Malakai Black Addresses Rumors Of Leaving AEW After Last Night’s Loss

By AG

Posted on November 7, 2024

Aleister Black - Malakai Black -Tommy End AEW Article Pic 1 WrestleFeed App

On this week’s AEW Dynamite, Adam Cole and Malakai Black faced off in a singles match, with Cole ultimately taking the win.

Cole secured the victory with his finisher as Black sat in the ring, waiting for the end. Afterward, Black embraced Cole and gave one last look back at the ring, sparking speculation that he might be leaving. You can watch it below:

Adam Cole defeats Malakai Blackpic.twitter.com/hb9g8eaNQ8
— WrestleFeed (@WrestleFeedApp) November 7, 2024

According to Fightful Select, there has been talk within AEW over recent months that Black could potentially depart by the end of this year or early 2025 if AEW doesn’t exercise certain contract options.

This isn’t confirmed, though, as AEW President Tony Khan mentioned two years ago that Black signed a contract “for almost five years,” which reportedly includes option years. Rumors from 2022 suggested that Black was interested in returning to WWE, though AEW was not allowing talent to break contracts for WWE returns.

Black addressed the rumors and said the following:

“Here we are once more, a match down, and again, everybody is ‘He’s retiring. He’s retiring because of his injuries and this and that.’ Well, neither of these things. I’m not injured, nor am I retiring, nor am I leaving.

I feel this happens every match I have and I don’t understand how many times you’re going to say these things and them not happening, and people still are going to fall for that. I haven’t been injured in more than three years, and I’m referring to my back injury, of course, and I only posted about that after it was already done.

If you would have read the post, you’d have seen that and not read what other people have written about it. I’m fine. I’ve been fine for the longest time. I would really appreciate it if that stuff stops, man.

If I’m going to retire, you’re going to hear from me, and not after Adam just cuts a promo just as a thank you for the match because that’s all it was. So thank you.”