Eric Bischoff Reacts to Andrade’s Contract Controversy Between WWE and AEW

Posted by admin on October 26th, 2025

Eric Bischoff Reacts to Andrade’s Contract Controversy Between WWE and AEW – The ongoing confusion surrounding Andrade El Idolo’s contract status between WWE and AEW continues to spark debate across the wrestling world — and Eric Bischoff is the latest to weigh in.

Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer offered a candid take on the legal situation and questioned how Andrade was able to appear on AEW television if he was still bound by a WWE non-compete clause. Bischoff, who has decades of executive experience in both WCW and WWE, said the case reflects the complicated legal territory of wrestling contracts.

“I’ve been on both sides of it,” Bischoff said. “Every jurisdiction is different. For example, good luck enforcing a non-compete in California. Good luck, Florida. Good luck, Alabama. Try to force that shit. It really comes down to if you have the money and the time to challenge it. If you do, you’ll probably win. You’ll burn a bridge in the process, and you’ll blow probably 150 to 250 grand in the process. Most people aren’t willing to fight it. They’ll just ride it out, but it’ll get challenged eventually.”

Bischoff questioned how AEW’s legal team could have cleared Andrade for television under those circumstances. “How did he end up on TV, if he was under contract and had a non-compete from the AEW side? How does that even happen? I can understand Andrade not necessarily being fluent in contract language, right? I can understand how the talent might have gotten confused. But AEW has a responsibility to vet this, knowing he was previously under contract, and knowing that WWE was very strict about their non-competes. That’s the part that makes me go, how the hell did that happen?”

He further elaborated on the potential legal ramifications, mentioning that such disputes can lead to claims of tortious interference. “It’s a serious issue, and one that is surprising to me, to be honest, from an AEW perspective,” Bischoff added.

Bischoff also speculated about whether AEW President Tony Khan would be willing to engage in a lengthy legal fight with WWE over the matter. “I think, in addition to the money, he’s gonna have to sit through depositions and discovery. Tony Khan does not want to sit through discovery or depositions. Even if you can afford it, it’s a time suck. I just can’t imagine it would be worth it to him. This is not a guy that you’re going to spend half a million dollars in legal fees fighting for.”

Wrapping up, Bischoff said he’s watching closely to see how the situation unfolds. “I would be fascinated by that. It would end up creating a precedent. It would end up changing the way the business operates — or potentially Tony gets his ass kicked and walks away with an empty fruit basket. I’ll be watching it closely because it’ll be very impactful.”