Malakai Black has opened up about his future in professional wrestling following his PROGRESS World Championship victory.
The former WWE and AEW star captured the PROGRESS Men’s World Championship on Sunday, defeating Cara Noir and adding another major accomplishment to his career.
Speaking after the victory, Black reflected on leaving Europe for the United States a decade ago and admitted that he doesn’t know whether his days appearing regularly on television are over.
“10 years ago, when I left for the United States, and obviously, the rest is history—WWE, AEW—and honestly, I don’t know if my time on TV is done. I don’t know. I hope not. But at the same time, if this [Progress] is home, then this is the best home that I could wish for.”
Black also thanked the fans who have supported him throughout the different stages of his career, from his earlier years through WWE and AEW and now back to PROGRESS.
“For those of you who’ve been with me from the start, I thank you. For those of you who came with me when they got here, or to WWE or AEW, and that’s why you’re here, again, you are welcome on board. I’m on whatever crazy train this is, and I don’t know where it stops, but I feel that holding this [the title] in my hand, I feel invincible.
There’s unequivocally a lot that you can doubt about me, especially nowadays when there’s all sorts of strange narratives out, and I can’t convince you that they are not true. I can only tell you, in a test of my own character, that they are not. However, the one thing that you cannot do is question my loyalty to professional wrestling, but most importantly, my loyalty to the people who made me what I am.”
Black’s comments leave the door open to another television run, while making it clear that he views PROGRESS as a place he would be comfortable calling home if that opportunity doesn’t materialize.
The championship victory came in Black’s first PROGRESS appearance since 2017 and his first match outside Dark Arts Wrestling following his WWE departure earlier this year.
@nhbelts Malakai Black AKA Aleister Black wins the Progress World championship in Manchester and gives an emotional speech. #progresswrestling #wrestlingtiktok #wrestling #wwe #malakaiblack ♬ original sound – NHBELTS
