Malakai Black confirms AEW release request after heartbreaking loss, injuries and more-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Malakai Black is taking some time for himself (Picture: AEW)

Malakai Black has confirmed he requested his release from All Elite Wrestling.

The former WWE superstar – who was known as Aleister Black during his time there – joined Tony Khan’s AEW promotion in July 2021 but now appears to be leaving as he focuses on his own health and well-being after a difficult two years.

In a lengthy statement shared on social media, he wrote: ‘I did indeed ask for my release, the last 2 years of my life have lended to a lot of set backs.

‘Both me and my wife [WWE star Zelina Vega] have been affected by uncontrollable actions from the outside that resulted in loss of life, medical set backs, career jeopardizing, the suicide of a close friend and a close family member almost losing their life, then experiencing an injury that I was sure was the end of my career.

‘I spend every week going through several sessions of rehab, dry needling and therapy just to be able to walk and compete.

‘Now this being the tip of the iceberg and with the combination of the promises in my professional field that were not upheld which resulted as a combination of all of these to a complete demoralization of life and career. This decision had been in my mind for the past six months.’

He noted while he can’t say when things ‘all went wrong’, he has learned to realise when he has to take a step back.

He continued: ‘It’s hard to really put a finger and say “this was the moment it all went wrong.” But I can tell you after many years that I have learned from a rational point of view to see when I need to hit the breaks; which is what this is.

‘Perhaps once my mind settles on certain things and processes the last 2 years a bit better I will convey (via a different platform than written out) what the exacts were that happened, and have a more informed conversation about them.

‘For now know that I am good, and am taking, for the first time in 22 years, a few months to recalibrate the last 2 decades of my life.’

Black also addressed reading parts of ‘private conversations between myself and AEW in regards to my mental well being on the internet’, explaining they were ‘not meant to be shared with the public’.

He continued: ‘As by now most people realize I am a very private person and do not feel the need to have stuff like this out on the internet.

‘If you’ve been following me longer than a cup of coffee you’re aware I’ve spoken about them prior but would like to be the one deciding when this finds it’s way to the public and not through someone else’s mouth, as with anything through the lips of someone else: that story gets distorted.’

He concluded by letting fans know they’ll see him ‘soon enough’, while also urging people to only take notice of things he directly says himself.

He said: ‘Lastly, I have read a few narratives online in regards to my “release”, mental health and my personal life that I can summarize swiftly; if it didn’t come from me, it didn’t happen.

‘Stuff about conditional releases, stuff in my marriage or using said mental health to leverage the other when as I said before that part wasn’t even going to be part of the public conversation are false. My marriage is fine, I am fine. It is just time to make sure those things stay that way.’

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