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Malakai Black's AEW contract is believed to expire towards the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025, as speculation of a WWE return mounts for the House of Black leader. Fightful Select reports that late 2024/early 2025 is the believed expiration period amongst those backstage in AEW. Black's contract may end up being extended via options, however.
Although company founder and CEO Tony Khan claimed in 2022 that Malakai was under contract for "almost five years", this is believed to include option years, meaning the late 2024/early 2025 may not apply. The outlet states that whether or not the options have been activated hasn't been confirmed. While Malakai has been linked with a WWE return as far back as 2022, Fightful states that AEW hasn't been interested in releasing wrestlers to re-sign with the competition.
Black, who has also wrestled as Aleister Black in WWE and Tommy End on the independent circuit, has been signed to AEW since July 2021, when he was immediately entered into a feud with Cody Rhodes. Since January 2022, his primary focus has been the House of Black stable with Buddy Matthews, Brody King, and Julia Hart. This has been broadly successful, leading to a lengthy Trios World Championship reign for the men, and a TBS Title run for Hart.
Malakai Black was defeated by Adam Cole on the 6 November episode of AEW Dynamite, with the bout finishing in what many have interpreted as a "send-off" for Black. Cole had downed Black with a Panama Sunrise and Superkick towards the end of the clash. Although Cole rose first, Black appeared to be doing the same until dropping down into his cross-legged pose, beckoning the finish.
Adam then hit the Boom, scored the pinfall, and had a handshake rejected by Black afterwards, with Malakai instead pulling his old NXT rival in for a hug. Fightful was unable to confirm whether or not this was actually intended as a send-off. The situation has, however, reignited social media talk of a potential WWE return.
Malakai wrestled for WWE as Aleister Black from 2016 to 2021, when he was brutally released by the promotion in the midst of the global pandemic. A former NXT Champion, his best work was unquestionably hosted on the black-and-gold developmental show, with the Vince McMahon-led main roster creative team never fully investing in him as Paul Levesque had done in NXT. With Levesque now heading WWE creative as its Chief Content Officer, it's easy to join the dots on why a return may be appealing to Black, 39.
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