Aleister Black to call SmackDown his home upon WWE return? Exploring the possibility

Aleister Black's future in professional wrestling has been a subject of discussion in recent weeks. It's being reported that while Black is still under contract with AEW, he won't be making further appearances on television and will sit out his contract which reportedly expires in February or March.

Thus, there is heavy speculation that WWE will be the next spot for the former NXT Champion. If this move happens, then it won't be surprising to witness Black move to SmackDown. The reason he could move to the Nick Aldis-led brand is his wife, Zelina Vega.

On January 27th, it was announced Vega would no longer be part of Monday Night RAW as she had been traded to SmackDown. Thus, Aleister Black could also move to SmackDown because WWE prefers to keep husband-wife duos on the same brand. Charlotte-Andrade and Seth-Becky are examples of the same.

However, it's also important to not jump too far into the future as Black has yet to officially sign with the Stamford-based promotion. But based on reports and how things look, it's safe to say Triple H and his promotion are frontrunners to secure Black's signature.

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Aleister Black teases match against exciting superstar amidst reports of departure from AEW

While Aleister Black's reported departure from AEW will be the talk of the town for the next few weeks, it's important to note that he wrestled his first match of 2025 on January 11. This match in question took place against Orion at CCW Havoc and Haze 9.

The match was won by Black, and it was also his first appearance in the ring since November 2024. After the match, the ex-WWE Superstar had an interview with Alejandro Romero in which he teased another match against Orion.

Black said:

"Orion did something that a lot of people have not been able to get done in a very long time, and that's almost get inside my head and slowly crawl in towards a place where perhaps I can accept defeat but it was not tonight. But perhaps in some part of the future unwritten just yet he might succeed but it's not tonight. But when he will, I'll make sure that it's here in Coastal Championship Wrestling. So Orion, I have a feeling we're not done in this place." [0:22-1:03]

You can check his interview below:

Aleister Black teasing a match against Orion could also indicate he would be open to pursuing a career on the independent scene. In short, Black could pull off something like Matt Cardona and become an even bigger name before moving to WWE, or before WWE comes calling.