Jim Ross Says AEW's Malakai Black Reminds Him Of This WWE Hall Of Famer

The future of Malakai Black has emerged as a hot topic of conversation lately, as his AEW contract is believed to be expiring at the end of 2024 or early 2025. Black has since indicated that he is not leaving AEW nor is he injured or retiring like some speculated after he lost to Adam Cole on "AEW Dynamite" last week. Regardless of what the future might hold for the House of Black member, though, AEW commentator Jim Ross maintains a high regard for him, so much so that he views him in a light similar to that of a WWE Hall of Famer.

"[Malakai] is one of my favorite characters,"Ross said on "Grilling JR." "He's a smart guy. He's a hell of a worker. He can be a babyface or a heel. Wherever he's going to go, he's going to make money. He's going to be an asset to any company that he works for ... I think his future is always going to be bright. He's a creative guy. His tattoos are interesting as hell. He's a very creative guy. He likes to express himself. He reminded me, when I first met him, of circa Jake ['The Snake'] Roberts, in that kind of mystical voodoo s***."

Much like Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Black came to AEW with previous experience in WWE. In Roberts' case, however, his AEW arrival didn't prompt a return to the ring, but rather the introduction of his managerial services to clients such as Lance Archer and La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush, Dralístico, and The Beast Mortos). Meanwhile, Black cemented himself as the leader of The House of Black, which consists of him, Julia Hart, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Grilling JR" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.