WWE News: Aleister Black's main roster call-up was a split second decision
What's the story?
Since Aleister Black and Ricochet were split up during the Superstar Shake-Up, we haven't seen the former NXT Champion in-ring. A few vignettes have popped up, with the Striking Man from Amsterdam begging for someone to start a fight with him. Many feel like Black was called up without any real plan worked out for him, and according to him, that may actually be the case.
In case you didn't know...
For two years, Aleister Black was one of the most exciting members of the NXT roster. Battling guys like Andrade, Velveteen Dream, Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, and Tommaso Ciampa, the Anti-Hero always managed to leave crowds wanting more.
His mysterious persona mixed with his deadly array of strikes drew the WWE Universe to him, and in no time he became one of the top stars on the brand. A year after his debut, he captured the NXT Championship.
A year later, Black was pulling double duty as an NXT and main roster performer, teaming up with fellow call-up Ricochet, both of whom were brought up along with Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano with little explanation behind the decision. The duo fought for two seperate Tag Team Championships during WrestleMania weekend, but failed to capture either. After that, they were split, with Ricochet heading to Raw and Black moving on to SmackDown.
The heart of the matter
On a recent episode of Sheamus's Celtic Warrior Workouts, Aleister Black and Zelina Vega trained with the former WWE Champion while also delving into their time with the WWE.
During the episode, Black revealed that there was no real plan for his current run on the main roster, and that it was a decision made out of the blue, stating that he'd received the news of his move as he was laying down for a nap before an NXT live event.
I wasn't scheduled to be called up. It was a last minute decision. I was going to take a 45-minute nap. I had my phone by me, and it starts to go off, and it's Coach Bloom. He said, 'I have some news for you,' and as a joke, I said, 'You're firing me'. He said, 'Something like that. This Sunday you're flying to Tennessee, and this Monday you make your debut on Raw and Tuesday on SmackDown'.
What's next?
Black has continued to call out the SmackDown locker room over the past month, demanding someone challenge him to a fight. So far, no one has been brave enough to answer his challenge. It seems that, until that happens, the Dutch Destroyer will remain behind the curtain.
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