The One AEW Star Who Admits Aleister Black Changed His Career Trajectory

AEW’s Swerve Strickland spoke warmly about Tommy End — better known as Aleister Black or Malakai Black — following Black’s release from WWE in April 2026, saying he hopes Black and his wife Zelina Vega find a place that fulfills them.

Speaking to Bootleg Kev, Strickland was asked about rumors that Black could return to AEW. He didn’t advocate for or against it, focusing instead on what he wants for Black personally.

“I just hope that Aleister — I’ll speak to, I hope Tommy finds what he’s looking for in this industry, this part in his career. Both very talented, incredible people. Incredible talents in itself. I just hope they find something that gives them the type of — I don’t know what it is that he’s really looking for, whatever it is, I hope they find some place that gives them that, you know what I mean?

“Because he has so many great ideas. He’s one of the guys that got me into NXT. Like, him talking with Terry Taylor and he’s like, ‘This is the guy you gotta watch out for.’ I did tape studies with him in 2017. My last indie run, he was the guy I was going to. He really helped my mind a lot at that stage in my career. So I just hope, like, he finds the place that gives him whatever it is that can fulfill him in the industry again.”

Black and Vega were both released by WWE during the company’s April 2026 roster cuts. AEW has refuted reports that it is already in negotiations with Black for a return.