WWE

Malakai Black Works First Match Since WWE Release

Malakai Black wrestled his first match since his WWE release, defeating trainee J Villa at The Dark Arts Gym.

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Malakai Black Works First Match Since WWE Release

Malakai Black is back in the ring. The former WWE star wrestled for the first time since his release this past Saturday, August 22, at The Dark Arts Gym, taking on his own trainee, J Villa.

The bout was part of the Dark Prospects program and was billed as a teacher-versus-student showdown, with the gym framing it as Villa’s “final exam.” Black picked up the win, ending a stretch of just over four months away from official in-ring competition.

His last match in WWE came on April 17, when he competed in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on Friday Night SmackDown while still going by Aleister Black. One week later, on April 24, he was among the wave of talent cuts the company made following WrestleMania 42.

The 90-day non-compete tied to his WWE contract expired in July, clearing him to work elsewhere.

Prior to the surprise appearance at The Dark Arts Gym, Black’s first post-WWE match was expected to come in September with PROGRESS Wrestling.

Black is set to face Donovan Dijak on September 4 in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the opening night of the Odyssey Tour. The following day in Leeds, he’ll team with Daz Black to take on Luke Jacobs and Tommy Tanner. The tour wraps up on September 6 in Manchester.