Triple H may be planning big return for WWE Royal Rumble 2025 with recent ex-WWE departure from AEW
Speculation surrounds Malakai Black’s AEW status following Will Ospreay’s post-match promo suggesting changes in House of Black leadership.
Recent developments suggest Malakai Black’s tenure with AEW might be reaching its conclusion. Fightful Select reports that backstage sentiment indicates Black’s departure from the company may have already occurred or is imminent.
The situation gained attention during the January 8, 2025 episode of AEW Dynamite when Will Ospreay defeated Buddy Matthews. Following the match, Ospreay’s promo suggested Matthews no longer required leadership, hinting at potential changes within the House of Black structure.
Black’s most recent appearance came at AEW Full Gear 2024, participating in a Four-Way match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship alongside Matthews. While Black remains listed on AEW’s roster page, his contractual status remains unclear.
In 2022, AEW President Tony Khan discussed Black’s contract details:
Black had nearly five years left on his deal
Khan also mentioned options for additional years beyond 2025, though their current status remains undisclosed.
Triple H Discusses Breaking Down Wrestling’s Fourth Wall
During WWE RAW’s historic Netflix debut, Triple H’s opening promo and narration of the show’s cold open featured notable use of industry terminology. The executive addressed this creative decision during the post-show press conference:
The reaction seems like we did a good job with it. That was the intent, to capture the emotion and let people know, we’re not hiding what we do. I saw a lot of chatter today from people saying, ‘Oh my God, they said heel and face and shoot and work in one promo.’ We’re not hiding what we do. That’s what we do
Triple H emphasized that these terms have transcended wrestling’s boundaries, becoming part of broader cultural understanding. He explained that the approach aimed to honor longtime viewers while making the product accessible to new audiences through Netflix.
The press conference also included subtle hints about future developments, including potential plans for Penta’s WWE debut against Chad Gable on January 13th.