Aleister Black has broken his silence following his WWE departure, unveiling a striking new appearance in his first vignette since becoming a free agent.

Shared to Instagram on Thursday with the caption, "I am the death of me," the cinematic video offers fans a glimpse into Black's current lifestyle. The footage follows him through a series of daily activities, including painting miniature models, spending time at a shooting range, delivering a speech, and working out. However, the defining moment comes when he shaves off his trademark long hair before transitioning into an intense Muay Thai training session.

The dramatic transformation immediately caught the attention of fans. Throughout both his WWE and AEW careers, Black was known for his long hair, making the clean shaven look one of the biggest talking points from the video.

The focus on Muay Thai also reflects Black's legitimate combat sports background. Before entering professional wrestling, he competed as a kickboxer, with his striking ability becoming one of the defining aspects of his in ring style.

Black was released by WWE on April 24 as part of the company's post WrestleMania 42 roster cuts. His 90 day non compete clause officially expired on July 23, making him free to sign and appear wherever he chooses.

His final WWE match came on the April 17 edition of SmackDown in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Prior to his release, he had remained a regular fixture on television, working programs with Damian Priest, Randy Orton, Sami Zayn, and Matt Cardona during the opening months of 2026.

This marked Black's second departure from WWE. He originally signed with the company in 2016, capturing the NXT Championship before leaving in 2021. He later joined AEW under the Malakai Black name, where he led the House of Black alongside Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and Julia Hart, with the group capturing the AEW World Trios Championship.

After departing AEW in early 2025, Black returned to WWE that April following a series of mysterious teaser vignettes that first aired during SmackDown in Barcelona.

As of now, Black has not revealed what promotion he intends to join next or whether he will continue competing under the Aleister Black or Malakai Black name. His wife, Zelina Vega, was also released by WWE during the same round of roster cuts and has since filed a trademark application for a new ring name.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tommy End (@tombuedgen)