AEW's Malakai Black Not Interested In Always Referencing WWE

Malakai Black has reinvented himself since signing with All Elite Wrestling, having moved away from his former Tommy End and Aleister Black gimmicks to his Malakai character centred around corruption and the House of Black.

On the same day as his AEW debut, Black posted the teaser clip 'The Devil Made Me Do It' which showed the former NXT Champion struggling with his thoughts before he murdered a doctor. Upon being asked his name, Black said it was Malakai, highlighting his transition to his post-WWE character.

Speaking about the clip on Casual Conversations, Black noted the video was not "a dig at WWE" and was just his way to transition from his past character to Malakai.

On his eye being corrupted in AEW, Black said: "A lot of people think it's strictly a tie-in from my previous engagement. It is and it isn't. First and foremost, The Devil Made Me Do It is not a dig at WWE. It wasn't an 'I was locked up in a mental (hospital)', it was me doing a creative way of... how do I go from this person of Aleister Black to whatever installment is next? How do I do it in a way that I find entertaining and I can build on it."

Black was later asked about a potential feud with Adam Cole, who he faced previously in WWE NXT, and the 36-year-old revealed he doesn't want to always reference his past in WWE because he wants to focus on "the here and now."

"Personally, the reason why I created the Malakai IP is because I wanted to do something fresh. I had a clean slate. Sure, there are tie-ins to stuff, there will always be tie-ins, I want it to be different enough and moulded enough to be different, unique, and enhanced to what I have done prior and not alienate the fanbase I already have. I personally don't always want to reference [WWE] and the reason why is I want to represent and create the here and now," he added.

H/T to Fightful