Andrade to feud with former WWE Champion after possible return? Exploring unfinished business

Andrade El Idolo is one of the former superstars rumored to return to WWE this year. If the reports are true, a presence like the former AEW star would shake up the roster. While the majority may be happy with his potential return, some may not feel the same.

El Idolo began his WWE journey in 2015 and joined the NXT brand, making his official in-ring debut a year later. He quickly rose to the roster and aligned with Zelina Vega, making them even more unstoppable. He later won the brand's championship, and not just from any other star, but from Drew McIntyre. They feuded again in 2020, but it's possible they could meet again this year.

On this week's Monday Night RAW episode, Drew confronted CM Punk. During their verbal exchange, McIntyre posed at the ring's turnbuckle, mocking Punk's earlier pose. However, some fans also noted that this looked similar to Andrade's Tranquilo pose.

The Stamford-based promotion has a habit of leaving subtle hints regarding returns, which they used on Punk. This time, they could be using it for the former NXT Champion.

Once the former AEW star returns, it could still be connected with Drew's heat with Punk. The former could say that they formed a bond in the past, hinting at their past in All Elite Wrestling. The 34-year-old could reason that while he saw Punk's gestures as fine, he viewed McIntyre's RAW actions as disrespectful, especially due to their history.

What happened when Andrade was asked to make Drew McIntyre look strong for their feud in 2020?

Andrade's last WWE match was on the October 12, 2020, episode of RAW

As mentioned above, both men have a history with each other in NXT and the main roster. However, they don't share the same bad blood outside the ring.

Andrade told Lucha Libre Online in March 2021 that one of WWE's producers told him to make Drew look like a monster because he was the champion. However, McIntyre approached the former superstar, stating he didn't need to do that and just to wrestle his best.

"When the pandemic started, they put me with Drew McIntyre. Drew was great with me and behaved well with me in NXT and on the main roster. We had the matches and a producer came to me and said, 'Make sure Drew looks like a monster, because he's the champ.' Drew came to me and told me to wrestle how I know to wrestle, saying that he doesn't need me to make him look good, but to wrestle how I wrestle best," said El Idolo.

What other hints were possibly dropped regarding Andrade's WWE return?

One current star that fueled the rumors of the former AEW star's return is his former partner, Zelina Vega. The current LWO member posted an Instagram story with her former partner. She later posted another cryptic tweet that fans think is about the former NXT Champion.

It remains to be seen if the Stamford-based promotion will introduce any new or familiar faces as the weeks pass by.