When he first debuted for AEW under the name Malakai Black, it appeared Aleister Black was set for big things. Still, it wouldn’t be long before rumors started that he wanted to return “home” to WWE under Triple H’s leadership so he could work alongside his wife, Zelina Vega. Additionally, it was noted that he had stopped working singles matches, which led to speculation that he didn’t like to put people over.
However, having returned to WWE earlier this year, thanks to Tony Khan not extending his contract, Black has now opened up about this time at AEW while speaking with The Ringer. In this, he would call claims he didn’t want to be there “completely false,” and dismissed that he could choose who he put over, noting he didn’t have that much influence, and if he did, he would have put himself in the main event.
While it’s hard to believe that Black had enough sway to book his own storylines and angles, the fact that he mainly worked in six-man tags, allowing others to take the pin, is intriguing. In fact, despite being a singles performer in WWE, his one-on-one matches in AEW were few and far between, with his losses only being to established names Cody Rhodes, Cope, and Adam Cole. Therefore, it is easy to understand why the narrative that he was against doing jobs spread, even if everyone involved denies it.
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