Aleister Black is out of WWE again. After a mixed run in AEW and a short comeback to WWE in 2025, reports now say AEW is not eager to sign him back.
Early career and NXT rise
Tommy End became Aleister Black when he joined NXT. He quickly reached the top and won the NXT Championship. His look, entrance, and in-ring style made fans excited for his future.
Black moved to WWE’s main roster and teamed briefly with Ricochet. He showed promise but never reached the main event level in his first WWE run. WWE released him in 2021.
AEW run and House of Black
Black signed with AEW under the name Malakai Black. He debuted by targeting Cody Rhodes and had a strong start. Later, he formed the House of Black with Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and Julia Hart.
The faction put on good matches, but the group format limited singles opportunities. The only title Black won in AEW was the Trios Championship. There were reports he became unhappy in AEW. When his contract ended in February 2025, he left AEW.
Return to WWE and second release
Aleister Black returned to WWE in April 2025 alongside his wife, Zelina Vega. He had short feuds with Damian Priest and Randy Orton and even scored a big win over Orton. Still, the comeback did not lead to a long-term push.
There was a moment that nearly changed his run. Reports say Black was once planned to take a spot in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton WrestleMania program before TKO put Pat McAfee into that role. After being pulled from that program, Black was released by WWE again weeks later.
Is AEW interested in bringing him back?
With Black now a free agent, many wondered if AEW would sign him again. Some fans and insiders are unhappy when AEW signs many former WWE stars. Others have seen mixed results when wrestlers return to AEW.
There are practical problems, too. Buddy Matthews has been out with a major ankle injury. Brody King has built momentum as a singles star. Re-forming the House of Black could hurt those individual pushes.
On social media, AEW wrestler Shawn Dean reacted to a fan suggestion about adding Aleister and Zelina by simply saying, “No.”
“From what I have heard, and you may have heard differently, the idea of Aleister Black and AEW was not fondly thought out by the people I spoke with there. Now, I did not speak to Tony Khan. Andrade was mixed. I know people there that were not high on Andrade at all and others who were. Black, from what I gathered, pretty negative. There were even people who publicly said that. That they were negative on Black.” (h/t UFCcoverage)
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega are experienced and should find work. But current reporting suggests AEW is unlikely to be their next home. They could choose the indies or other promotions where they can be featured as singles stars or a top couple.
