Update on the Rumor that Malakai Black Asked for His AEW Release

Earlier this week, rumors began to swirl that Malakai Black had asked for his AEW release.

Wrestling Inc’s Raj Giri reported yesterday that Black had asked for his release and “reportedly has repeatedly shown concerns about his mental health due to personal life and demoralization due to the booking and handling of his character.”

Fightful Select reported that Black has not been released, but they have heard from sources that he has been “unhappy,” but the reason couldn’t be confirmed. The same sources also said that they “believed that things had been smoothed over to some degree.”

PWInsider added today that in speaking with sources close to Black, they learned that “there has been a personal situation weighing heavily on him and he’s privately talked about taking a long, perhaps permanent, break from professional wrestling, in order to deal with the issues.”

Two days ago on his Tumblr page, Black posted, “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.”

Though after that post, he made other posts promoting his match this Sunday at All Out. Black will team with Buddy Matthews & Brody King in a six man match against Miro, Sting & Darby Allin.

Black is currently signed to a five year deal with AEW and has about four years remaining on it.