New WWE Contracts Have Much Longer Non-Compete Clause

A change in WWE contracts has provided some interesting new information regarding a former superstar.

Former WWE superstar Andrade was fired by WWE after multiple wellness policy violations in September, even though he was a featured superstar on the SmackDown brand.

On the October 1 edition of AEW Dynamite, Andrade appeared on the show because he re-signed with AEW a few years after departing the company.

Since then, Andrade hasn’t been featured on AEW television at all, which has led wrestling fans to wonder what happened.

According to the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, WWE sent AEW a cease-and-desist letter regarding Andrade, which was their way of saying that Andrade couldn’t appear on AEW shows yet.

“That is what I’ve been hearing was WWE sent a letter and they [AEW] obviously didn’t know. AEW obviously believed that there was no non-compete. There were people who talked to people in WWE who also believed there was no non-compete but WWE apparently, you know, that’s the story that they said he can’t do them for 90 days.”

WWE Contracts Have Longer Non-Compete Clauses Than In The Past

It has been reported by the Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez that Andrade’s contract with WWE stated that if you are fired while under contract to the company, then that means you have a one-year no-compete clause, instead of the 90-day no-compete clause.

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.

As mentioned by Alvarez at the end there, it is possible these WWE contracts may not hold up in a court battle, but it is what is part of the contracts that Andrade likely signed in early 2024 when he returned to the company.

Fightful Select shared the clause in the contract.

“(b) Upon termination of this Agreement by PROMOTER for breach of the terms hereof, WRESTLER shall not work, appear, or perform in any capacity for any professional wrestling, sports entertainment, mixed martial arts and/or ultimate fighting organization, promotion or entity not owned or controlled by PROMOTER (or any affiliated or subsidiary company thereof) in the United States for a period of up to one (1) year from the date of such expiration or termination, as specified by PROMOTER in the notice of termination; provided, however, that if no lesser period is specified by PROMOTER in the notice of termination, such period shall be one (1) year.”

There is also a follow-up that says:

“12.4 In no circumstances, whatsoever, shall either party to this Agreement be liable to the other party for any punitive or exemplary damages; and all such damages, whether arising out of the breach of this Agreement or otherwise, are expressly waived.”

It was also mentioned by Fightful that AEW plans to use Andrade when he is available, but there could be a bit of a legal hold up before that happens.