Aleister Black opens up about current WWE after "unwillingly" leaving in 2021

Aleister Black returned to WWE television on the April 25 episode of SmackDown after four years away from the company. In a new interview, the former NXT Champion revealed how he feels about being part of WWE's new era.

Black was one of the top stars in Triple H's NXT brand before moving to the main roster in 2019. The Dutchman was surprisingly released by WWE in 2021, leading him to sign with AEW. Four years on, he is now working under Triple H's creative leadership on the main roster for the first time.

Asked on the Battleground Podcast about his return, Black only had positive things to say about life back in WWE:

"When I first stepped in, obviously there's a lot of old emotions that kind of come up for a little bit because it's something that you unwillingly left behind, and you're very, very lucky that you're one of the few people that gets another shot at something, and it was a very thoughtful day. But, in a strange way, it felt like I never left because everything was still the same in the most positive sense of the word." [4:24 – 4:54]

Black has recorded wins over Carmelo Hayes and The Miz since returning to WWE. On May 23, the 40-year-old lost a Money in the Bank Triple Threat qualifying match on SmackDown after LA Knight pinned Shinsuke Nakamura.

Aleister Black is grateful for WWE's new regime

In 2022, Triple H replaced Vince McMahon as the creative figurehead for WWE's main roster. The Game was a big supporter of Aleister Black in NXT, fueling rumors over the last three years about him rejoining WWE.

Expand Tweet

Without mentioning McMahon or Triple H by name, Black made it clear he is happy with the company's current creative direction:

"And then having the people that have always rallied behind me being in charge of everything, and giving me the directions that I need, and taking the time to have the conversations with me leading up to all of this, felt like anything short of having the red carpet rolled out for me." [4:54 – 5:13]

Black also addressed whether he could renew his AEW rivalry with Cody Rhodes in WWE.

Please credit the Battleground Podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use Aleister Black's quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

Know More

Edited by Danny Hart