The Problem With Andrade That No One Wants To Talk About

Andrade is on his way out of WWE.

Or at least, Andrade wants to be on his way out of WWE.

Last week's news that the former NXT and United States Champion had requested his WWE release was quickly followed, predictably, by confirmation that the promotion had turned this down. Like many before him, it looks like the 31-year-old will be left to rot for the time being.

This is common practice. If WWE deems a wantaway wrestler to be a potential asset to a rival company, they'll hold onto them rather than clearing their way to waltz into an AEW or New Japan and help boost their business. FTR were made to wait 15 months for their release after initially asking, while Brodie Lee was retained for eight, and PAC 10. Depending on when his contract expires, Andrade faces a similar ordeal.

It's a ghoulish custom, particularly when the wrestler's only alternative is to subserviently accept their lot in an environment they aren't happy in, as is the case with Andrade. Dated 12 March, his latest Instagram post was accompanied by a telling caption:-

Si no te gusta donde estás muévete no eres un árbol! Feliz fin de semana! If you don't like where you are, move you are not a tree. Great weekend! #andrade #elidolo #outfit #style #estilo #salud #weekend

But what brought us to this point?

How does a wrestler earmarked for long-term success as recently as last June end up trying to engineer an exit from the world's biggest wrestling promotion nine months later?

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