Malakai Black Addresses Departure, Injury Rumors Following AEW Dynamite Match

Is it that time of year again? Following his match against Adam Cole during last night's "AEW Dynamite," rumors emerged online regarding Malakai Black and his status with the promotion. In reaction to the rumors, Black has once again taken to social media to clear things up, posting a temporary video to his Instagram Story.

"I'm not injured, nor am I retiring, nor am I leaving," said a clearly frustrated Black. "I haven't been injured in more than three years. ... I would really appreciate it if that stuff stops, man. If I'm gonna retire, you're gonna hear it from me, and not after Adam cuts a promo just as a thank you for that match, and that's all it was."

According to a report that emerged following last night's rumors, Black's AEW contract is believed to expire at the end of 2024 or sometime in early 2025. The AEW star's social media post indicated that he isn't leaving the promotion, making it unclear if he has signed a new contract or if he simply meant he wasn't departing immediately.

As implied by Black, this is not the first time rumors have emerged that suggest the wrestler wants out of AEW. Back in 2022, another set of reports indicated that Black asked for his AEW release after being contacted by WWE — something that Black later denied on social media.

After taking a few months away, Black returned to AEW later that year. Apart from a few short breaks, Black has wrestled fairly consistently in the promotion ever since. Following his loss against Cole last night, Black rejected his opponent's handshake and instead brought him in for a hug, calling back to the two men's shared time on WWE's NXT brand.