The Room 2’ event on December 9th, 2023 as he took on Joey Janela at the show. There was a plan to see Andrade’s return to GCW. However, it seems that won’t be happening now.

Game Changer Wrestling announced Andrade El Idolo’s withdrawal from the GCW No Compadre event, where he was initially set to face Jonathan Gresham on Friday, January 12th. Lio Rush will step in to replace Andrade in the matchup.

Due to circumstances out of control, ANDRADE and MAKI ITOH will be unable to compete on Friday’s event in Chicago.

The following replacements have been signed: MASHA SLAMOVICH will replace Maki Itoh LIO RUSH will replace Andrade

*Additional Matches TBA tonite and this week*

Due to circumstances out of control, ANDRADE and MAKI ITOH will be unable to compete on Friday's event in Chicago.

The following replacements have been signed:

MASHA SLAMOVICH will replace Maki Itoh

LIO RUSH will replace Andrade

*Additional Matches TBA tonite and this week* pic.twitter.com/HHccmaYOR4

— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) January 8, 2024

It was previously reported that Andrade was expected to be pulled from this event. Now, GCW has confirmed this cancellation. Andrade was advertised for at least one GCW event for 2024, and that is no longer the case. Of course, WWE famously prefers to keep their talent away from other promotions, with only a select few exceptions.

Andrade’s Next Moves in Pro Wrestling

Andrade El Idolo’s departure from AEW strongly indicates his intention to return to WWE. Now, pulling out of this Game Changer Wrestling event gives even more weight to the idea that he’s WWE-bound once again.

Clearing his schedule aligns with the typical transition for individuals moving from indies to WWE, considering WWE’s demanding schedule that doesn’t often allow for independent bookings. There have been times when WWE allowed incoming stars to finish up their indie dates in the past.

The specific reasons for Andrade El Idolo’s removal from the GCW event remain undisclosed, but many speculate that this is part of the process leading up to his WWE return. There’s a strong possibility that he will return to WWE, but nothing is definite until it actually happens.

Andrade and Miro threw down at AEW Worlds End, and the Redeemer won that confrontation. That was also Andrade’s final match in AEW, as he put the former Rusev over on his way out. Now, Andrade has a message for those he is leaving behind in AEW.

Andrade’s Message About His AEW Exit

Andrade El Idolo has officially left AEW and made his sentiments public on X regarding his departure. He did so with a text graphic. In his statement, he relayed appreciation to the company, particularly singling out Tony Khan. 

Andrade also mentioned several individuals by name, including Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Tazz, Tony Shiavone, Aubrey Edwards, Jerry Lynn, Will Hobbs, Hook, Eddie Kingston, Ricky Starks, Orange Cassidy, Thunder Rosa, Jack Perry (Jungle Boy), Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Sonjay Dutt, and many others.

Andrade also addressed sharing the ring with people like Sting, PAC, Darby Allin, Jeff Hardy, Jay Lethal, and more. He had some great experiences in AEW, but now he is going onto the next phase of his life.

“I want to thank you for this time that I belonged to the company @aew and above all to Tony khan I also want to say goodbye to all the talent, security people, cameramen, referees and everyone who works in the company for being part of my time in AEW. Kenny, young bucks, Tazz, Shiavone, Aubrey, Jerry, Hobbs, hook, Kingston, Ricky, Orange, thunder, jack Perry, Austin, Colten, Sonjay and many more that I can name, also how to forget all the Mexicans (todo el relajo) | enjoyed sharing the ring with STING, PAC, Darby, García, Jay and many more. I would have loved to face MOX, Page, Hobbs, Ricky, Dante, Cage, Dustin. Thank you AEW AND Thank you to all the fans for your support always. I wish you the best always!!!”

Thank you so much @AEW @TonyKhan ?????? pic.twitter.com/yAers9cMTH

— “EL IDOLO” ANDRADE (@AndradeElIdolo) January 2, 2024

Andrade’s Future In Pro Wrestling After AEW Exit

Andrade El Idolo is expected to make a return to WWE at this point. His wife, Charlotte Flair, inked a new extension with the company, which is one of the biggest female contracts in pro wrestling history.

WWE did not book Andrade el Idolo to return during the January 1st Day 1 RAW. There are other possible events for him to make that big debut at, especially with Triple H calling the shots.

The rumors of Andrade El Idolo’s imminent return to WWE are only growing now that the former NXT Champion has been pulled from a GCW event. 

At AEW Worlds End, Andrade lost to Miro after his manager CJ Perry betrayed him and aligned with her husband. Shortly before the show, it was noted that this would likely be Andrade’s final AEW match and that he was expected to return to WWE imminently. On the post-Worlds End media scrum, Tony Khan confirmed Andrade’s exit from the All-Elite promotion. 

Andrade’s WWE Return

With Andrade’s time with AEW over, many expect a return to WWE. Andrade’s departure from AEW was said to be not pleasant and he made it clear during last week’s Dynamite that he no longer wanted to be a part of AEW. 

While WWE hasn’t announced Andrade’s return, clues are piling up that he will be back soon. As previously reported, a former champion is expected to return to WWE on tonight’s ‘Day 1’ edition of Monday Night Raw, which could be the former NXT and United States Champion. 

Now, another major clue has indicated that Andrade’s return to WWE is happening, even if not at tonight’s Raw. PW Insider reports that Andrade was advertised for at least one GCW event for 2024, and that is no longer the case. WWE famously prefers to keep their talent away from other promotions, with only a select few exceptions. 

WWE Day 1 Raw

Whether Andrade appears tonight or not, the Day 1 episode of Raw will be quite the show. The following matches have been confirmed. 

• Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax

• Tegan Nox and Natalya vs. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark (Number One Contenders match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)

• Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Ivy Nile (WWE Women’s World Championship)

• Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

Andrade is making headlines today, as it is reported that his AEW days are done. He could have a big surprise return to WWE coming for him, but some in AEW will miss him.

Thunder Rosa’s Message For Andrade El Idolo

Thunder Rosa hasn’t been on AEW television over the past year, as she was out of action with an injury. She was still a voice on the company’s Spanish language commentary team. After just making her return to in-ring action, Thunder Rosa is now losing someone she will truly miss in AEW.

In her caption, translated from Spanish, Thunder Rosa included a touching message for Andrade El Idolo. She will miss having him around AEW, as he is one of the most real people she’s ever met.

You are one of the most real people I have ever met. I am proud of you my friend and for always doing what is best for you. You are a role model! I hope to see you soon and much, much success buddy and I’m going to miss you

Eres una de las personas más reales que he conocido. Estoy orgullosa de ti mi amigo y por siempre haber hecho lo que es mejor para ti. Eres un ejemplo a seguir! Espero verte pronto y mucho, mucho éxito compa’ y te voy a extrañar ? @AndradeElIdolo pic.twitter.com/Ba60vsnaWs

— Thunder Rosa (@thunderrosa22) December 31, 2023

Andrade El Idolo’s AEW Exit

As we previously reported, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there’s an expectation within WWE that Andrade might make a return to the company. With a champion’s return hyped for the January 1st Day 1 RAW, anything is possible. 

Enjoy the last day of the year!!! #TheRealLatinoMan pic.twitter.com/Orp6nWqQPo

— “EL IDOLO” ANDRADE (@AndradeElIdolo) December 31, 2023

People close to Andrade El Idolo indicate that a return to WWE is a possibility, but he remains open to staying if Tony Khan puts forward a more enticing offer than WWE. Some have voiced concerns about AEW not fully utilizing Andrade, who hasn’t secured any championships in the promotion. 

Andrade is also interested in collaborating with New Japan Pro Wrestling if the opportunity arises. While he would have liked to participate in the FantasticaMania show in February, scheduling conflicts prevent him from doing so.

It was later reported by Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select that Andrade El Idolo wrapped up his time with AEW at Worlds End, as he lost to Miro. His exit was reportedly not a pleasant one. Tony Khan also confirmed Andrade’s exit during the press conference following the pay-per-view, but he provided an open door for his eventual return.

Tony Khan has confirmed that Andrade El Idolo’s AEW contract is expiring at the end of the year and he will not be renewing his deal with the company.

The AEW President took part in the media scrum after the World’s End PPV. Among other things, he talked about this being the 5 year anniversary of AEW and how it means that some contracts are bound to expire. Khan gave a shout-out to QT Marshall who is one of the day one talents leaving the promotion at the end of the year. He then confirmed that Andrade’s AEW deal is coming to an end as well:

“Somebody who has not been with us the entire five years, but they’ve been with us about half the time. They’ve been outstanding and somebody I really respect and I don’t expect to see necessarily, as it stands right now renewing the contract but somebody that I have a great amount of respect for and would be parting on good terms and was tremendous, was here and did wrestle tonight is Andrade El Idolo.

Andrade El Idolo’s contract is up at the end of the year. We’ve had great talks. I have a tonne of respect for Andrade El Idolo. He’s been a huge performer in the Continental Classic week after week I talked about this great run Collision’s been on, Andrade El Idolo has been a huge part of it. Also has wrestled on the other shows and the Blue League of the Continental Classic.

Tony Khan claimed that they would have given a prominent position to Andrade if he had decided to stay with the company. He then praised him for the World’s End match with Miro, saying that he will be leaving on a high note:

“He’s outstanding. I wanted to keep him involved at the top. If we had been able to reach an agreement, certainly he would be somebody we would slot in, in a prominent position. I think we did everything we could to show Andrade El Idolo we really do value him.

I think this last run he’s had in recent months has been tremendous. If this is going to be the way he’s gonna leave AEW, talk about leaving on a high note because he had a great match with Miro tonight.”

Andrade has long been rumored to be on his way back to WWE. A contract expiration means he will be free to make an appearance for any company he likes at the start of the year. With Triple H’s latest tease, many believe that we may see him back in the Endeavor owned promotion sooner rather than later.

You can check out the full Worlds End media scrum below:

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

AEW Worlds End is set to take place on December 30th, and the roster is ready for anything. One star is reportedly wrapping up his time with AEW in Long Island, and Andrade is WWE-bound after that.

Possible Spoiler On WWE Return

Wrestle Purists reports that they have been told by sources around AEW that Andrade El Idolo is expected to wrap things up with Tony Khan’s company at AEW Worlds End. It was then noted that Andrade is expected to arrive in WWE on the January 1st episode of RAW.

According to WrestlePurists sources, Andrade El Idolo is expected by many in AEW to finish up with the company tonight at World’s End.

He is also believed by many within AEW to be heading back to WWE. Some think it could happen as soon as the Day 1 RAW.

A WWE source we spoken to is aware of the talk surrounding Andrade and is expecting him to join the company imminently.

A WWE return makes sense for Andrade, because his wife, Charlotte Flair, works for the company. She is currently out of action for 9 months due to a knee injury, but The Queen would definitely cheer on Andrade’s WWE return from home. 

According to WrestlePurists sources, Andrade El Idolo is expected by many in AEW to finish up with the company tonight at World’s End.

He is also believed by many within AEW to be heading back to WWE. Some think it could happen as soon as the Day 1 RAW.

A WWE source we spoken… pic.twitter.com/u120LMzKZW

— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) December 30, 2023

Andrade’s AEW Exit Isn’t Pleasant

Sean Ross Sapp later reported on Fightful Select to note that Andrade’s exit from AEW wasn’t pleasant. He made it known to a lot of people Wednesday at AEW Dynamite that he intends on leaving the company.

Fightful Select learned this week that Andrade and AEW were set to no longer work together, with most expecting it to culminate at the AEW Worlds End show. Numerous sources indicated that Andrade made it clear this past Wednesday at AEW Dynamite he no longer wanted to be with the company and was planning on leaving. We’re told that the situation surrounding Andrade’s exit was less than pleasant, with some even saying a major disagreement had unfolded. 

WWE Day 1 Surprise Planned

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that said WWE is looking to add some star power to their Day 1 show. A former champion is expected to return, but no specific name has been reported yet. 

Andrade’s inclusion in the Day 1 episode would bring a surprise reaction, but the real question then lies on Triple H’s plan for the former NXT Champion. 

Triple H Comments On WWE RAW 1 Surprise

Triple H heard the report that someone is coming back at WWE RAW’s Day 1 event on January 1st. He commented to stoke the flames a bit on that rumor. 

Not going to confirm or deny the rumors of a former @WWE Champion appearing at #WWERaw Day One… but I will say to stay tuned.

Not going to confirm or deny the rumors of a former @WWE Champion appearing at #WWERaw Day One… but I will say to stay tuned.

New Year’s Day, 8pm ET on @USANetwork

— Triple H (@TripleH) December 30, 2023

WWE RAW Day 1 Location

WWE will hold their Day 1 RAW at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego. It appears that they are preparing a big return for the show.

Andrade El Idolo will be returning to WWE once his current contract with AEW expires, at least according to those within the Stamford promotion. 

El Idolo joined AEW in June of 2021 and would make his in-ring debut for the promotion the following month. His debut for AEW came months after his release from WWE in March of that year. While WWE had initially declined Andrade’s request for a release, it was later granted. 

Andrade Returning to WWE? 

Some in WWE expect Andrade to return when the time is right, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported this week. Those close to Andrade have also said that he may very well go back to WWE, but is also open to staying if Tony Khan makes a better offer than WWE. Some have criticized AEW for underutilizing Andrade, who is yet to hold gold in the promotion. 

Andrade would also like to work with New Japan Pro Wrestling if the possibility comes up. He would have wanted to do the FantasticaMania show in February but it conflicts with his schedule. 

Andrade in WWE

Andrade joined AEW in November 2015 and made his in-ring debut the following January at a Tampa, Florida live event. In November 2017, Andrade defeated Drew McIntyre to capture the NXT Championship. After being called up to the main roster, Andrade captured the United States Championship in late 2019 from Rey Mysterio. 

If Andrade does return to WWE, he will be able to spend more time with his wife Charlotte Flair. Andrade’s father-in-law Ric Flair recently said that he will be staying with AEW for years to come after Sting retires next year. 

Andrade El Idolo may not have much time left in AEW. Click here to find out more. 

Fans of the AEW Continental Classic are delighted as the All-Elite promotion has made the tournament easily accessible on YouTube. 

During the November 11, edition of AEW Collision, AEW President Tony Khan announced the Continental Classic, a round-robin tournament that would feature 12 AEW wrestlers. The 12 wrestlers were split into the Gold and Blue Leagues with each wrestler facing everyone from their respective leagues.

All AEW Continental Classic Matches

With the round-robin format, there have been plenty of matches from the AEW Continental Classic, which fans will have no trouble finding. On YouTube, the AEW account has created a playlist of every match from the tournament in the order they took place. The playlist starts with the kick-off match between Swerve Strickland and Jay Lethal. 

The final two videos are from this week’s Dynamite and see Jon Moxley Vs. Swerve Strickland Vs. Jay White in the Gold League finals and Eddie Kingston Vs. Bryan Danielson in the Blue League finals. The playlist also features weekly updates of the rankings as well as promos and segments connected to the Continental Classic. 

The playlist can be found by clicking here. 

What’s Next? 

With their respective victories this week, Gold League winner Jon Moxley will face Blue League winner Eddie Kingston in the finals at this weekend’s Worlds End event. The winner will be the new AEW Continental Champion, the holder of the ROH World Championship and the NJPW Strong Openweight Champion. They will also become the first Triple Crown Champion by holding three titles from the three different promotions. 

WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair wasn’t going to let her recent injury stop her from supporting her husband Andrade El Idolo at a CMLL event. 

During the latter part of her December 9 match with Asuka, Flair was hurt and was seen being tended to by WWE’s medical crew after the match. The injury happened when Flair came off the top rope at an awkward angle and her legs bounced off the ropes. Despite this, Flair was able to finish the match that saw Asuka get the victory. 

Charlotte Flair at CMLL

While Flair won’t be competing for the foreseeable future, she recently made the trip to CMLL. Flair was there to support Andrade, who teamed with Espanto Jr. and Brillante Jr. to take on Volador Jr., Magnus, and Magia Blanca. On Twitter, CMLL brought awareness to Flair being at the show. 

#ViernesEspectacularCMLL | Visita especial para Andrade El Idolo! Ashley Elizabeth Fliehr está presente en la primera fila de La Catedral de la Lucha Libre.

📺 EN VIVO: https://t.co/qrRe27tE0U pic.twitter.com/n79fNTgA8W

— Lucha Libre CMLL (@CMLL_OFICIAL) December 23, 2023

Flair’s arrival was also captured on camera. The former Raw, SmackDown, and NXT Women’s Champion was seen arriving on crutches to her seats to a response from the fans in attendance. 

Charlotte Flair seen arriving to her seat at Arena Mexico whilst limping on crutches to support Andrade in CMLL.pic.twitter.com/sWU5VPtmsu

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) December 23, 2023

What’s Next for Charlotte Flair? 

While Flair was injured earlier this month, she won’t be having surgery until next month. Flair is expected to miss nine months of action. This would put Flair’s return window at some time in October 2024. This is a massive setback for Flair, who will miss next month’s Royal Rumble event, WrestleMania 40, and SummerSlam 2024. It had also been rumored that Flair was going to be Jade Cargill’s first opponent in WWE and if so, those plans will have to be changed.

AEW promised a new era of professional wrestling when they opened their doors. Their rebellious branding may have also filtered into their backstage environment as well, because the company has a reputation of having younger talent who aren’t interested in taking veteran advice.

CM Punk and Jack Perry’s backstage scuffle at All In London was caused by Perry’s defiant nature. Punk advised against Perry using real glass several weeks prior, but he didn’t have a say in his match at Wembley Stadium. After Perry dropped Hook on the windshield of a car, he made a point to tell the camera that it was real glass so, “cry me a river.”

The Backstage Rumor About AEW

It appears that RVD can back up that attitude that is currently in the AEW locker room. The Whole F’n Show has made a few AEW appearances so far, but never inked an official contract.

During an interview with Party with Marty, RVD stated that he’s head the same thing from Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. AEW has those veteran minds around, but nobody is sitting under their learning tree.

“I heard Tully Blanchard say it, and I’m told Arn Anderson said it too, although that is hearsay, that the young guys don’t want their input ever. [They] never ask them ever for any help or anything on their matches and stuff … I mean, that’s important to me. It makes me think, do they think they know it all? Do they not respect them enough? But also, it’s awkward for them because they’re not taught like us to go around and shake everyone’s hand and stuff.“

AEW May Have A Problem

CM Punk had a great time at the WWE Performance Center. He reported while he was there as well. It appears that he found himself in a setting where younger talent were more than happy to listen. Life Goes On For CM Punk

CM Punk had a great time at the WWE Performance Center. He reported “held court” while he was there as well. It appears that he found himself in a setting where younger talent were more than happy to listen.

CM Punk and Jack Perry’s backstage altercation wasn’t the only one in AEW history. Other skirmishes and backstage drama have also dotted the company’s history, such as Sammy Guevara and Andrade El Idolo’s public tiff, one that involved a backstage altercation.

AEW has a lot of veteran talent around, and we haven’t heard from all of them on this subject. Jake “The Snake” Roberts is backstage, and he has also spoken in the past that he is willing to do anything Tony Khan asks of him. We have to wonder if Tony Khan is supporting the practice of listening to the veterans he has on his payroll.

It seems that the rumor and innuendo would say that AEW talent aren’t too interested in hearing what the former generation has to say about what they’re doing for Tony Khan’s company. 

Game Changer Wrestling returned with an intriguing card for the second Highest In the Room live event. One of the featured matchups had GCW World Champion Blake Christian defending his title against Starboy Charlie. 

The GCW World Champion came into the match motivated to defend his title for the 27th time. His last successful defense was against Little Guido at GCW What Is Your Choice on December 3. Christian has had an incredible run this year in the promotion, and it looks like he could end 2023 with it still around his waist. 

 “The Denim Dragon” tried his best to pull off the upset victory, including nearly winning with a Piledriver. However, Christian was able to bounce back in the match and land a Curb Stomp on Charlie for the win. 

Another match on the card featured All Elite Wrestling superstar Andrade El Idolo taking on Joey Janela in his GCW debut. El Idolo won the match with a Figure Four Leg Lock. 

GCW Highest In The Room 2 occurred at the Ukrainian Culture Center in Los Angeles, California. The event streams live on FITE TV with a subscription to FITE+ for $7.99. 

*SATURDAY*

Starboy Charlie challenges Blake Christian for the GCW Title at #GCWHighest in LA!

+
Andrade v Janela
Maki Death Kill v Johnny/Taya
VIF v Masha/Rina
Cardona/SDL/Jimmy v Macizos
Santana v South
Joe v Wreck
SGB v SPS

Tix:https://t.co/hdocSO4Fx0

Watch LIVE on @FiteTV pic.twitter.com/HfV2qQCpTq

— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) December 8, 2023

GCW Highest In The Room 2 Match Card Results

1. Jordan Oliver def. Alec Price 
2.  Deathmatch Royalty (Matt Cardona & Steph De Lander) & Jimmy Lloyd def. Los Macizos (Ciclope & Miedo Extremo) & Lil Cholo-Six-Man Tag Team Match
3. Ninja Mack def. Cole Radrick vs. Bodhi Young Prodigy vs. Mr. Danger vs. 1 Called Manders vs. Dark Sheik vs. Oni El Bendito- 7-Person Scramble 
4. Santana Jackson def. George South 
5. (C) Violence Is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku) def. Masha Slamovich & Rina Yamashita to retain the GCW Tag Team Championship 
6. Big F’n Joe def. Sawyer Wreck 
7. The South Pacific Savages (Jacob Fatu & Juicy Finau) def. Effy & Mance Warner 
8. (C) Blake Christian def. Starboy Charlie to retain the GCW World Championship 
9. Johnny Game Changer (John Hennigan) & Taya Valkyrie def. Maki Death Kill (Maki Itoh & Nick Gage)-Mixed Tag Team Match
10. Andrade El Idolo def. Joey Janela

AEW star Andrade El Idolo heading back to CMLL for the first time in years. 

Idolo is currently signed to AEW but as it seems, he’s decided to head back to CMLL. The Mexican superstar has not made an appearance in CMLL since 2015. Back in the day, he performed under the name La Sombra. 

Ahead of signing with WWE, he endured a defeat in a Mask vs. Mask match against Atlantis at CMLL’s 82nd Anniversary show. He is a former IWGP Intercontinental Champion which he won during his run with the company as part of an agreement between CMLL and New Japan Pro Wrestling back in the day.

Andrade is returning to CMLL

On CMLL’s show at Arena Mexico on Friday, a vignette aired that featured Andrade El Idolo. He announced that he is coming home to CMLL, and will make his comeback next Friday night, December 15.

Notably, it was only last week that CMLL teased a star would be returning soon and this led to tons of speculation that Idolo might be making a return. Now we know he is indeed returning. 

🤩 ¡Andrade El Ídolo “La Sombra” regresa a la Arena México!

🗓️ Viernes 15 de diciembre '23
🕣 8:30 p.m.

🎟️ Boletos en taquillas y en Ticketmaster:
Phttps://www.ticketmaster.com.mx/event/14005E5602892C07#ViernesEspectacularCMLL#CMLL pic.twitter.com/zJH6nnVqvG

— Lucha Libre CMLL (@CMLL_OFICIAL) December 9, 2023

Andrade himself sent out a Tweet and confirmed his appearance. Check it out below:

I almost returned to the place where I started “ANRADE EL
IDOLO "Lasombra" @CMLL_OFICIAL 12/15/23

Casi regreso a el lugar donde inicie y siempre fue una casa por muchos años.Donde nació LA SOMBRA Y SE CONVIRTIÓ EN “ANDRADE EL ÍDOLO”
15 de diciembre Arena mexico @CMLL_OFICIAL https://t.co/Lu22J3FFRW

— “EL IDOLO” ANDRADE (@AndradeElIdolo) December 9, 2023

Andrade El Idolo is currently embroiled in a storyline with CJ Perry and Miro on AEW Collision. The development in the relationship of Perry and Miro has grabbed the attention of the fans. It would be quite interesting to see how it pans out with Andrade being in the mix.

Andrade is also participating in the Continental Classic tournament, where he has acquired 3 points. As the speculation of his departure from AEW fuels, Andrade is set to face Bryan Danielson on AEW Collision this Saturday.

Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley have proven to be quite the duo on WWE programming, and have caught the attention of those outside of the promotion.

In the run-up to WWE Clash at the Castle, Ripley repeatedly targeted Dominik, who at the time was aligned with his father Rey Mysterio and Edge.

After turning on his father and the Hall of Famer, Dominik and Ripley have been inseparable and have appeared together both at WWE events and away from the ring.

Reactions

During this week’s SmackDown, Dominik made a rare appearance on the blue brand to confront Charlotte Flair, who’ll defend the Women’s Title against Ripley at WrestleMania 39.

Mysterio went on about how he and Flair were both generational superstars, that they often get compared to their fathers but surpass them anyway

When Dominik tried to smooth talk the record-breaking champion, Flair was quick to shut him down, saying that she “has a real Latino man at home that calls me mami.”

On Twitter, Ripley’s real-life boyfriend, AEW star Buddy Matthews, reminded fans that ‘Mami’ has her own ‘Papi.’

Flair’s reference to her husband Andrade El Idolo, did not go unnoticed by the former NXT Champion, who reacted on Twitter with a single emoji.

Charlotte’s father Ric Flair also reacted to Dominik’s smooth-talking and encouraged the Judgment Day member to steer clear.

Ripley, the first woman to win the Women’s Royal Rumble from #1, will challenge Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39.

AEW star Andrade El Idolo hasn’t been seen in action since All Out back in September 2022.

The former NXT Champion was a contestant in the casino ladder match won by now-AEW World Champion MJF.

During that time, El Idolo reportedly got into a backstage altercation with Jericho Appreciation Society member Sammy Guevara. The pair had been trading barbs for some time over social media leading up to their confrontation.

The incident led to the Los Ingobernables founding member being sent home and his Rampage bout with Preston ’10’ Vance getting called off. Interestingly, Guevara wound up wrestling soon after the altercation, going ahead with his booked tag team bout on that week’s episode of Dynamite.

While many rumors have swirled of El Idolo being off TV due to backstage problems, it now appears there’s a much simpler explanation.

Andrade El Idolo Not Expected Back Until The Spring

Back in August, the former WWE US Champion injured his pec in a trios bout. Despite performing for some time after, El Idolo ultimately needed time off for surgery.

Earlier this year, El Idolo posted a quick glimpse at some of his rehabilitation work in the gym.

According to a recent report from Fightful Select, El Idolo will not be cleared for action until the spring.

Last year, 2023 Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes suffered a similar injury prior to his Hell in a Cell bout with Seth Rollins. ‘The American Nightmare’ gutted through the bout despite grim swelling and bruising all over the affected area. On average, a fully torn pec recovery period lasts for at least six months.

Given the controversy surrounding him backstage last year, it’s hard to say where Andrade El Idolo goes from here. A reunion with Rush seems like the safest bet for now.

Are you looking forward to seeing Andrade El Idolo return?

Charlotte Flair has admitted to being somewhat “jealous” that her father and her husband were able to share the ring last year.

For Flair’s last match in July 2022, the father and son-in-law duo teamed to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.

This match marked Flair’s first match in over a decade, when he lost to Sting on the September 12, 2011, episode of TNA Impact.

Jealous

While Ric and Charlotte have both had impressive careers, they have never had the chance to be on the same team in the ring.

While appearing on NBC’s The TODAY Show to promote Saturday’s Royal Rumble, Flair admitted to being jealous that her father and husband got such a special moment.

“Honestly, I was a little jealous (seeing them in the ring together) because I was like, “Oh, I wanna be a part of this,’ because I’ve shared the ring with my dad but not in that capacity.”

Charlotte Flair

Charlotte also spoke about her brother Reid, who died in 2013, and who is the reason Charlotte is a wrestler today.

“I’m like, ‘Man, I wish my little brother could see this.’ My husband is a third-generational wrestler, and then with my dad…it was awesome, picture-perfect.”

Charlotte Flair.

Ric Flair made his first appearance on WWE TV in two years on this week’s Raw when he introduced Charlotte.

h/t – Wrestling News

Andrade El Idolo hasn’t used the way he and fans thought he would be in AEW when he signed with the promotion. He was believed to be on his way out of the company at one point. He has further ignited the fuel by posting a cryptic message.

El Idolo made a name for himself in Mexico before signing with WWE, where he was a top NXT star. However, expectations weren’t met on the main roster due to his booking, so he left the company in March 2021.

El Idolo made his debut in AEW in June 2021. When he first debuted, some fans thought he would have a better run in All Elite than he had in WWE. However, that clearly has not happened.

Andrade is sidelined with an injury, and it’s been heavily reported that he was unhappy in AEW and wants to leave the company despite having years left on his deal. 

The Post

On social media, he shared a photo that showed his mask packed in a bag with a goodbye message in the caption.“Bye!!!”

A fan asked Conrad Thompson why Andrade is not following him on Twitter. Andrade saw the post and responded, “someday I will be with you in the podcasts and I will talk about everything….Sueña Interesante!”

If Andrade does leave AEW, it will be interesting to see if he returns to WWE under the new management led by WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H.

Andrade El Idolo has announced that he has undergone the knife. 

The AEW star had the first surgery of his career after suffering a torn pec a few months ago. Despite the injury, he continued to wrestle until he was sidelined due to backstage drama and he decided to get the procedure. He wrote the following: 

“My first surgery, I can’t believe it happened. A few months ago, I tore my pectoral. Thanks god!I could and wanted to finish my match. I kept working because I love the business, but we know that many people do not value your effort. These days off, I took the opportunity to go to Dr.”

How the Injury Occurred

On November 30, Andrade provided an update on his injury. As seen below, he was injured in a 6-man tag match during the recent tournament to crown the inaugural AEW World Trios Championships.

Andrade’s AEW Status

In early October, Andrade El Idolo was sent home by AEW after he was involved in a backstage fight with Sammy Guevara. This was after they exchanged words on Twitter, including when Guevara accused Andrade of wanting to return to WWE.

El Idolo hasn’t been seen on AEW TV since then. Leading up to the incident, Andrade stated that he wasn’t scared to get fired. There was speculation among fans that was trying to get out of his AEW deal to return to WWE by being involved in this fight, although Andrade has denied those rumors.

There’s still no word yet on his status regarding whether Andrade will be brought back by AEW or let go.

From all of us here at SEScoops, we wish Andrade a speedy recovery. 

AEW star Andrade El Idolo deleted a recent tweet stating that he would rather quit the company than be fired.

Andrade El Idolo has quietly stayed out of the limelight after being sent home on October 5th after a backstage altercation with Sammy Guevara. Having spent nearly a month away from AEW, Andrade celebrated a birthday on the fourth of November.

As a sarcastic gesture, he thanked AEW for the birthday wishes. Even though the official Twitter account did not wish El Idolo a happy birthday on social media.

Will Andrade return to AEW soon?

Following up on the deleted tweet, a fan responded, questioning why Andrade would want a message from the company he seemingly dislikes? Andrade El Idolo retorted.

“Look man, I’m a man and if I wanted them to fire me, I’d quit and I’ve never done it.”

We’ve seen Andrade’s stablemate Rush featured on TV, as he will be apart of the AEW World title eliminator tournament starting on Dynamite this Wednesday. The question to ask here is: Will El Idolo return to AEW in the near future?

The mystery remains unsolved as AEW President and owner Tony Khan hasn’t said a word about Andrade since the incident. El Idolo himself had been mum on this topic until his deleted tweet.

We at SEScoops will continue to update you on the situation as it unfolds.

Andrade El Idolo has advised others to show respect to him following the backstage fight at this week’s AEW Dynamite tapings.

During the taping, the former NXT Champion fought with Sammy Guevara, resulting in Andrade being sent home from the show.

Andrade had been scheduled to face Preston ’10’ Vance of the Dark Order in a career vs. mask match on this Friday’s Rampage, but the match has been canceled.

The Fight

While reports are still coming in, the belief is that Andrade began the fight with Guevara, and had been waiting for him.

El Idolo reportedly threw up to three punches at the former TNT Champion, who did not fight back.

Guevara’s decision to not fight is why he was allowed to stay at the show and headlined Dynamite later that night.

Taking to Twitter, El Idolo seemingly referenced the fight with his advice to others.

Andrade on Twitter

This most recent tweet is the latest move by El Idolo on social media who has used Twitter to tease leaving AEW.

Last week, Andrade began using the hashtag #FreeElIdolo, seemingly expressing a desire to get out of Tony Khan’s promotion.

El Idolo has also liked tweets from fans who believe he should leave AEW and would fare better back in WWE, where he worked from 2015 to 2021.

The AEW star has also shared frustrations with his booking in the company and retweeted fans who call out Tony Khan for not using him more, especially last week when Hurricane Ian forced multiple stars to miss Dynamite.

Both Andrade El Idolo and Sammy Guevara assured AEW’s higher-ups that there would be no fighting, prior to the fight before this week’s Dynamite.

Before the show, Andrade and Guevara had an altercation backstage, resulting in El Idolo being sent home.

Andrade’s career vs. mask match with Preston ’10’ Vance of the Dark Order, initially scheduled for Rampage, has been canceled.

Breaking Promise

The fight backstage was the culmination of recent comments by both men, with Andrade claiming in an interview that Guevara complained about being hit too hard.

In response, Guevara claimed that Andrade was being dishonest, and said that El Idolo should go back to WWE, something the former Superstar has teased.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that AEW spoke to both men prior to the show.

“Tuesday night, they were talked to. Both of them. And they were told ‘no fighting.’ Andrade was told ‘if this is your idea [to try and get fired from AEW] you’re not going to get fired if you fight. But you will be sent home. Andrade said ‘don’t worry, there’s not going to be a fight. There’s going to be no fighting.’ This was Tuesday night.

“Sammy was the same thing. ‘Nothing is going to happen.’ They had security there. Everybody was warned ahead of time.”

Conflicting Reports

While most reports have stated that Andrade started the fight, some have suggested that he was goaded into an altercation by Guevara.

On his show, Meltzer gave his most accurate interpretation of events from a source he “totally trusts” within the company.

“Everybody was waiting. Andrade was waiting in the hallway. He got two punches in before things were broken up. Sammy didn’t fight back. Obviously if you watch the show [last night’s AEW Dynamite] the punches didn’t leave a mark. So they weren’t solid punches but he did throw two punches and then it was broken up right away and then Andrade was sent home.”

Bryan Alverez also refuted initial reports that the two had traded blows, clarifying that Guevara did not fight back.

“The story that was not on TMZ but I heard from multiple people was that in fact Sammy did not throw any punches. One person did say that Andrade spun him around and Sammy shoved him and then Andrade punched him. The other stories were that Andrade just punched him. And that Sammy did not fight back.”

What’s next?

Both Meltzer and Alverez agreed that if Guevara had fought as some believed, he would also have been sent home as per AEW’s warning.

Instead, Guevara headlined AEW Dynamite’s three-year anniversary, as he and Chris Jericho defeated ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia and Bryan Danielson.

AEW President Tony Khan has not commented publicly on the fight at this time.

There’s even more drama between Andrade and Sammy Guevara to report, this time resulting in the second backstage fight in AEW over the last 31 days.

According to both TMZ and Fightful Select, there was an altercation backstage on Wednesday prior to the tapings beginning in Washington, D.C. Both outlets report that after some arguing, Guevara pushed Andrade. TMZ’s reporting then notes that there were “punches” thrown, while Fightful Select notes that Andrade fired a punch at Guevara following the push, though its unknown at the moment whether the punch connected.

(Update: On Thursday morning, Fightful Select updated their reporting on the fight and noted that it is now believed that Andrade was the aggressor and Guevara even pushing Andrade is not a confirmed fact. On Wednesday night’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez noted that Guevara was trying to avoid fighting. One source indicated Guevara may have pushed Andrade after he was spun around by Andrade, but that wasn’t confirmed. They report that Andrade got two punches in before things were split up.)

• Report: Andrade & Sammy Guevara Were Warned Before AEW Dynamite Backstage Fight

As reported earlier on Wednesday, Andrade was removed from Wednesday night’s AEW Rampage tapings where he was supposed to work against Dark Order’s 10 in a career vs. mask match. 10 has been booked in a different match instead while Andrade was sent home. Guevara was allowed to stay at the tapings and was booked for the main event of Dynamite.

Both Fightful and TMZ are adamant that this story is not a work and that it was a very real altercation.

Following the fight, Andrade took to his social media and posted a graphic that reads “respect me and i’ll respect u.”

• Backstage Update On The Drama Between Andrade El Idolo & Sammy Guevara In AEW

Guevara and Andrade have been going after each other on social media and in interviews over the last week. Numerous sources in AEW noted that if it was a work, it wouldn’t be a very good one to be doing as it paints the locker room in a bad light following the fight between Kenny Omega, Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson, CM Punk, and Ace Steel after AEW All Out last month.

Several at AEW have noted that the locker room has been more harmonious in recent weeks following some backstage meetings that involved Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, and Bryan Danielson speaking up about getting everyone on the same page. The current situation between Guevara and Andrade is seen as especially disrespectful to those three because of how they have tried to pull everyone together.

SEScoops will provide updates as this situation continues to develop.