Andrade El Idolo has wasted no time reminding the wrestling world of his elite status following his WWE departure, capturing a major championship in his very first match as a free agent. Just days after his shocking return to AEW, Andrade traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, on October 3 for The Crash Lucha Libre, where he defeated DMT Azul to become the new Crash Heavyweight Champion.
The victory was a historic one, ending Azul’s nearly 900-day reign and instantly re-establishing Andrade as a top-tier competitor outside of the WWE system. It also marks the beginning of a new and highly anticipated chapter in Andrade’s career.
The former WWE star officially exited the company on September 13 and made a surprise return to AEW on the October 1 anniversary episode of Dynamite. In a dramatic closing moment, Andrade attacked Kenny Omega and aligned himself with the villainous Don Callis Family, sending shockwaves through the industry.
This marks Andrade’s second run with AEW, and it’s a history-making one — he is now the first wrestler to jump from WWE to AEW, back to WWE, and then return to AEW once again. His final WWE appearance came at SummerSlam 2025 Night 2 on August 3, where he competed in a multi-team WWE Tag Team Championship match.
With championship gold already around his waist and a newfound edge, Andrade is wasting no time setting his sights on major AEW stars. Following his Dynamite return, he revealed that he has a personal “hit list,” with Kenny Omega as his first target — and more names expected to follow.
ANDRADE HAS ALREADY WON HIS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP POST LEAVING WWE.
Becoming The Crash Heavyweight Champion tonight after defeating DMT Azul. pic.twitter.com/dvKX5ZJyDx
— Drainmaker (@DrainBamager) October 4, 2025
