Malakai Black Reacts To WWE Releasing Samoa Joe And William Regal

In an interview with SHAK Wrestling, AEW star Malakai Black talked about his time in NXT as Aleister Black. A former NXT Champion, Black feels that his NXT run helped him get to where he is today in AEW, where he has feuded with Cody Rhodes and most recently added former Ring of Honor star Brody King to The House of Black stable.

"It helped me to be where I am today," Black admitted. "It's the reason why I'm in this other amazing company now. In its own weird way, it helped shape that, you know what I mean? And it helped shape me and it allows me to bring my craft to what I consider to be the innovative, cool company in the world right now, which is AEW."

Two veterans that Malakai Black worked with in NXT were Samoa Joe and William Regal, who were both let go from WWE as part of an overhaul of the NXT brand's front office. Black had nothing but praise for both men and indicated he would welcome both to AEW should the occasion arise.

"For Joe, whether that would be in an active competitor part or just someone who helps produce, I would welcome it," Black said. "I actually spoke to Mr. Regal the day of and just expressed my gratitude to him. Because there are a few people that I always went to, to filter my ideas and filter my process, and him and Terry Taylor always pop in my head whenever I try to plan stuff or do stuff or think about stuff. He was a big part of that. He was the one who originally saw me back in the UK, back in Progress. He was the one who made it all happen.

"So I owe a lot, if not almost anything of my mainstream success to William Regal and he is a credit to the business in any shape or way. And whatever he decides to do, I hope he realizes that he's very respected and he's very loved and that he, if he were to make that decision, if that was the direction that would, I think that the business would be better for it. Because there is none more equipped to learn from than William Regal."

You can watch the full interview below.

Please provide an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription