A former WWE star is said to be on their way back to the company after nearly 4 years away.
One of many names released during the pandemic as a result of “budget cuts”, Aleister Black left the company in June 2021. However, as Black was still under an NXT deal at that point despite being on the main roster, the former NXT Champion made his shock arrival on AEW TV just 1 month later as Malakai Black. The reason for the surprising debut was because he had just 30 days on his no-compete clause, a standard of NXT contracts as opposed to the 90 days on main roster deals.
After first feuding with Cody Rhodes, Black later formed The House of Black faction with Buddy Matthews and Brody King, later adding Julia Hart. Following a singular reign as Trios Champions in 2023 alongside Matthews and King, it was speculated in late 2024 that Black was finishing up with the company. In February 2025, news broke that Malakai Black had been released from his AEW contract.
With Black previously a part of WWE and under new management since his exit, fans have speculated that it is only a matter of time before he returns. As reported by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, who simply stated:
Aleister Black should be returning imminently.
Fans have also spotted Black posting highlights from his WWE run on social media, further fuelling speculation of a comeback.
AEW’s Reaction To Negative Chant On WWE TV
If Black does return to WWE then he will be the latest ex-AEW star to make the jump to the rival promotion, following recent signee Ricky Starks, now known as Ricky Saints.
During the February 25th episode of NXT, Saints competed in his debut match as he teamed with Je’Von Evans to take on Wes Lee and Ethan Page. During the match, fans broke out into a “Tony fumbled” chant, a reference to Tony Khan and how Saints was utilised in AEW. According to a recent report, AEW’s reaction to the NXT chant has been revealed.