Former WWE NXT Champion Aleister Black Reportedly in Active Negotiations With AEW

AEW is reportedly in discussions to bring back a former NXT Champion, who was released from his WWE contract on Apr. 24.

Five days after WrestleMania 42 concluded, WWE released 23 superstars from their contracts. That included Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, The Wyatt Sicks, Apollo Crews and Malik Blade.

In another stunner, news broke last Saturday that WWE parted ways with The New Day (Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston). The tag team had been together since 2014, winning 13 titles together.

Unsurprisingly, it sounds like the rival AEW promotion is working quickly to reunite with one of the recently released WWE talents.

According to a report from SEScoops, Aleister Black is currently negotiating with AEW. At this time, however, they have not finalized a contract:

"Recently released WWE Superstar Aleister Black, known outside the ring Tom Budgen, is in active negotiations with All Elite Wrestling, SEScoops has learned. The development directly contradicts a wave of reporting over the past two weeks that suggested AEW had no interest in welcoming the former House of Black leader back to the company.

According to a source with direct knowledge of the discussions, those conversations are happening regardless of the public framing. Terms have not been finalized, and no agreement is in place."

Black, a one-time NXT Champion, joined WWE in 2016. He was released as part of budget cuts in June 2021,signing with AEW one month later, where he performed as Malakai Black.

Black Spent Four Years in AEW

Black would enjoy a four-year tenure in AEW after his initial release from WWE. He won the AEW World Trios Championship once with Brody King and Buddy Matthews (known as Buddy Murphy in WWE).

AEW's decision to part ways with Black was largely surprising, given his success as a tag team and mid-card performer. Of course, it was hard for Black's fans not to be excited when he jumped on the opportunity to return to WWE in Apr. 2025.

We'll have to wait and see if AEW and Black manage to reach an agreement on a new deal. Assuming his WWE contract carried a standard 90-day non-compete clause, he wouldn't be able to appear until late July, anyway.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 5:50 PM.