Andrade’s second WWE run wasn’t just about reviving his own career but it was originally built around the idea of finally working an on-screen storyline with his then real-life wife, Charlotte Flair.
Speaking with Latin Lover on the show Luchando Por Tus Sueños, Andrade explained that Charlotte fully supported his decision to request his first WWE release, back when he felt his career had stalled, even helping him navigate the legal side of his exit.
During my first WWE departure, I spoke with her and said, ‘You know I’m not happy with WWE. I want to leave because I can see that I’m not growing here.’ We were together at the time, and she said, ‘Yes, I support you.’ She supported me with everything, including the lawyers. Everything was good.
During the two years that followed, Andrade worked for AEW and took bookings in Mexico and on the independent circuit, but he said the long-term plan all along was to eventually return to WWE and finally get the chance to tell a story with Charlotte on screen.
Two years passed. I went to AEW, worked a little in Mexico and did independent shows. The idea was to return to WWE and do a storyline with her. That was the plan.
Plans Were Canceled
That plan fell apart before it ever got off the ground. Charlotte suffered a serious knee injury in December 2023 that required surgery and kept her off WWE television for roughly a year and a half. By the time Andrade made his way back to the company, the storyline the two had envisioned was no longer an option, and he described the feeling as being right back where he started, without the partner-in-storyline he’d planned around.
She got injured and was out for a year. When I returned, everything we had planned was cut off. She was out for a year, so it was like I had returned and was alone again.
Charlotte Flair Injury Changed Plans
Andrade said Charlotte’s extended absence changed the picture waiting for him in WWE. By the time she eventually returned, the couple had already started experiencing problems that led to their divorce. Andrade was careful not to speak negatively about Charlotte, calling her an incredible woman he still respects.
She returned after about a year or a year and a half, but that was when the problems started. We started having problems until we made the decision to divorce.”
“We made the decision to divorce, but I handled it in the best way. She is an incredible woman. I respect her, and I have nothing bad to say about her.
He did admit that continuing to cross paths with her at work after the divorce became uncomfortable, and that discomfort was one of several factors that led him to ask for his release a few months later. What began as a return built around a joint creative vision ultimately ended with Andrade leaving WWE again, this time without Charlotte as part of the plan at all.
We were divorced, and seeing each other was no longer like seeing my wife. Running into each other was a little uncomfortable. About three or four months later, I asked to leave because I wasn’t happy. There were several factors involved.
Charlotte Flair also recently pointed out that in her entire WWE run, she’s never once been paired with a male performer, not even for a passing flirtatious moment. She has said that even something that simple would be a fun change of pace.
