The divide between AEW and WWE is primarily a fanbase thing. Most of the wrestlers have publicly said that there’s no animosity between the two brands behind the scenes.
However, the Usos recently crossed that divide to take a shot at Andrade on social media. The post, which surfaced on X on September 3, was a direct response to Andrade discussing the opportunities afforded to Samoan wrestlers in the WWE.
In response, the Usos quickly looked to remind the former WWE and now AEW star that the wrestling business is about who can draw a crowd.
“We draw,” they wrote on X. “That’s the difference between them and us. Stop bit—-g and do sum shi-.”
As you would expect, the post quickly went viral, earning over 3.8 million views and more than 3,000 comments. Of course, AEW fans were quick to defend Andrade and the brand, while WWE fans took the opportunity to pile on.
Still, a cross-promotion conflict is rare in modern wrestling. So, when the Usos decided to clap back, it certainly made people sit up and take notice.
What Did Andrade Actually Say?
During a recent appearance on the ‘Latin Lover’ podcast, Andrade discussed what he perceives as a lack of opportunities luchadores get within the WWE.
“Santos Escobar never got the opportunity [in WWE]. There are a lot of wrestlers who don’t get it. Maybe this is going to sound bad,” Andrade said. “You talk about the Samoans, a lot of them—the majority, not all of them, right? Roman Reigns, of course, he made it. He did it. But there are several of them who haven’t, and they give them opportunities and give them opportunities, and they’re still there, they’re still there, they’re still there.”
Andrade continued.
“I’m like, ‘They’ve already been doing it for 20 years.’ You can’t force it, gentlemen. You can’t force it. I’m like, ‘This guy has already been doing this (expletive) for 20 years and he still hasn’t gotten it.’ I’m like, ‘We didn’t get that opportunity.’ […] Mexicans get very few opportunities. It’s that simple. They have Humberto and Garza—well, Garza and Berto. They’re very good friends of mine. They haven’t been given the opportunity.”
Andrade Will Compete For The AEW Championship
Andrade’s take on the WWE undoubtedly ruffled some feathers. However, he’s no longer with the WWE and instead has an opportunity to challenge for the AEW World Championship.
On Sunday, August 30, Andrade competed in and won the Men’s Casino Gauntlet match at AEW All-In in Wembley Stadium. He now has a contract where he can trigger a World Championship match with just one week’s notice.
However, we’re unlikely to see Andrade competing for the top title any time soon. AEW has already announced that John Moxley will face Will Ospreay in a championship match at All-Out later this month.
It’s likely that Andrade will take his opportunity after that has taken place. Of course, AEW could pivot and put the match on Dynamite or Collision. They’ve been known to do that before.
Either way, Andrade is likely focused on AEW moving forward.
WWE’s Usos Send Blunt Message to AEW Star Andrade