5 Mistakes Triple H Made With Aleister Black in WWE

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Let’s take a look at five mistakes WWE made with Aleister Black:

#5. Did not receive a mainevent push

Aleister Black was a top star in NXT during Triple H’s era in the promotion. He had an incredible run as the NXT Champion, and fans were excited to see his wave on the main roster. When he made his return to SmackDown, the WWE Universe expected Black to be one of the main players on the brand. However, he remained stuck in the undercard throughout 2025.

People wanted The Anti-Hero to be involved in the Undisputed WWE Title feud with Cody Rhodes or a main event storyline with the likes of Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre. But all he got was a lackluster feud with Damian Priest that did not do any good to his character. Therefore, it was a massive mistake by Triple H to keep the Dutch star away from the mainevent picture.

#4. Handed frequent losses on SmackDown

Aleister Black joined WWE because his booking was quite underwhelming in AEW. But the same thing happened with him on SmackDown. The 40-year-old faced frequent losses, especially on stages where fans wanted him to win. He failed to beat LA Knight during the Money in the Bank qualifying battle. Black also faltered in the King of the Ring qualifying match, and to top it off, he didn’t qualify even for the Elimination Chamber.

These were big losses that affected his credibility in WWE. But that was not enough, as Aleister Black also faced bitter defeats against Damian Priest during their months-long feud. Moreover, he also failed to become the United States Champion despite getting multiple chances. All these big losses led to Black’s downfall in WWE and an eventual release this week.

#3. Had no character development

Aleister Black became famous among the pro wrestling fans due to his incredible dark and gothic character. He had something mysterious about him, and that intrigued fans very well, especially when he was in NXT. Well, Triple H was the one who built Black’s aura back in the day. Therefore, fans expected The Game to add more layers to his gimmick in 2025.

However, Triple H totally ignored the former AEW star’s character arc and pushed him in random feuds. Eventually, things became monotonous and fans lost interest in Aleister Black’s gimmick. The Game failed to strike while the iron was hot. At one point, things felt predictable with the 40-year-old, and people were past their patience to see his mystery being unveiled.

#2. Aleister Black’s abrupt heel turn

Aleister Black made his return as a babyface, and fans were more than delighted to see him on SmackDown. For the initial months, the 40-year-old worked as a heroic warrior on the blue brand, and people were interested in him getting to the top that way. But in July 2025, Triple H decided that Black would turn heel by stabbing Damian Priest without any proper direction.

The Anti-Hero then gave little to no explanation on why he decided to turn into a villain all of a sudden. Since then, it was a generic heel character work that did not make any impact. As a babyface, people were rooting for Aleister, and he had the immense support of the fans. However, as a heel, Black’s argument failed to create a connection with the fans, making him an enhancement talent for other babyfaces.

#1. Directionless pairing with Zelina Vega

In October 2025, Triple H decided to pair Zelina Vega with Aleister Black as a couple on SmackDown. Fans were interested to see what the duo would be doing on the blue brand, but The Game once again failed to deliver on the potential. Despite having a lot of chemistry, Vega and Black had no direction on SmackDown, which made their promos irrelevant and pointless.

Not only that, the couple faced bitter loss against Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley in their first match as a tag team. That defeat diminished their presence on the blue brand, and fans could not take them seriously. Thereafter, Aleister Black and Zelina Vega were spotted roaming backstage with no storyline to work on. It was the final nail in the coffin that led to Black’s WWE release, along with Vega.

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