Report: Malakai Black Held Talks With MLW

Malakai Black held talks with a pro wrestling promotion following his WWE release, but he seemingly won't be wrestling for the company in the near future.

Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp has reported there was preliminary contact between Malakai Black and Major League Wrestling just a couple of weeks after Black was released by WWE in April 2026 in the aftermath of WrestleMania 42.

The conversations didn't go very far, however, and conversations have not picked up now that Black is officially a free agent following the expiry of his 90-day non-compete clause in July. Things reportedly did not go awry during talks, but no progress was made.

Since he officially became a free agent, Malakai Black has confirmed his return to the ring name he used while a part of All Elite Wrestling, as opposed to a return to his Tommy End moniker.

Black and wife Xelina (FKA Zelina Vega) have been booked by PROGRESS Wrestling so far. Black will be working three dates on the PROGRESS Odyssey Tour in Edinburgh, Leeds, and Manchester on September 4, September 5, and September 6, while Xelina will be working the Manchester show.

Fightful also noted that sources within All Elite Wrestling have claimed that, as of now, they have not heard Malakai Black is returning to the company. Black previously wrestled for AEW from 2021 until 2025, although people within AEW were said to be "pretty negative" about the prospect of Black returning to the promotion despite those bridges not being considered burnt. Three-time AEW World Champion MJF described Black as the biggest offender of a wrestler who came to All Elite Wrestling to use the company as a stepping stone to get back to WWE.