Malakai Black’s tenure with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) appears to have come to an end.
During Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Will Ospreay defeated Buddy Matthews in a singles match. After the bout, Ospreay encouraged Matthews to “step out of the shadow of Black,” which fueled speculation about Malakai Black’s status with the promotion.
This development came shortly after the announcement that Black is set to compete at Coastal Championship Wrestling’s Havoc & Haze 9 in Tampa on Saturday, January 11, 2025, where he will face Irion.
According to Fightful Select, sources within AEW believe Black has either already finished or is in the process of wrapping up his time with the company. This comes despite AEW CEO Tony Khan previously stating that Black was under contract until 2027.
A report from Fightful today further solidified the belief that Black is unlikely to return to AEW. As of now, Black remains listed on AEW’s official website, though his last match for the company occurred at Full Gear.
With Black seemingly moving on from AEW, his future in professional wrestling, both on the independent circuit and potentially elsewhere, remains a topic of intrigue.
