A new report insists Malakai Black has requested his release from AEW, and that he is dealing with some mental health issues related to personal and professional life. The Black situation has made “#FreeMalakaiBlack” a trending topic on Twitter today.
As noted on Thursday, there were rumors going around on Malakai Black asking for his AEW release, but a rep for AEW dismissed the talk. It was also said that a rumor going around AEW said Black has been unhappy, but AEW sources added that they believed things were smoothed over to some degree. While AEW denied the rumor on Black asking for his release, outside sources also indicated that Black asked to be released.
In an update, the original report on Black asking for his release stemmed from a report made by Raj Giri on Twitter. Giri then posted a follow-up and confirmed that the AEW talent in question was Black, and that his release request was denied.
It was also noted that Black has repeatedly shown concerns about his mental health due to his personal life, and demoralization due to the creative booking and handling of his AEW character.
“I heard an AEW star requested their release, and follow up sources indicate it was Malakai Black. He reportedly has repeatedly shown concerns about his mental health due to personal life and demoralization due to the booking and handling of his character,” Giri wrote, adding that AEW did not respond to a request for comments.
On a related note, Black took to his official Tumblr page earlier this week and made the following post:
2 years of this. Sometimes it feels like all of it will be to no end, nor have any real meaning when it’s all over and done. It’s strange to think certain things in your life will be a memory with no attachments anymore while they were once the most important thing in your life.
It truly feels like the entire journey happened for the sake of happening.
Black is currently signed to a five-year AEW contract, which has four more years left on it. As noted at this link, Black revealed in early August that he had been dealing with a significant back injury, which at one point had him convinced he’d have to retire.
Black was released from WWE on June 2, 2021 along with other budget cuts, and right in the middle of a push that came following a return from a six month hiatus. He debuted with AEW on the July 7, 2021 Road Rager edition of AEW Dynamite, and began a feud with Cody Rhodes. Black’s in-ring debut came as a win over Rhodes on the August 4, 2021 Homecoming edition of Dynamite. He formed The House of Black with Brody King after his debut on January 12 of this year, and then Buddy Matthews joined them on the February 23 Dynamite. Julia Hart joined them in late May at Double Or Nothing. Black has also made some indie appearances since leaving WWE, and is a current PWG World Tag Team Champion with King.
Black has worked 23 matches for AEW since arriving in the company, and 19 of those have been wins, but only 10 have been singles bouts. His only singles loss came against Rhodes. Black’s last singles match was a win over Penta Oscuro on the June 22 Dynamite, and before that his last singles bout was a win over Brian Pillman Jr. on the January 5 Dynamite.
Black, King and Matthews are set to face Sting, Miro and Darby Allin at AEW All Out on Sunday.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
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