Ex-AEW champion to return to WWE as heel; call out Uncle Howdy for WrestleMania 41 match? Possibility analyzed

A former AEW World Trios Champion is heavily rumored to be returning to WWE and engaging in a feud with Uncle Howdy of The Wyatt Sicks. The two might lock horns at WrestleMania 41. The superstar is Malakai Black, who served tenure in WWE under the ring name Aleister Black.

The 39-year-old superstar hasn't been seen on TV since the Full Gear pay-per-view, where he and his partner, Brody King of The House of Black, failed to win the AEW World Tag Team Championship.

Even though neither AEW nor Malakai Black has confirmed his departure from the Jacksonville promotion, Black was seemingly written off from TV when Will Ospreay told Buddy Mathews that he didn't need a leader. The segment on AEW Dynamite last week signaled that Black would no longer be seen in Tony Khan's promotion.

Since the news of his rumored exit from AEW has surfaced, it has been reported that The Dutchman may be headed to the Stamford-based promotion. His opponent could be Uncle Howdy (Bo Dallas) of the Wyatt Sicks.

Black is the leader of The House of Black in AEW, and his mates include Buddy Matthews, Brody King, and Julia Hart. There were rumors that he could join the Wyatt Sicks faction in WWE as its sixth member.

However, the Striking Superstar could also claim leadership of the group by locking horns with the current leader, Uncle Howdy. Black may return to the Stamford-based promotion on RAW and take out Uncle Howdy. He may later challenge him to a match at WrestleMania 41 with a challenge that if he wins, he will take over as the leader of the Wyatt Sicks.

Malakai Black may return to WWE at Royal Rumble 2025

The former NXT Champion may mark his return at this year's Royal Rumble Premium Live Event on February 1, 2025, in Indianapolis. Stars like AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio have made their debuts and returns to WWE at Royal Rumble, so Black could also do that. As for his last WWE match, Black last wrestled Kevin Owens on the October 12, 2020 edition of RAW.

He last showed up in the promotion on the May 21 episode of SmackDown, attacking Big E with a Black Mass that allowed Apollo Crews to retain his Intercontinental Championship in the main event. He was released on June 2, 2021, as part of budget cuts by the Stamford-based promotion. It remains to be seen how the Stamford-based promotion books him.