To be clear, when I say “100 Andrades”, I don’t mean cloning 100 different Andrades. Though, that would be interesting. You could have an Andrade for wrestling, an Andrade for managing your social media, another to go to the DMV, and, of course, one to take freaky beach selfies with. The possibilities are endless.
Unfortunately, we do not have that technology yet and there is only one Andrade. That Andrade showed up on AEW Dynamite last Friday night to a stunned crowd after being released from his WWE contract 76 days prior.
Fans looking to see their WWE faves break from the shackles of bad booking will point to Andrade as an example of a talented wrestler that was being “wasted on the main roster”. “El Idolo” was a decorated star in Mexico, a champion in Japan, and won Match of the Year accolades in the States.
Before Friday, he had not been used on TV since October 2020.
Andrade leaving WWE will not change the landscape of professional wrestling. But if enough “Andrades” are released, it could at least help level the playing field between the Have (WWE) and the Have-Nots (everybody else).
WWE’s roster is…large. Partly, to fill TV time, partly, just to play keep-away. Either way, they have all of it. We’re long removed from the days where wrestlers were not just allowed, but expected, to move from company to company.
If AEW or any other promotion wants to thrive, they need access to talent that viewers have seen before. Many indy shows, while fun to watch live, do not have any recognizable names, putting a ceiling on their growth.
If WWE continues to clean house and the world continues to open up, we may see local cards that are just as star-studded as Raw and Smackdown.
More famous wrestlers, bigger venues, more tickets, more money, more options, more opportunities to keep your gimmick fresh. There – I’ve blown the forbidden door wide open. You’re welcome.
Now all I have to do is figure out what to do with my other 96 Andrades.
Follow @insidethepromo on twitter.Welcome to the team@AndradeElIdolo is #AllElite
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 5, 2021
Tune into #AEWDynamite now on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/CBMF6Q0jOM
