Malakai Black has confirmed that WWE discussed a WrestleMania 42 match between himself and Randy Orton before the plan ultimately did not materialize.
Black, who wrestled as Aleister Black during his second WWE run, addressed the proposed match while appearing on the ZELVX and CHARLIE GIRL podcast with his wife, former WWE star Zelina Vega, and former WWE wrestler Dakota Kai. The conversation offered a clearer look at the creative direction that had apparently been considered for Black following his February 2026 match against Orton, as well as the frustration he felt when that direction never reached the WrestleMania stage.
One of Black's final WWE matches came against Orton in February. In the period following Black's release, there had been reports that the bout was meant to lead to a rematch at WrestleMania 42 in April. Black has now directly stated that a WrestleMania match with Orton was indeed the pitch at the time, even though it never progressed into an on-screen WrestleMania program.
A WrestleMania entrance idea tied to the Orton pitch
Black's confirmation came while he was discussing a detailed entrance visual he had conceived with Jason Baker. The concept involved incorporating a smoke device into his ring gear and having Vega activate it at a specific point during the entrance.
For more background on this topic, read Drake Maverick Reflects on Triple H’s Support During WWE 24/7 Title Run.
He explained that he wanted the device concealed beneath his cloak. In the envisioned sequence, Vega would hold the remote while Black entered the ring and took his position. Once Vega moved backward, she would trigger the effect, allowing smoke to emerge from Black's jacket and enhance the presentation of his character.
“Initially, the plan was for WrestleMania because up until that point, the pitch for me and Randy Orton was, you know, WrestleMania,” Black said.
For Black, the entrance effect was not simply a piece of gear designed for a weekly television appearance. It was intended for the scale and spectacle of WWE's biggest annual event. A WrestleMania match against Orton would have presented a major spotlight for Black, particularly given Orton's status as one of WWE's most established and decorated stars.
The proposed matchup also had a natural foundation. Their February encounter gave WWE a starting point from which it could have built a larger rivalry, and Black's dark, deliberate presentation would have made for a notable contrast with Orton's veteran presence and methodical in-ring style. The match was never announced for WrestleMania 42, however, and Black indicated that the original creative idea ended before it could fully reach the public.
“Obviously, that never saw the light of day,” Black said of the WrestleMania plan.
Black found another use for the planned jacket
Although the WrestleMania entrance did not happen, Black did not abandon the gear concept altogether. He said he did not want to discard the jacket merely because the WWE plan had changed. Instead, he reworked it into a raven-themed jacket and later used it at appearances following his WWE departure.
That decision reflects the importance Black places on visual details in his presentation. Throughout his career, Black has utilized distinctive gear, lighting, movement, and symbolic imagery to establish the atmosphere around his entrance and character. The smoke jacket was developed for a moment that was expected to be much bigger than it became, but the concept was eventually adapted rather than left unused.
In practical terms, the repurposed jacket is also a reminder of how quickly creative plans can change in professional wrestling. Wrestlers can spend considerable time developing gear, entrances, and other elements for programs that are still in the planning stages. Even when a match is discussed internally or presented as a direction, there is no guarantee it will be finalized, announced, or carried through to a premium live event.
For Black, that uncertainty appears to have been a significant part of his experience during this particular WWE stint.
Black calls 2026 a “dud” after unfulfilled promises
Black spoke candidly about his disappointment with how the year unfolded. He described 2026 as a “dud” for him and said that WWE had promised him a number of things that did not come to fruition. The proposed Orton match at WrestleMania stands as one of the clearest examples he has discussed publicly.
His comments do not establish every detail of the internal creative process, nor do they confirm how close the match came to becoming an official WrestleMania 42 plan. What they do establish is that Black himself was working under the impression that a bout with Orton was being pitched for the event. He was preparing entrance gear with that expectation in mind before the direction changed.
Being left off WrestleMania is particularly meaningful for any WWE performer, but it carries extra weight when a talent has been positioned to believe a major match is possible. WrestleMania is the company’s largest platform, with months of storylines often converging across the two-night event. For Black, the prospect of sharing that stage with Orton would have represented a major singles opportunity near the end of his WWE tenure.
Instead, Black did not wrestle on the WrestleMania 42 card. His WWE release followed just a few days after the event, bringing his second run with the company to an abrupt conclusion.
Orton’s WrestleMania 42 direction went another way
Orton did compete at WrestleMania 42, but not against Black. At “The Show of Shows,” Orton challenged Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship and was defeated.
That result placed Orton in one of the event’s highest-profile championship matches, while Black was absent from the card entirely. The contrast underlines how far the presumed WrestleMania direction shifted from the scenario Black had been preparing for earlier in the year.
There is no indication from Black's comments that the Orton match was canceled for one specific reason, and no further backstage explanation was provided. WrestleMania cards routinely evolve as title programs, injuries, availability, audience reactions, and broader creative priorities reshape plans. In this case, the only confirmed point is that Black says the Orton match was pitched and that it did not happen.
Black's mention of promises that went unfulfilled adds a personal dimension to the account. Rather than framing the situation solely as a routine change of plans, he made clear that he viewed his year in WWE as disappointing. The missed WrestleMania program was evidently part of a larger sense that the opportunities presented to him did not translate into completed creative plans.
A significant what-if for Black’s second WWE run
Black's WWE career has included periods of strong momentum, especially during his time as NXT Champion, when his presentation and in-ring style made him one of the brand's defining performers. His second stint carried expectations because he returned with an established identity, a recognizable name, and the potential for high-level rivalries on WWE programming.
A WrestleMania 42 match with Orton could have been an important marker in that run. Orton has long been a central WWE attraction, and a singles match against him on the WrestleMania stage would have given Black an opportunity to perform in a featured environment against a top-tier opponent. Whether Black would have won, how the storyline would have been structured, or how prominently it would have been placed on the card remains unknown.
Those questions will remain hypothetical. Still, Black's own words confirm that the possibility was more than fan speculation. The match was discussed as a pitch, and he was preparing a specific visual entrance built with WrestleMania in mind.
In the end, Black turned one unused piece of that idea into something he could carry forward after WWE. The raven-themed jacket became a way to preserve the creative work rather than allow it to disappear with the canceled plan. But the larger opportunity—a WrestleMania meeting with Randy Orton—never reached the ring.
As Black continues making appearances following his WWE exit, the revelation adds another notable chapter to the closing stretch of his second run. It also provides a more complete explanation for why an elaborate entrance concept was created, why it was altered, and why Black has described 2026 in such discouraging terms. The proposed Orton match was real enough to shape his preparation, even if it never became part of WrestleMania 42.
In pictures
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.