An update from Fightful Select has revealed that Aleister (Malakai) Black is not making a return to AEW anytime soon, with the company denying a previous report that the former World Trios Champion is in active negotiations following his WWE departure.
Black left AEW following a Four-Way Match for the trios titles at Full Gear in November 2024, with his contract reportedly expiring the following February.
He and his wife Zelina Vega were among several talents who were either released or otherwise departed WWE in the roster cuts that followed WrestleMania 42.
Black’s status has been a topic of much discussion in the days since, with Jim Ross among those commenting on the possibility of a return despite reported clashes with AEW management in the past.
On a recent episode of the Grilling JR podcast, Ross said he did not believe Black had burned his bridge with the company, but that his chances with AEW were “running out”:
Trust is a big thing. Reliability. Are you reliable? There is I’m sure a small faction of some in the wrestling business that believe he’s missing something. I don’t disagree with that. But he’s not missing his attire, his look, his work ethic. So whatever his downfalls are, they seem to be stimulated from things outside the bell-to-bell. But I like the guy. I’d hire him in a heartbeat.
Source: F4WOnline