According to a new report, Malakai Black has requested his release from AEW and is dealing with personal and professional mental health issues. Today, the hashtag “#FreeMalakaiBlack” is trending on Twitter in response to the Black situation.
As previously reported on Thursday, there were rumors that Malakai Black had requested his release from AEW, but an AEW representative dismissed the talk. It was also reported that an AEW rumor circulated that Black was unhappy, but AEW sources added that they believed things had been smoothed over to some extent. While AEW denied the rumor of Black requesting his release, outside sources also stated that Black requested his release.
According to an update, the original report on Black requesting his release was followed up, confirming that the AEW talent in question was Black and that his release request had been denied.
It was also noted that Black has expressed concerns about his mental health as a result of his personal life, as well as demoralization as a result of the creative booking and handling of his AEW character.
“I heard an AEW star asked for their release, and subsequent sources say it was Malakai Black.” He reportedly has repeatedly expressed concerns about his mental health as a result of personal issues and demoralisation as a result of his character’s booking and handling,” Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc wrote, adding that AEW did not respond to a request for comment.
On a related note, Black posted the following on his official Tumblr page earlier this week:
“2 years of this. Sometimes it feels like all of it will be to no end, nor have any real meaning when it’s all over and done. It’s strange to think certain things in your life will be a memory with no attachments anymore while they were once the most important thing in your life.
“It truly feels like the entire journey happened for the sake of happening.”
Black is currently under a five-year AEW contract with four years remaining.
lack was released from WWE on June 2, 2021, along with other budget cuts, and right in the middle of a push that followed his return from a six-month hiatus. Black made his debut with AEW on the Road Rager edition of AEW Dynamite on July 7, 2021, and immediately began a feud with Cody Rhodes. On the Homecoming episode of Dynamite that aired on August 4, 2021, Black made his ring debut and won his match against Rhodes. Black formed The House of Black with King on January 12 of this year, and then Matthews joined them on the February 23 Dynamite. On February 23, Matthews became a member of the group. Late in May, Julia Hart joined them at Double Or Nothing. Since leaving WWE, Black has competed on the independent circuit and is currently the PWG World Tag Team Champion alongside King.
Since joining AEW, Black has competed in a total of 23 matches, 19 of which have resulted in victories; however, only 10 of those matches have been singles bouts. His only defeat in singles action came at the hands of Rhodes. Black’s last singles match was a win over Penta Oscuro on the June 22 Dynamite, and before that, his last singles bout was a win over Brian Pillman Jr. on the January 5 Dynamite.
On Sunday, Black, King, and Matthews will face Sting, Miro, and Darby Allin at AEW All Out.
