Following a match between Adam Cole and Malakai Black on this week’s AEW Dynamite, Cole thanked his opponent for the match before Black walked to the back.
After the gesture led to speculation online (including a report from Fightful Select) about his status, Black addressed the situation on a story posted to his Instagram account:
Here we are once more. The match is done and again everybody is, ‘Oh, he’s retiring. He’s retiring because of his injuries,’ and this and that. I’m neither of these things. I’m not injured, nor am I retiring, nor am I leaving. I feel this happens every match I have and I don’t understand how many times you’re going to say these things and them not happening and people are going to fall for that.
I haven’t been injured for more than three years. I’m referring to my back injury, of course, and I only posted about that after it was done. I’m fine. I’ve been fine for the longest time. I would really appreciate it if that stuff stops. If I’m going to retire, you’re going to hear it from me and not after Adam cuts a promo as a thank you for the match because that’s all it was.
Tony Khan stated in July 2022 that Black had “almost five years” left on his contract, a statement that Black previously denied.
Source: Fightful