For years, WWE fans and talent have repeated the idea of a 90 day non compete as if it were a fixed rule. However, David Otunga has now revealed that the clause everyone talks about is not actually written into the contracts at all. His recent conversation with Ariel Helwani uncovered a very different reality.

Otunga explained that the contract he reviewed outlined a full one year non compete. There was no mention of a 90 day period. The shorter timeline is simply what WWE has chosen to use in practice, but the company is not locked to it.

“In the contract that I looked at when preparing for this, there’s just a one year. It does not say anything about 90 days or anything like that. It is a one year non compete. However, it is up to WWE’s discretion because it can be up to one year.”

Fans might assume the 90 day model is standard, but Otunga stressed that the document itself tells a very different story.

“So people just assume it is a 90 day non compete. But you actually go and look at the contract. It does not say anything in there about 90 days. It says one year.”

This topic surfaced while discussing Andrade El Idolo, who popped up in AEW shortly after his WWE exit before disappearing amid talk of a cease and desist. Otunga stated that WWE is enforcing the one year clause in Andrade’s case and doing so without pay, something he has not seen before.

“This is the first time I ever recall WWE wanted to enforce this. They enforced this against Andrade for an entire year without pay.”

Otunga added that Andrade could likely win a legal challenge, but the road would be long and difficult.

“I think if Andrade wanted to challenge this in court, I think he would likely be successful, to be honest with you. But that is quite a headache and an endeavor in and of itself.”