Santos Escobar briefly left WWE earlier in 2025 when his contract expired, but in October it was reported that he agreed to a new deal with the company and officially came back under contract. Despite re-signing, he has not yet reappeared on WWE television, which has led to ongoing speculation about his status and creative direction.
Escobar’s previous WWE contract ran out, and for a short period he became a free agent, with his profile even being moved to the alumni section on WWE.com. WWE then approached him with an improved offer that included a higher salary and addressed his creative concerns, eventually convincing him to re-sign.
Reports indicate that Escobar’s main issue was not money, but uncertainty over the long-term creative plans for his character and storylines. He wanted assurances that his role would be meaningful and evolving, and he resisted committing to a lengthy deal without a clear vision for his future in the company.
After re-signing, Escobar has not been immediately brought back to weekly WWE programming, which appears to be tied to the company redefining his creative direction before using him on television again. The pause in his on-screen appearances suggests WWE is waiting for the right storyline and timing to reintroduce him rather than rushing him back without a solid plan.
Escobar has been with WWE since 2019, rising to prominence as the leader of Legado del Fantasma and holding the NXT Cruiserweight Championship before moving to the main roster. In 2025 his TV matches became sporadic, and his last major televised appearance came at the AAA x WWE Worlds Collide event in June, prior to his brief exit and subsequent re-signing.
Escobar’s situation highlights how creative direction, not just contract value, can heavily influence a wrestler’s decisions about staying with a promotion.
Escobar’s continued absence from WWE TV after re-signing looks less like a contract issue and more like a deliberate wait for a revamped, meaningful creative push that satisfies both sides.