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Aleister Black has been on a tear ever since he debuted on WWE NXT. He transitioned seamlessly to the main roster, becoming a very valuable part of the WWE roster almost at once. Many see him as the potential successor of The Undertaker. He certainly has the skill and the mystique for such a role.
But the fact is that him, along with others like Robert Roode and Ruby Riott did not make the cut at Money In The Bank 2019. Why was he left out of such a prominent role? I will speculate in this article, with your permission.
Be sure to lend me your ear and also voice your thoughts in the comments section right below. Just remember that this is pure speculation, and I claim to have no backstage knowledge of why Black actually missed out.
But then again, I can make a few informed guesses, as follows...
#5 Character is not fully fleshed out
Ever since Aleister Black came over to SmackDown Live from RAW to be closer to his wife Zelina Vega, the company has been teasing a brand new character for him. He appears, clothed in all black, and cuts enigmatic promos addressing the WWE Universe. It just seems at this juncture that his story is only half told and it'll be a while before he makes his debut.
I guess parallels can be drawn to Bray Wyatt and The Firefly Fun House as well. But while Bray Wyatt is an established commodity, bear in mind that not as many people know about Aleister Black yet. Only a handful of people that watch the main roster also follow NXT.
Even if they know of him, they know him as a tag team competitor only. WWE is biding their time to build Black up before they re-debut him in the main roster.
#4 Abundance of talent on SmackDown Live for now
You can always say that it is unfair that Aleister Black did not get selected for the Money In The Bank lineup. But then again, if you consider the talent of the men who were shortlisted, you'd be hard pressed to contest the fact that the men who did make it didn't deserve it. Each one of the men who's in the match is simply awesome.
You have someone like Randy Orton, who's done it all in the business. You have someone like Ali, who is certain to pull off what should be the high spot of the match, from atop the Money In The Bank ladder. You also have someone like Finn Balor, who is one of the favourites in the match.
Because there's such a wealth of talent on the blue brand, chances are that not everyone will get to showcase their wares. And such is the case.
#3 To maintain his mystique
I've had a chance to interact with a lot of legends in the business thanks to my job at Sportskeeda, and they've all told me how everyone does everything these days and how wrestling moves don't mean anything anymore. There needs to be a 'less is more' approach with Aleister Black that's not possible in a Money In The Bank ladder match.
If you watch the original Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels ladder match, you'll notice that it wasn't a flip fest at all. Unfortunately, the current incarnation of the match has devolved into one, and it's a crying shame.
Aleister Black will be a lot more enigmatic if he stays away from such matches, in my opinion. In fact, I would say that as good as his pairing with Ricochet was, his dark and mysterious NXT persona was better from a character standpoint.
Aleister Black needs to just be a special attraction.
#2 Because it's quite obvious that he will not win
Aleister Black has all the talent in the world. Nobody can doubt the fact that he is on the verge of becoming a breakout star in his own right very soon indeed. However, at this point in time, it's too soon for him to become the WWE Champion.
Moreover, it does not really suit his character to hold a briefcase that he can cash in at any time for a match. Someone like Andrade or even Randy Orton would be far better served to win a title in this cowardly manner. If Black does win the championship, he'll do so with a flurry of fists and blistering kicks.
It's all too likely that Kofi Kingston will stand tall at Money In The Bank against Kevin Owens. It would also be very odd if Black were to cash in on a babyface like Kofi Kingston.
#1 To not shove him down our throats like Roman Reigns was
One of the worst things you can do to a WWE superstar is have him rise up the ranks too fast and have the fans rebel against him. It may have worked for the likes of Goldberg and The Ultimate Warrior in the past, but this is 2019 and the rules are no longer the same.
WWE made the same mistake with Roman Reigns once upon a time and they paid dearly as their top babyface began to get booed by the fans. Yes, he did manage to bounce back and become a top star in his own right, but the company will not want to repeat the same mistake with Aleister Black.
Black needs to rise from the bottom all the way to the top and yes, fans need to come along for the ride. That's the only way he'll get over.
Do you agree?
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