Santos Escobar is back in WWE just two days after his contract expired, and he seemingly departed the company.
A new report from PWInsider confirmed that as of October 8, Escobar and WWE have reached an agreement on a new deal. The update comes after Escobar’s contract officially expired at midnight on October 6, which was followed by his profile being moved to the alumni section of WWE’s website, an action that is typically final.
The last-minute agreement was reportedly reached after WWE made significant efforts to retain the former NXT titlist. According to the report, the company addressed creative concerns that Escobar had raised and made a “significantly higher” financial offer than what had been previously proposed.
This new offer was enough to bring him back to the company he had been with since 2019, reversing what many believed was a completed exit.
Santo Escobar’s WWE Tenure
Escobar’s departure had been widely expected, both by fans and internally. On October 6, after his contract lapsed, he posted the word “Palante” on social media, a Spanish term meaning “onward,” which was widely interpreted as a farewell. His exit was considered a done deal by many in the industry, and discussions had already begun circulating regarding a potential move to AEW or other promotions.
The speed at which this situation turned around makes it one of the more notable contract reversals of the year. During his WWE career, Escobar has achieved considerable success. After signing in 2019, he unmasked from his previous identity of El Hijo del Fantasma and created the popular Legado Del Fantasma faction in NXT.
He went on to hold the NXT Cruiserweight Championship for over 300 days, establishing himself as a cornerstone of the brand. In more recent times, he appeared at the AAA x WWE: Worlds Collide event in June, and his final televised match on “SmackDown” was a loss to Rey Fenix on May 2.
With a new contract signed and creative issues seemingly addressed, Santos Escobar’s WWE career is now set to enter its next phase. The reversal prevents him from testing the free agent market, where he would have been in high demand, and keeps the leader of Legado Del Fantasma on the SmackDown roster. This surprising development ensures his story within the company is far from over.
