Malakai Black’s time in AEW is over, and it’s been reported that Black is on his way out of the company. The big question is his contract, as some believe he will become a free agent in March, if not sooner.
AEW CEO Tony Khan had previously noted that he had Black under contract until 2027. Black is still listed on AEW’s official website. Black hasn’t wrestled for AEW since Full Gear.
Wade Keller of the PWTorch reports, “There are influential people in WWE who are big fans of Black and see him as a possible top singles act in the company.” Black reportedly told people close to him that he was more palatable with Paul Levesque in charge of creative compared to Vince McMahon.
He also told some people over the last year or so that he was burned out and perhaps mentioned the possibility of retiring from wrestling. It was added, “Black was criticized by colleagues in AEW who were frustrated by the perception that he was resistant to “doing business,” including a reluctance to doing jobs and frequent claims of injury issues. He and Tony Khan never developed rapport.”
Black will be in action for Coastal Championship Wrestling’s Havoc & Haze 9 in Tampa on Saturday, January 11, 2025. He’ll do so when he wrestles Irion.
