Aleister Black Reflects on Brody King’s Success in AEW, Reveals Collaborative Departure Strategy

Former AEW star Aleister Black has expressed immense satisfaction with the flourishing career of his ex-stablemate, Brody King, within All Elite Wrestling. Black, now competing in WWE’s SmackDown roster alongside Zelina Vega, recently detailed the circumstances surrounding his departure from AEW and the collaborative spirit that defined the disbanding of The House of Black.

Before transitioning to WWE in February 2025, Black spearheaded The House of Black, a formidable faction alongside King, Buddy Matthews, and Julia Hart. King has since achieved significant milestones, including capturing AEW World Tag Team Championship gold with Bandido and challenging for the AEW World Championship, ultimately falling to MJF. Black’s insights came during a recent interview with The Stunner, where he revealed a proactive discussion with King and Matthews prior to his exit.

A Mutual Decision for Growth

“It was a very thorough conversation between me, Brody, and Buddy,” Black explained. “They were in agreement. They were like, ‘Yeah, we also think that it might be best, you know, to change course.’ Because we felt that we were hitting a wall constantly. Not in a malicious way, not in a bad way. Like, there’s only so much room and so much time for everybody, which is fine.” This acknowledgment highlights a mature understanding of the dynamics within a competitive wrestling environment.

Black further elaborated on his belief in King’s potential, stating, “I said to Brody, ‘I think once I go one direction, I think you will eventually see a big explosion in regards to how you are being perceived as.’ And I’m glad that we see that now because the whole reason why I initially told Tony [Khan] about Brody was because I already saw that. I knew how good he could be.”

Refining a Powerful Presence

Interestingly, Black revealed a conscious effort to refine King’s in-ring style early on. “Even when we first started moving around with him, I had to kind of tone him down a little bit because he’s a big human being. He came out of an era where a lot of big guys would still do flips and stuff like that. I would say, ‘I’d like for you to be more effective. One elbow from you equals dude on the ground and not getting back up.’ Instead of like five forearms and a clothesline.” This demonstrates Black’s keen eye for character work and his ability to help King maximize his impact.

“He picked up on that tremendously,” Black continued. “He saw that it was more effective. He saw that it helped his character get over. He was just one of those guys that I feel was a big diamond in the rough. He’s a good dude. I have a lot of love for him. We fight like brothers, even back then, and sometimes I’m his dad and sometimes he’s my dad. We’ve always had a good relationship, and I am very, very happy for him. Because that’s what should happen. Unique guy, charismatic guy, talented guy.”

While King has experienced considerable success, Buddy Matthews’ progress has been hampered by a long-term ankle injury, sidelining him for over a year, according to reports from F4WOnline.

Black’s final AEW match took place in November 2024, paving the way for his move to WWE. He now performs on SmackDown, alongside his wife, Zelina Vega.

Do you think collaborative departures are becoming more common in professional wrestling? And how important is mentorship in shaping the careers of rising stars like Brody King?

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