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New Report Reveals Aleister Black's Expected WWE Return Date

Aleister Black is reportedly on his way back to WWE, and more information is out about when he'll re-debut with the company.
Rick Ucchino|
Aleister Black may be on his way back to WWE
Aleister Black may be on his way back to WWE | WWE.com

WWE is apparently on the verge of adding a couple of major talents to its already stacked roster.

The company aired two mysterious vignettes during Friday's episode of SmackDown, one of which was believed to be for former AEW talent Rey Fenix, the brother of current Raw star Penta.

The other blink and you'll miss it segment was reportedly for former and soon to be again, WWE Superstar, Aleister Black.

Black was granted his release from AEW last month after working for the company under the name Malakai Black since the summer of 2021. He was rumored to be WWE bound upon hitting free agency and Fightful Select is confirming that the smoke filled teaser was indeed for the former NXT Champion.

Cory Hays of PWNexus, meanwhile, is reporting that Black is not expected to re-debut in WWE prior to WrestleMania 41. His first appearance will likely come on the first Friday Night SmackDown after the 'Showcase of the Immortals' in Fort Worth, TX.

Malakai Black
Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

It would make sense for Black to be assigned to the Blue Brand as his wife Zelina Vega was moved to the SmackDown roster when the recent transfer portal window was open.

It's currently unclear when Rey Fenix will debut in WWE, but it is expected that he'll be reunited with his brother. Penta is set to compete this afternoon on Raw in a No Holds Barred Match with Ludwig Kaiser, but it would be surprising to see Fenix show up today since his first vignette aired just days ago.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com