10 AEW Wrestlers Who Have Been Booked Terribly In 2022

But the biggest victim of the roster bloat is Malakai Black.

When the lights went off in July 2021 and Malakai Black was stood in the ring upon their return, it felt like the birth of a megastar. By September 2021, he was old hat.

See, by then, Tony Khan was able to sign Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole and CM Punk to AEW within such a short space of time, and that meant anyone who was set to become the next big thing in the company was sent spiralling into the mid card abyss.

Again, given the opportunity to pick up those wrestlers is one that is hard to pass up, but there was clearly a plan in place for Malakai Black given his white hot introduction. He was thrust into the main event scene, but with the influx, he was given nothing.

They tried to make the House of Black a thing, but non-commital booking just made them AEW's version of Judgement Day (pre-Triple H booking). They didn't always win. They weren't dominant. Therefore, they weren't a threat. And scary goth dudes need to have at least an element of threat to them.

That booking has unsurpsisingly led to dissension amongst the wrestlers, with Malakai Black requesting his release amid claims of mental health struggles. Buddy Matthews, who didn't fit the group to begin with, has also voiced his desire to leave. Where that leaves Brody King and Julia Hart is anyone's guess.