Aleister Black (now known as Malakai Black in AEW) made a name for himself on a global scale in the WWE. Much of his best work in WWE was done during Black’s time on the NXT roster; he was fortunate to be a part of NXT during the brand’s heyday, where the show was heavily based on wrestling rather than sports entertainment. This enabled Black and his MMA-inspired wrestling style to shine.
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This isn’t to say Black didn’t have any outstanding matches on the main roster, though, since he very much did; though his time on the main roster was brief, Black was able to show the WWE universe what he was capable of in terms of in-ring performance and character work. This list includes matches from Black’s time on NXT and the main roster; it hopes to be a good starting point for those seeking to relive some of the Dutch Destroyer’s finest moments
10 Aleister Black vs Kyle O’Reilly (7/12/17)
What immediately makes this match notable is the fact that it’s Kyle O'Reilly’s debut match in NXT. Aleister was an excellent choice for Kyle’s first opponent; both men made a name for themselves on the independent scene, and both have a grounded in-ring style.
The two predictably had a very technical showdown. Aleister came away with the win here, but Kyle proved himself to be a real contender in NXT.
9 Aleister Black vs Buddy Murphy (1/13/2020)
This is the third singles match between Murphy and Black, and it remains their last televised singles match. Aleister’s victory took his record against Murphy to 3-0. Who knows if WWE was ever planning on giving Murphy an eventual win over Black, but it would’ve been a nice payoff to this feud.
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Since Black likes to keep his WWE character alive through his work in AEW, maybe we’ll see this feud reignite on Dynamite someday if the House of Black ever collapses.
8 Aleister Black vs Cesaro (Extreme Rules 2019)
Aleister Black, above all, wanted to fight. He issued an open challenge to his fellow WWE superstars, and none other than the Swiss Superman answered the call. Though both men have very polished wrestling skills, this match was an all-out brawl.
Aleister was able to walk away with the victory, giving him a valuable win over one of WWE’s best workhorses. Now, with Cesaro being a free agent, it's possible we could see a rematch between these two in the near future.
7 Aleister Black vs Buddy Murphy (TLC 2019)
The story between Buddy and Black in WWE was simple; Buddy knocked on Aleister’s door to challenge him to a fight, and Black accepted. This match is the first WWE match between two men who hold a lot of influence over one another.
It’s a good match to watch if you’re a fan of either man individually, but especially if you’re a fan of the House of Black and want to know more about the members’ relationships with one another.
6 Aleister Black vs Hideo Itami (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 3)
Hideo Itami’s run is laughed at by a lot of people, even his fans. However, we should remember that even though he was put in a company that treated him poorly, he was still an incredible wrestler (and continues to be one in NJPW!).
In Aleister Black, Itami found an opponent who could match him in the striking game, something that’s very rare for the strong-style veteran.
5 Aleister Black vs Buddy Murphy (12/30/19)
It’s not often that Monday Night Raw treats its fans to real barn burners, but this match was one exception. Despite not being a PPV match, this is arguably better than their TLC match.
It’s a much faster-paced match, based around both men's striking ability. It's widely regarded as the best match between these two so far.
4 Aleister Black vs Adam Cole (NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia)
What’s a Philly wrestling show without some extreme matches? This TakeOver match between two of the black and gold brand’s best had the stipulation of being an Extreme Rules match, perfect for the extreme capital of the world.
The audience very much appreciated the tribute to ECW, as they expressed through their chants. Black, no stranger to violence, drags Adam Cole through hell in this showdown with some brutal chair spots and his trademark strikes.
3 Aleister Black vs Andrade Almas (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)
Black and Andrade, now both fan favorites in AEW, were both two of NXT’s very best. Andrade had a very strong reign as champion with his manager (and coincidentally, Black’s real-life wife) Zelina Vega by his side.
This showdown between Aleister and Andrade is not only a classic but a special high point in Black’s career for his capturing of the NXT Championship.
2 Aleister Black vs Tommaso Ciampa (7/18/18)
Despite Black’s intimidating appearance, he never inspired hatred from a crowd as the Psycho Killer Tommaso Ciampa did. Going into this match, the Sicilian Psychopath had a lot of heel heat as a result of his feud with Johnny Gargano.
This showdown is, predictably, an incredible showdown between two of NXT’s best. It was also, thanks to some inadvertent interference from Johnny Gargano, Ciampa’s first NXT Title win.
1 Aleister Black vs Johnny Gargano (NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2)
While Johnny Gargano is perhaps the most over babyface NXT has ever seen, his heel turn in NXT had the audience fully invested as well. His first feud as a heel was with Aleister after Johnny ambushed him in the Performance Center parking lot, the most dangerous place on Earth.
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The match is admittedly very theatric and a little dramatic at times, as many Johnny Gargano matches are. While some people dislike that style, here it made for an incredible match between two of the black and gold era’s best.
