Why Santos Escobar Has Officially Left WWE

Santos Escobar hadn't competed in a match since February, and his TV time had decreased as the year progressed. He signed with WWE in 2019, abandoning the mask he had worn in AAA as El Hijo del Fantasma before transitioning to the main roster in 2022.

The 41-year-old spent time on SmackDown as part of the LWO storyline with Rey Mysterio before turning on the Hall of Famer in late 2023 and reviving Legado Del Fantasma. But he has opted not to re-sign with WWE and become a free agent.

Fightful Select reports that the indication was that Escobar turned down a new deal due to creative dissatisfaction rather than the financial aspect of a contract extension, despite being offered a raise. It means the Mexican is now free to join any other company, with many fans speculating that he'll soon be arriving in AEW.

Escobar seemed to be in WWE's plans for a significant push once he turned heel on Mysterio and reformed Legado Del Fantasma. But he had already disagreed with Triple H creatively in the past when he initially proposed the LWO revival while in NXT, but with him as its figurehead, explaining that he understood the WWE chief content officer's decision.

Who Helped Bring Santos Escobar To WWE?

Escobar had transitioned from Lucha Libre to WWE and was a major player on the Mexican wrestling scene ahead of his arrival in the Stamford-based promotion. That's why many were surprised when he unmasked and adopted a different character than the one he had used prior to signing with the company.

The former AAA Fusion Champion caught the eye of many during his Lucha Libre days, including that of one of Triple H's right-hand men. He explained to DAZN in an interview back in February 2022:

"(William) Regal, to me, is a very important person. He's the one that spotted me from the moment he saw me. He said, 'You got it. You got what we need. You got what we want.' Of course, it was not his job to hire people. His job was just to spot people. Nothing came out of that. But then, as the time progressed, and as I evolved as an athlete, and I kept doing the right moves and checking all the boxes you mentioned before, we always kept in touch."

Escobar eventually worked under NXT head booker Shawn Michaels on Tuesday nights before landing on the main roster as part of Triple H's creative. Many feel that his best period came in development as NXT Cruiserweight Champion, and that the Legado Del Fantasma group was less successful on the main roster.