AEW News & Rumor Roundup - Top star's AEW exit & WWE signing long time coming, Reason for delayed debut, Britt Baker update

Welcome back to another edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's AEW News and Rumor Roundup. Today, we will look at stories involving Britt Baker, Malakai Black, and more.

A major update on Britt Baker's AEW status has emerged amid her unexplained absence from the ring. The potential reason behind a 34-year-old star's delayed debut in All Elite Wrestling has also been disclosed. So, without any further ado, let's begin:

#3 Malakai Black's AEW exit and WWE deal have been in the works for a while, according to veteran

There are a lot of eyes on Malakai Black and his next move after his reported exit from All Elite Wrestling. Black is widely expected to make a WWE comeback soon.

The former Aleister Black seemed to have hit the ceiling in the Tony Khan-led promotion, as he arguably wasn't booked in notable storylines as a singles talent. Rumors about his exit started running rampant way before he actually left the company. Following his departure, the House of Black was repackaged as Hounds of Hell.

On his Experience podcast, Jim Cornette questioned Tony Khan's decision to repackage Black's now-former group even before he officially left the company.

"That's the one that people have been expecting probably most for a while because he hadn't made any secret of it and there hadn't been any hidden part of Malakai Black leaving to the point where they went ahead and repackaged his minions or followers or group disciples already on television without him moving on past him before he was even officially released. So it's not like this is a sudden in the middle of the night. He's wanted to get out of there."

Cornette further speculated that perhaps WWE approached the former NXT Champion with a better deal. Malakai Black could soon show up in the Triple H-led promotion, similar to Ricky Starks' (now Ricky Saints) arrival in NXT.

#2 Reported reason behind the delay in 34-year-old star's AEW debut

Speedball Mike Bailey is one of the most revered stars on the independent circuit and has long been rumored to join All Elite Wrestling. The 34-year-old star spent three years in TNA, where he racked up many accomplishments, including winning the X Division Title.

Although he was expected to join AEW after he departed TNA last year, Bailey hasn't inked a deal with the Jacksonville-based company yet.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful provided an update on Mike Bailey's status in a Q&A session. He reported that even though Bailey was slated to appear in the Tony Khan-led promotion, he was currently working out his visa situation. For those unaware, Bailey is from Canada.

#1 Major new update on Britt Baker's AEW status amid unexplained absence

Britt Baker was one of the earliest signings in AEW's women's division when the company started. She has represented the promotion as its Women's World Champion in the past while working with several top names.

The DMD was lauded by many for her work in the company, but it seems that she has lost momentum due to reported controversies. Baker has largely been out of the spotlight since she sustained a grueling back injury in 2023 that sidelined her. Fans last saw her compete in the ring against Penelope Ford on the November 13, 2024, episode of Dynamite.

Many fans have started speculating whether she is set to leave the Jacksonville-based promotion soon, with reports emerging of Tony Khan being frustrated with her.

Fightful Select has now reported that Britt Baker is on hiatus. The former AEW Women's World Champion has seemingly been dealing with a lot, considering her health issues and breakup with her former partner, Adam Cole. Baker was also preparing for her role in Cobra Kai.