AEW News Roundup (July 9th, 2021): Malakai Black reveals why he signed with Tony Khan's promotion, WWE Hall of Famer on why Sting dropped his Surfer gimmick, and more
Welcome back to another exciting edition of the AEW News Roundup, where we bring you the biggest news stories coming from the world of All Elite Wrestling.
We'll begin today's stacked article with AEW's blockbuster acquisition, Malakai Black, who provided some revelations that led to him signing with AEW.
A WWE Hall of Famer has revealed why Sting decided to drop his popular Surfer gimmick back in the day. A top female star mentions Chris Jericho as her mentor. Whilst a former Cruiserweight Champion sends a stern warning to MJF.
And last but not least, a recently released WWE superstar has expressed his desire to face Kenny Omega in AEW.
That said, let's now get started with the latest AEW News Roundup.
#5. AEW's latest acquisition Malakai Black reveals why he signed with Tony Khan's promotion
AEW's return to the road with the Road Rager edition of the show kicked off with a bang. During a segment featuring the legendary Arn Anderson being interviewed by Tony Schiavone, the lights suddenly went off.
While many people considered it a technical glitch by the production team, AEW dropped perhaps the biggest bombshell. Tommy End, aka Malaki Black, appeared in the ring as soon as the lights came back on in a bone-chilling moment for anyone watching.
The former WWE superstar quickly made an emphatic statement by delivering a 'Black Mass' signature move to Arn Anderson and then Cody Rhodes.
It was stunning to see the former NXT champion showing up in a promotion without completing his 90-day non-compete clause. Later on, we did find out that it was a blunder from WWE, who failed to update his contract of 30 days period to 90 days.
Regardless, Malakai Black is certainly a blockbuster signee for AEW. He has added a lot of star power to the already stacked roster.
Following his debut, Black appeared via Twitch and revealed why he chose to sign with AEW. He stated that it was the right move for his career at this point. He further heaped praise on AEW, stating that they have a bright future and he's grateful to be a part of it,
"It was the right move to make for me, my family, my career, [and] the state of mind I'm in. It's just a really good company. I can't say enough good things about it. They have a bright future. There are a lot of dedicated people and I'm really glad to be part of it." said Malakai Black (H/T - Fightful)
His WWE career didn't yield much success despite the man carrying all the credentials to be a top star in the company. However, AEW could be just the right platform for Malakai Black to showcase his character and in-ring abilities.