WWE Reportedly Interested In Bringing Back Current AEW Star

The AEW contract status of Malakai Black has become a topic of debate online in recent days, and while it's unclear when Black may enter free agency, it sounds as though there is outside interest in the performer. The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter includes an update on Black's status, with Dave Meltzer stating that WWE wants to bring the wrestler back when he is available.

Today's report states that Black's contract likely ends in early 2025, though the company could add slightly more time to the deal due to injuries. Meltzer also reasserted that Black had asked for his AEW release around the time Paul "Triple H" Levesque took over WWE's creative team — something that Black has previously pushed back on.

While Meltzer is under the impression Black is on his way out, that doesn't seem to be the case for all of his stablemates. Buddy Matthews reportedly signed a new AEW contract earlier this year, though it's not clear how long that deal will last. Details on the length of Brody King and Julia Hart's contracts are not readily available. King signed with the company in early 2022, and while it's unclear when Hart signed, it was reported last year that she did sign a full-time contract with AEW despite never receiving the "All Elite" graphic.

Before getting released in 2021, Black performed on the WWE roster as Aleister Black. Though he was eventually elevated to the main roster, he is often associated with his days on "WWE NXT," where he was at one point a top star on the brand. Black has spoken positively about his working relationship with Triple H, likely contributing to the perception that he hopes to return to WWE.