Aleister Black is one of the most imposing men in wrestling today. After spending a couple of years competing in AEW, Black made his return to WWE on April 25, 2025. It was a return that was strongly speculated to happen for months. However, now that he is back, he is determined to continue his path of destruction that he has been on throughout his entire career.
Related
4 Feuds We Want From Aleister Black’s WWE Return
Aleister Black is finally back in WWE. Here are four names that would be great to see him compete against.
Black is a wrestler who cares deeply about the details of his character. He is interested in the why and how a character got to be a certain way. So when it came to his kayfabe eye injury that he sustained in 2020, that is something he has kept as a frequent part of his character. To this day, it is noticeable that he still keeps the injured eye looking different than the other. So, just how did that happen? Well, here is the story of Aleister Black’s eye.
UPDATE: 2025/05/13 13:20 EST BY BENJAMIN VIEIRA
Aleister Black is finally back in WWE. After spending a few years in AEW, it is now time for him to embark on a new chapter in his career as a part of WWE again. But he is not returning without a couple key marks of his character. In his last run in WWE, Black sustained a kayfabe injury to his eye. As someone who is big on details, Black continued to keep this as a part of his character. In AEW, he exaggerated it with make-up. In WWE today, he keeps it with a lense in his eye that differentiates it from his normal eye. So, let’s learn more about the journey of Aleister Black.
Aleister Black’s Injury Dates Back To 2020
Seth Rollins Orchestrated The Attack
- Black was feuding with Rollins and Murphy.
- Murphy pressed Black’s eye into the steel steps.
- Black was released from WWE in 2021.
The origins of Black’s eye injury trace back much further than most would assume. At that point in time, Buddy Matthews was also in the company, competing under the name Buddy Murphy. He was the disciple of the “Monday Night Messiah”, Seth Rollins.
Seth Rollins and Matthew were in a feud with Black. During an episode of Raw, Seth ordered his disciple to drive Aleister’s eye into the metal stairs outside the ring. Buddy obeyed and severely damaged Aleister’s right eye. He wore a bandage over his eye for the rest of the feud.
Aleister Black Infected Tommy End
He Carried This Feature Of His Character To AEW
- Black used the name Tommy End on the indies.
- After being released by WWE, he joined AEW in 2021.
- He kept the damage done to his eye as a part of his character.
Related
15 Most Hated WWE Wrestlers Right Now
Whether it’s through their own doing or because of the way they’re booked, these WWE wrestlers have drawn the ire of fans everywhere.
Aleister Black’s first appearance outside WWE was in a vignette posted to his Instagram page. In it, he once again had a bandage over his right eye. The plot of the vignette saw Tommy End (his former name before WWE) undergo a psych evaluation in a mental facility. The appointment erupts into violence as Black breaks the chain of his handcuffs, rips out one doctor’s throat, and leaves the room. As he walks away, the viewer can see that his right eye is completely white, save for the pupil.
When Black appeared in AEW, his eye was still white and now had darkness spreading out of it (portrayed through Malakai’s face paint). It looked as though an infection was spreading throughout Black’s face.
Aleister Black Had The Ability To Infect Others
It Was A Part Of Storylines In AEW With The House Of Black
- The renamed Malakai Black led The House of Black.
- It featured himself, Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and Julia Hart.
- He is a former AEW Trios World Champion.
Similarly to how Black took over Tommy End, Black spread this infection to others. He does so through the black mist he spits into his opponents’ faces. This explains why Malakai Black spit on Brody King’s face to induct him into the House of Black in AEW. Julia Hart was infected by this same evil when Malakai Black spit mist in her face. This attack is what turned Julia from the bubbly cheerleader of the Varsity Blondes to the strong, occultist young lady she is now.
Some wrestlers, like Pac and Cody Rhodes, were more able to resist the infection than others. It’s not completely clear what determines the effect that Malakai’s mist has on them. What’s interesting is that Buddy never got mist in the face, but was a part of House of Black nonetheless. This could suggest that he was already corrupted before he reached AEW. This theory holds ground when you remember the history between Matthews and Black.
Aleister Black’s Eye Remains Different In 2025
Black Recently Returned To WWE On SmackDown
- After leaving AEW, Black returned to WWE in 2025.
- He is feuding with The Miz and Carmelo Hayes.
- He is a part of the SmackDown roster.
Related
2 WWE Raw Storylines That Are Working Well (& 3 That Are Stuck In A Rut)
While some WWE Raw storylines have fans coming back for more every week, others have overstayed their welcome.
In the aftermath of WrestleMania 41, Black once again made his presence felt when he attacked The Miz upon his return to WWE. Black, as cold and calculated as he always has been, took out the former WWE Champion with a Black Mass, knocking The Miz out easily.
However, one feature of Black that was very apparent was that his eye was still not healed. At a time when professional wrestling has been embracing realism to a far greater degree than it used to, Black is operating in a different way. He is embracing storytelling and selling his eye injury as a major part of what makes him the character that he is. It is a subtle but brilliant use of kayfabe in the modern era of professional wrestling. As time goes on, it will be interesting to see how Aleister Black furthers his character with the eye injury.
