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There has been much speculation surrounding a former WWE star who was rumored to have left AEW earlier this year. A new report has confirmed the news, and fans have reacted to it on social media.
Malakai Black's future in AEW has been uncertain for the past couple of months. It all started in November 2024, after he lost to Adam Cole. Following the match, Black and Cole shared a moment in the ring, where they hugged each other, which caused people to speculate that he was leaving the Jacksonville-based promotion or retiring.
However, Malakai Black addressed those rumors and even denied them. Despite this, Black has not competed on AEW TV since November 2024, which raised many eyebrows. Again, speculation started brewing about the former WWE star. Recently, PWInsider reported that the former House of Black member's contract with All Elite Wrestling expired, and he was a free agent.
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The company even seemingly confirmed his exit by removing him from the roster page on its website.
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Since this news broke, fans have taken to social media to express their thoughts on the matter. Check out some of the reactions below:
Vince Russo is unsure if Triple H can revive Malakai Black's career in WWE
Malakai Black found the most success under the guidance of Triple H in NXT. He was one of the top stars on the black-and-gold brand and even won the NXT Championship. Now that The Game is WWE's Head of Creative, many speculated that the former Aleister Black would be looking to return to the Stamford-based promotion given his previous success under the Cerebral Assassin.
Speaking on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws with host Dr. Chris Featherstone, Vince Russo said that with a gimmick like Black's, it takes time to plan and plot out the character.
"When you've got a Karrion Kross, when you've got a Wyatt Sicks, when you got an Aleister Black, when you've got a special character, it takes time. You really got to take your time with the character. You can't treat, you can't treat Aleister Black like Randy Orton. This is a special character that takes special treatment and they have not been able to accomplish that."
It will be interesting to see if Malakai Black will wind up in WWE now that he's a free agent.
