If his recent actions hadn’t made it obvious, MJF made it crystal clear regarding his thoughts on Aleister/Malakai Black. Appearing on “The Ariel Helwani Show” on Tuesday, the previous AEW World Champion talked openly about former AEW wrestlers who he felt used the promotion as a “stepping stone” to try to get back to WWE. When asked to call the largest offender of this trend, MJF named Black.
“I believe it’s pretty obvious that that is Malakai Black,” MJF said. “But I do not know…I do not know the guy, like, on a private level. Do I believe he’s a nasty guy? No. Do I believe he’s a mark for wanting to have his ‘Oh, I want my Mania moment!’ Like, yeah. And there have been a pair guys like that, and so they got weeded out.”
While he did note that a few of the talents that left WWE had found success, MJF also wasn’t shy of declaring that some former AEW turned WWE talents could have learned that “the grass wasn’t greener.” Many would say this includes Black, who one 12 months after returning to WWE was released by the promotion, alongside his wife Zelina Vega.
Since his release, some reports have suggested Black may very well be on the way in which back to AEW, though AEW has since denied that. While MJF didn’t comment on those reports, he did challenge Black, and other wrestlers, to prove what he was saying flawed about using AEW as a stepping stone.
“Like I said, I’m not s*****g on him, I’m just simply telling you what I used to be told by a majority of the locker room about this specific individual,” MJF said. “In order a team captain, as a frontrunner, although yes, I’m 30, and as any individual that is been a component of this promotion since Day 1, I don’t desire to cope with guys that don’t desire to be team players. F**k off, go elsewhere. Or, f*****g prove me flawed. I’d like to be proved flawed. Or not it’s great. Prove me flawed.”
Should you use any of the quotes in this text, please credit “The Ariel Helwani Show” and supply a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription