Yesterday, it was revealed that WWE Smackdown superstar Santo Escobar was leaving the company after deciding not to accept the latest offer presented to him. As of this writing, Escobar is reportedly a free agent with his contract with WWE expiring at midnight on October 6.
PWInsiderelite.com reported yesterday that Escobar declined WWE's offer but that multiple sources within the company indicated that his decision had "nothing to do with money" as he was actually offered a raise as part of his new deal, but still decided to turn it down.
The report added that sources close to Escobar revealed that he made it clear his primary intention in contract negotiations was not about getting a raise but rather more about having a firm plan laid out creatively on how WWE was going to be using him moving forward. To clarify, Escobar wasn't looking to get a massive push; instead he didn't want to commit himself to a new, long-term deal when there was no plan in place for him as he was worried he'd end up in a situation where he would be "spinning his wheels instead of performing in the ring."
As is always the case, WWE could still make a strong push to come to an agreement with Escobar but as of yesterday, there was no indication that any progress had been made. For what it's worth though, as of this writing WWE.com continues to list Escobar as a Smackdown superstar, rather than moving him to the Alumni section as they are often quick to do with any talent who are set to leave.
For his part, Escobar has started posting some photos of himself dressed up in suits and other attire over the last week after being relatively inactive over the previous few months. One photo included an hour glass emoji.
— S. 💀🇲🇽 (@EscobarWWE) October 1, 2025
