During his recent Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross commented on the reports that Andrade requested his release from WWE but was denied:
“I am surprised that during this climate, COVID climate, that people are asking for their release. I don’t know who else, maybe or not; I don’t know. You damn sure don’t want to ask for a release unless you’ve got somewhere to go and where you can establish some stability, financial security. I don’t know if he has that or he doesn’t have that.”
“So, a little surprised. To me, unless you’ve thought it out and you’ve got a good long-range plan already in place, it’s probably not the smartest thing to do. If it’s an act of defiance, or an act of ‘I’m angry,’ or ‘I’m disappointed, whatever the case may be, that’s probably not the right reason to ask for a release, especially if you don’t have somewhere to go. So, I don’t know where he would go. I can see WWE; it recognizes, to me, it says WWE is keenly aware of AEW and that we are not the p*** ant company that Triple H said we were going to be at the beginning.”
“I hope he has thought it through, and I’m not surprised that WWE refused it because that allows him to not make him happy or another company happy. And they don’t give a s*** if he sits home till his contract is over. If you’re going to dig yourself a hole, be ready to step in it, and I think that’s what he’s done. He’s played those cards. His biggest card right now in his deck is the fact that his significant other is one of WWE’s greatest talents, and that does carry some weight.”
