Rumor Killer on Aleister Black Joining AEW After His Release From WWE
A former WWE NXT Champion who was released from his contract last week reportedly isn't about to cross over to the rival promotion.
Following WrestleMana 42 weekend, WWE released 23 superstars from their contracts. This included Apollo Crews, the Wyatt Sicks, Aleister Black, Joe Gacy, Kairi Sane and the Motor City Machine Guns.
Since All Elite Wrestling launched in 2019, the company has served as the most popular landing spot for former WWE superstars. At the start, they were able to build around the likes of Chris Jericho, Cody Rhodes (now back in WWE) and Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose in WWE).
Naturally, fans are wondering if Aleister Black will return to AEW following his latest WWE departure. The 40-year-old worked in AEW under the ring name "Malakai Black" from 2021 to 2025.
But according to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select (h/t Andrew Ravens of WrestlingNews.co), AEW sources don't expect him to return to th company any time in the near future.
During his four-year tenure in AEW, Black had a 175-day reign as a AEW World Trios Champion with Brody King and Buddy Matthews.
Aleister Black's NXT Success Never Carried Over to Main Roster
(Photo by Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images)
Long before Vince McMahon left WWE, he received constant criticism for failing to maximize the potential of former NXT stars after they joined the main roster. That certainly included Black, who joined the main roster in 2019.
Black had one reign as the NXT Champion. He also won a trio of NXT Year-End Awards, including Male Competitor of the Year in 2017. But for whatever reason, WWE just never gave him the chance to flourish as a top-card wrestler on the main roster.