Malakai Black is a ready-made champion for AEW’s future

Fans are ready for Malakai Black to reach the main event with a singles championship run to call his own. 

All Elite Wrestling has several names on the roster that could be in line for a championship title run. MJF is in the midst of a reign that could very well last through 2023, and there aren’t any clear indicators of the man to take that belt off his waist. But there is one man hiding in the shadows that should be considered for a championship run sooner, rather than later. That man is Malakai Black.

Black’s run in AEW will spur some debate. One on hand, he came in hot as a foil to Cody Rhodes. Then on the other, there are long runs of time when he was kept on television, and rumors around why ranged through a variety of topics. But regardless of where one stands in the debate, no one can deny that Black is a talented performer that fans consistently rally behind.

As the House of Black, he with Buddy Matthews and Brody King are one of the best attractions in the promotion today. Their triple-threat matches push a sense of pace and urgency that make the trios’ division such an enjoyable watch. AEW has struggled to keep them on television, as they’ve had only three matches from March 15 through May 10. That’s not nearly enough for the ravenous fans that want to see their destruction each week.

The AEW trios’ division needs depth, so it’s hard to see any team coming along and taking the belts from these men anytime soon. Until then, it is hard to picture a situation where AEW could elevate Black again as a singles performer. Still, it is a task that the company should begin to invest time in, with the goal of making that run happen at some point in 2024.

Pushing Black as a singles performer would not only help him but also create some excitement around the rest of the faction. Slot Matthews and King into the tag team division and the still developing Julia Hart into the women’s division – and this is a chance to build a faction that dominates the entire promotion.

Black checks all the boxes necessary to become the singles star fans want to see. He has an exceptionally distinct look from his peers on the roster. His in-ring performances are among the best, it doesn’t matter if it is a one-on-one match or a six-man tag. Plus, he can work the microphone – although his promos and vignettes can be a bit tedious to get through. AEW can still work the magic of production to improve there. The one big drawback is how the “cult-like” characters would fit at the top of an AEW card that exists in more “reality,” but that is for the writers to figure out.

All Elite Wrestling is spoiled with its stacked roster and potential to build for the future. Malakai Black may not have the youth as some members of the company, but he has all the tools necessary to justify a run as a main-event champion in the future.