Add as a preferred source on Google MJF once again got the pro-wrestling world talking after making some harsh comments about Malakai Black, who recently left WWE.
During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, the former AEW World Champion said Black was the clearest example of someone who used Tony Khan’s company as a bridge back to WWE.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that [the biggest offender was] Malakai Black,” MJF said. “But I don’t know the guy, like, on a personal level. Do I think he’s a bad guy? No. Do I think he was a mark for wanting to have his, ‘Oh, I need my Mania moment.’ Yeah, and there were a couple of guys like that, and they got weeded out.
“And then they went over there and some of them found out the grass isn’t greener. And perhaps some of them did, for them the grass was greener. But I’d say a majority of the guys that were like, ‘I’m just going to use All Elite Wrestling to go back to WWE,’ I think you’re going to see a lot of those guys asked for a 50 percent pay cut from the office. Or you’re going to see a lot of those guys just get released. And it’s unfortunate because if you show up to our company and you work hard, there’s really no need to burn bridges.”
Black arrived in AEW in 2021, shortly after being released by WWE, and formed House of Black alongside Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and Julia Hart. The group went on to win the AEW World Trios Championship.
His run, however, was marked by frustration, injuries, and speculation that he wanted to return to WWE, something he publicly denied. Black returned to the Stamford company in 2025, but was released again in April 2026.