10 WWE Castoffs Who Are Killing It In AEW
5. Andrade El Idolo
Let’s be clear here: There never was any doubt in Andrade El Idolo’s talent and ability. Most felt like he would be a superstar wherever he landed.
But WWE managed to screw the luchador up so spectacularly that by the time he departed WWE in early 2021, he was little more than an afterthought. The former NXT Champion was famously mishandled on the main roster, and even with a global pandemic where he looked to be a rare bright spot, the company turned his stable into jobbers. His release was actually a welcome sign that maybe he could turn his career around.
Signed by AEW, Andrade’s early days seemed uneven, and you could make the case that he still hasn’t found his footing yet, but the simple fact is that El Idolo has been treated like a big deal, largely protected and put in high-profile matches, rather than trotted out every week to lose to mid-carders.
Importantly, Andrade looks happier there, performing alongside a couple of other fellow WWE castoffs, one of which we’ll get to in a bit…