It looks like Malakai Black has been granted his conditional release from AEW.
Reports have been swirling since prior to AEW All Out that Malakai Black had requested his release from his AEW contract and that it had been denied. Now, it seems the company have decided to grant him the release.
Now, Fightful Select are now reporting that AEW talent believe Black has been granted his release.
Numerous talent informed us that they’ve been told that Malakai Black is done with the company for the foreseeable future, with many saying that he got his release. AEW sources claim that the release is highly conditional, which isn’t usually the case for the company. Usually, AEW doesn’t even release talent outside of disciplinary reasons, and requests for release are done on a case-by-case basis. We’re told by many in the company that Tony Khan specifically wanted to retain Black, and hoped to see him as a part of the brand “for years to come.” There were efforts to have conversations to salvage the working relationship that AEW believed were fruitful, however we’re told that a meeting took place sometime recently and it was decided that if Black wanted out, they should probably allow it. Black kissed goodbye and bowed to the AEW crowd after All Out. Talent are of the belief that there are heavy restrictions on Black, and there may be more to the agreement, including conditions that would prevent him from wrestling elsewhere any time soon. Black withdrew from a September 9 indie show in Ohio, according to PWInsider. AEW sources told us that the door isn’t closed on a potential return for Black as far as they’ve heard.
Fightful Select
Black would lose at All Out, eating the pinfall from Darby Allin in a trios match.
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