WWE Star Returns On SmackDown - Sets Up Feud With Big E

SmackDown's newest heel just showed up on WWE TV for the first time since October.

by Jamie Kennedy
Aleister Black Big E Apollo Crews
WWE.com

Aleister Black made his first in-person appearance on WWE TV since October 2020 during Friday's episode of SmackDown.

Black had already appeared in another 'Tales Of The Dark Father' vignette earlier in the show when he suddenly showed up during the Intercontinental Title Fatal-4-Way match. He hit Big E with his Black Mass kick, which allowed defending champ Apollo Crews to score the pin and retain.

Crews' title defence against E, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn was announced on last week's show.

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It looks like this is a way to spin Big E out of the IC Title conversation, at least for a while. Feuding with a popular babyface like E isn't a bad spot for Black to be in either, and it's good that WWE refused to book him into an endless loop of going-nowhere vignettes.

Of course, there's a chance that Aleister will insert himself into the title scene too. Who knows - WWE could book a five-way match at Hell In A Cell on 20 June, for example.

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For now, expect a series of one-on-one bouts between Black and E on coming editions of SmackDown.

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.