50 Worst Wrestling Moments Of The 2020s (So Far)

36. Malakai Black’s AEW Run & Drawn-Out Exit

16 5 Malakai Black
AEW

Disclaimer: nobody truly knows what went down between AEW and Malakai Black. The story can only be inferred through reporting and hearsay. And there’s three sides to every story - two versions and the truth, yada yada yada.

But it really does seem like he wanted out for nearly three years.

The debut was good. Then he sort of went 50/50 with Cody Rhodes in a programme neither man benefitted from. Mally to his credit did work some truly excellent trios matches in between cutting his signature nonsensical promos.

At All Out 2022, in a rare phenomenon, Black actually took the pin in the House of Black’s trios match loss to Miro, Darby Allin and Sting. Halley’s Comet has appeared in the sky more often in the last five minutes. In the post-match scene, live fans reported that Malakai hugged his stablemates and appeared to offer a “goodbye” gesture to the fans.

Paul Levesque had taken over WWE main roster creative a month and a half prior. If those two things are connected - Black was firm in stating “no” - contracts exist lol.

“I…declare…WWE!” the not free agent seemed to suggest.

Black, a sporadic presence since August ‘22, again denied rumours that he was leaving after his November 6, 2024 Dynamite loss to Adam Cole. Cole kicked out of the Black Mass. Black didn’t so much get beat as volunteer to lose, humbly accepting his great, elusive defeat like some noble warrior. He sat down and invited Cole to “lower the boom”. This was a bit much, Christ. Black was hardly presented as some invincible force in AEW by that point.

Black then embraced Cole in the post-match. Black looked emotional as he gazed out towards the crowd. Wasn’t this him doing the job on the way out?

It sure looked like he was leaving. Black was adamant that he was not in fact leaving, taking to social media to express his amazement that these rumours kept following him around.

He wrestled three more matches in AEW before leaving.

Over two years of a constant smell you were told wasn’t there, bloody hell. You’ll never get them back!

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!