Santos Escobar Reportedly Exiting WWE After Turning Down New Contract Offer

It looks like Santos Escobar’s time in WWE may be coming to an end. According to a new report from PWInsider Elite, the leader of Legado del Fantasma was expected to officially become a free agent early Tuesday morning, ending a six-year run with the company.

Interestingly, Escobar’s reported departure wasn’t about money. Sources told PWInsider that WWE had extended a new contract offer which included a raise, but Escobar turned it down. Instead, his main concern reportedly centered on WWE’s creative direction for his character and his future on television.

Escobar was said to have wanted clarity on how he would be used moving forward — not necessarily demanding a major push, but wanting assurance that he wouldn’t just be “spinning his wheels” on the roster without meaningful storylines or matches.

The 40-year-old’s last televised appearance came in June at AAA x WWE Worlds Collide, where he teamed with Angel and Berto to defeat El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., Pagano, and Psycho Clown. His most recent SmackDown match aired back on May 2, a loss to Rey Fenix.

With Escobar’s contract expiring at midnight heading into Tuesday, there’s still an outside chance WWE could make a last-minute effort to retain him. However, PWInsider reported that as of Monday afternoon, no one within the company seemed to believe that was likely.

Escobar — who first joined WWE in 2019 and became a standout in NXT before transitioning to the main roster — has been noticeably cryptic on social media in recent weeks. Many fans have interpreted those posts as hints about his uncertain future, especially following Andrade’s recent return to AEW after a similar situation.

If this truly marks the end of Escobar’s WWE chapter, the former NXT Cruiserweight Champion leaves behind a legacy of in-ring excellence and charisma that made Legado del Fantasma one of the most stylish and underrated factions of the modern era.