Why WWE Released Andrade, Dragon Lee's Contract Status Revealed (WWE & AEW Rumours)

The major breaking news over the weekend - in addition to WWE WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia - was Andrade's sudden departure from WWE, with it emerging that the former United States Champion had been released by the company.

There are also updates on the contract statuses of Dragon Lee and Claudio Castagnoli, while Liv Morgan continues to work towards a return to the ring.

WWE and AEW rumours for Monday, September 15, 2025:

Why WWE Released Andrade

It emerged on Saturday that Andrade had been released by WWE, with it being noted that his departure wasn't a mutual decision.

Dave Meltzer has since reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that Andrade's release was due to a disciplinary issue.

"I've seen all the speculation everywhere and I don't know the whole story but I do know it was a discipline thing. It was not his doing at all. A couple of weeks ago there was a disciplinary thing and all I know is it was at a TV shoot and he was told to go home and he's not been used since. I was told it was not drug related, it was not alcohol related, it was not marriage related. Nobody would tell me what it was, but it was enough to be sent home," Meltzer said.

The Takedown on SI has confirmed Andrade's release was disciplinary in nature, and the former Andrade El Idolo had at least one wellness policy violation during his most recent WWE stint. How exactly Andrade violated the policy and if it led directly to his release is unknown, but he was suspended without pay following the violation.

On Andrade being sent home, The Takedown on SI reported the 35-year-old was told to leave a SmackDown taping in mid-August and he was escorted out of the building, which was in relation to his most recent suspension.

Cory Hays of BodySlam also noted that WWE had tried to get in contact with Andrade for several weeks, but he was unreachable. PWInsider reported they had heard the same story and it was due to Andrade travelling to a country in South America.

Dragon Lee's WWE Contract Status Revealed

Dragon Lee has been a part of WWE since December 2022, but he won't be leaving the company in the near future. Ibou of Self Made has reported the former NXT North American Champion still has close to a year left on his WWE contract.

Lee originally signed a three-year deal with WWE in December 2022, but he inked a contract extension upon signing a main roster deal.

Both WWE and Dragon Lee are reportedly happy with his spot in the company, especially with his recent involvement in AAA which has led to increased TV time.

Claudio Castagnoli Still Has Significant Time Left On AEW Contract

Another wrestler who won't be moving to pastures new any time soon is Claudio Castagnoli.

The former Cesaro has been a part of All Elite Wrestling for three years but Fightful Select has reported that Castagnoli still has a substantial amount of time left on his AEW deal. Tony Khan has also made it clear that he wanted Castagnoli to remain a part of the promotion for a long time.

The 44-year-old is currently a featured performer in All Elite Wrestling as part of the Death Riders. He has become a two-time ROH World Champion and one-time AEW World Trios Champion since joining the company.

Update On Liv Morgan's Recovery From Injury

Liv Morgan has been out of action since June 2025 when she suffered a dislocated shoulder in a freak injury during a match with Kari Sane.

Morgan underwent surgery soon after, and she has not been involved with WWE beyond being one of the wrestlers to stand behind Triple H and Turki Alalshikh when WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia was being announced.

BodySlam has reported that Morgan was spotted at the WWE Performance Center rehabbing her injury last week. If a six-month timeline is correct, Morgan would be at the halfway mark leading to a return.