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Malakai Black and the House of Black suffered a crushing defeat during last night's AEW All Out. The three stars put up a valiant effort against the team of Sting, Darby Allin, and Miro, but failed to topple the unlikely alliance.
With recent rumors suggesting that Black was on his way out of AEW, could the loss add further fuel to the fire? The Patriarch of The House of Black was the one pinned at the end, costing the team the entire bout.
After their match, Malakai Black took a bow towards the crowd, leading fans to further speculate about a possible exit. Continue reading as we suggest five possible directions for Malakai Black after his loss at AEW All Out.
#5. To slowly build up to a strong singles run in light of all the fan criticsm
Malakai Black first made his AEW debut as a strong and intimidating singles star, who immediately took out one of the promotion's biggest stars: Cody Rhodes. Soon after, Black would form his stable The House of Black, initially consisting of Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and most recently Julia Hart.
Losing during All Out could put the star in the right position to move away from trios matches and into a strong singles run. Fans on social media have often criticized Black's lack of title shots, and since forming his stable he has only had one singles match.
#4. To elevate The House of Black as an entity without Malakai Black
While Malakai Black might have formed the House of Black, the stable consists of some of the most talented stars on the roster. Brody King has proven to be a beast in the squared circle. Buddy Matthews initially wowed fans during his WWE run, but today the star is bigger and faster than ever before.
Similarly, Julia Hart seems to finally be coming out of her shell and has truly embraced her darker side. Additionally, she has not suffered a singles loss since April 6th, 2022.
Without their patriarch, The House could finally shine on its own without the reputation that Malakai Black brings to the table. The three stars can establish themselves and elevate the entire stable in the process.
#3. Setting up a clash between Malakai Black and The Redeemer, Miro
The Redeemer has been aching to get his hands on The House of Black since Malakai first blew poison mist into his eyes during AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door. Following the altercation, Miro cut a few promos, making his intentions clear before enlisting the aid of Sting and Darby Allin to even the numbers.
Now that The House of Black has been unsuccessful in taking on the former Bulgarian Brute, perhaps Malakai Black could take on the star all by himself? Continuing a feud after this loss where the two men take out their frustrations in a one-on-one bout could allow the storyline to have a more natural conclusion.
#2. The House of Black turns on Malakai, blaming him for costing them the match
While the team seemed more unified than ever after their grueling match last night, Malakai's loss might just be a good point to build toward a betrayal angle. Additionally, this could be an even better position to bring Bray Wyatt into AEW in order to take the reins of the stable from here on out.
The team could have an altercation with Malakai Black during next week's Dynamite where they blame him for the loss as well as the team not reaching the peak in AEW. King and Matthews could then introduce Bray Wyatt after a blackout, attacking their former leader and expelling him from The House of Black.
#1. Taking indefinite time off due to his reported mental health issues and/or back injury
While fan speculation has run rampant about why Malakai Black could have requested his release - with the majority clamoring for a return to WWE - the star is simply not in a good mental space. A report from PWInsider noted that Black is suffering from a number of personal issues and has even contemplated an early retirement.
While there's currently no actual word on the reason behind Black's moment with the crowd after last night's match, it's likely that he's being given time off to recuperate and recharge.
Fans will simply have to stay tuned to AEW to see what possible outcome will transpire and what Malakai Black's wrestling future holds.
