Backstage Update On Former WWE Star Malakai Black's Free Agency Status

Last week, it was announced that Malakai Black, formerly known as Aleister Black in WWE, would be making his first in-ring appearance since being released from the Connecticut-based promotion following WrestleMania 42. This coming September, Black will be featured on PROGRESS Wrestling's "The Odyssey Tour" in the United Kingdom, where he's booked on three back-to-back dates, but it seems like the former NXT Champion had interest in signing with an independent wrestling promotion ahead of becoming a free agent last month.

According to Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp, there was a preliminary contact between Black and Major League Wrestling that had been discussed just a couple of weeks after the 41-year-old's WWE release. Sapp claims that the conversations between Black and MLW didn't go very far, with no progress being made between both sides since the former WWE star became a free agent. However, negotiations between Black and MLW apparently didn't go awry or became contentious.

When Black left WWE this past April, many fans questioned if AEW would consider taking another chance on him since he wrestled for the company for three years before returning to WWE in 2025. However, it's been previously reported on multiple occasions that AEW doesn't have any interest in signing Black, as he was said to be difficult to work with during his time with the company. Fightful also notes that AEW's sources haven't heard anything about Black returning to the promotion in any capacity.