Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Following a loss to Adam Cole Wednesday night on AEW Dynamite, Malakai Black uncharacteristically embraced his longtime rival and exited stage left, creating questions about his future with the company.
Sapp reported that, while he was unable to confirm if it was a sendoff of sorts, “The word backstage in AEW in recent months was that they believed he could be done towards the end of 2024 or early 2025, if options aren’t exercised on AEW’s behalf.”
It is important to note that Sapp reiterated it was not confirmed and that at one point in 2022, Tony Khan noted that Black had “almost five years” remaining on his deal. Those are believed to have been option years.
Sapp ended his report by stating that it is not believed that Black will be retiring, which had apparently gained traction among fans.
Black has had what could best be considered an uneven run in AEW, with inconsistent stories, appearances, and pushes. The company failed to capitalize on the momentum he had built via his feud with Cody Rhodes and, while did reign as AEW world trios champ alongside House of Black teammates Buddy Matthews and Brody King, it never felt like he a creative priority.
A return to WWE at the conclusion of his deal, whenever that may be, is certainly a possibility. As Aleister Black in NXT, he enjoyed the greatest success of his career and was poised for a reignited push on the main roster before his untimely and unexpected release in 2021.
His wife, Zelina Vega, currently works for the company.
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