Behind-The-Scenes Update Regarding WWE's Interest In Malakai Black

After publicly requesting his release from All Elite Wrestling just one year after signing a five-year deal, Malakai Black has reportedly been given his conditional release from the contract. During an appearance at a local wrestling show, Black cited personal reasons as to why he's taking time away, vowing to open up to his fans in the future when the time is right about what's going on with the former House of Black leader.

The report comes from the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, which also stated that his release came with a "non-compete period" where he could work his upcoming wrestling shows but not for his old boss Paul "Triple H" Levesque in WWE. This doesn't mean, however that he can never go back to WWE — where the Observer's own Dave Meltzer recently speculated Black wants to return.

Over the last several weeks, since reports of WWE contacting an AEW talent about getting out his contract became official, fans have wondered who that wrestler was, given several superstars' ties in AEW to Triple H. The Observer has now confirmed that Black was that wrestler — he reportedly went to Tony Khan about WWE reaching out, a fact that seems to have gotten under the AEW CEO's skin. At the time, the report stated that the talent was happy with their current spot in AEW and was not interested in leaving, which now seems very strange considering Black's request for a release.

Black's last match in AEW came at the company's most recent pay-per-view, All Out, where he and his House of Black teammates lost in a trios match to Darby Allin, Miro, and Sting. After the match, Black signaled that his time being All Elite had come to an end, apparently saying goodbye to the live crowd in Chicago.