As the world knows by now, Tommy End (formerly known as Aleister Black) was released from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was the sudden end to a run that featured an incredible run in NXT that saw him become NXT Champion. It was also a run, however, that saw him repeatedly stopped and halted on Raw and SmackDown. A time on the main roster where he demanded someone to pick a fight with him, he lost his eye and was left off of television for seven months straight. It was only recently that Black was returning from that time off television, as his last appearance in WWE saw him cost Big E from winning the Intercontinental Championship on SmackDown. Now that those plans are diminished and he is free, it’s time the world changes for End.
The question at hand is a simple one — What is next? Tommy End is destined for unbelievable things now that he is free. He can go anywhere, do anything. “The Dutch Destroyer” has instantly become the hottest free agent in professional wrestling and once his 90 days of non-compete are up, it will be time for him to dazzle and show the world what they knew about him and what they have yet to learn. Big companies will be looking, but don’t expect End to stop there. Here’s what is next for Tommy End.
Tommy End Potential Destinations
New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW)
Whether you were a fan of Tommy End before or during his time with WWE, there’s an understanding of how impressive of a professional wrestler he is. His kickboxing alone makes him a uniquely special talent that can strike from any point with his spinning back kick (Black Mass) being the real winner in all of it. A potential trip to Japan has to be something of interest to End and more specifically, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). End’s talents match exactly what would make him stand out in NJPW while being a massive name in any of their division. If he were to pursue gold, no one would bat an eye if he attempted to win the IWGP United States Championship, NEVER Openweight Championship, or the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
The sky has always been the limit for End and a tour in NJPW on and off could be fitting. Matches with the likes of Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, and Kazuchika Okada are instantly at the top of the list for “dream” matches, but there are many more than just that. As such a coveted name, End will have his phone ringing, and an on and off touring of Japan could certainly fit his ambitions.
All Elite Wrestling (AEW)
Anytime someone is released from WWE, the instant thought is that they could head to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). And while some names are more reasonable than others, End’s potential in the company is endless. Not only would he come into the brand as a main eventer but he would almost have to be in the world title picture as soon as possible. Tony Khan has expressed interest in expanding his roster and End is the exact name not only be a part of expansion but be one of their biggest additions in some time. Seeing that last time we saw him on television he appeared to be in the shape of his life, End could very well make an impact at All Out in September, as his 90-day non-compete will end days before the event goes down over Labor Day weekend.
Truth be told, out of all the names that people consider for AEW, End is the most interesting. Stories with or against Darby Allin instantly pop out with their dark monikers playing off each other perfectly. Matches with Kenny Omega, of course, would be some of the best and most interesting to fans. And here’s a callback. The first time End ever appeared in WWE, he appeared as Tommy End to face off with PAC (fka Neville) at WWE’s United Kingdom Championship tournament. Running that match back with both being free would simply be fantastic.
Tommy End to AEW will be something we hear about for months to come because it makes so much sense.
Freelance
Freedom can be a wonderful thing for someone like Tommy End. And perhaps his best course of action from the start is to freelance. That not only would include opportunities to appear in both AEW and NJPW, but he could return to the place that made him a top name in Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw). After all, he once did hold their world championship for over a year. There are also opportunities in and outside of America in companies like Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and Dragon Gate. All of these places not only seem like natural fits for End but places he would want to work as he refinds himself on the scene.
One thing is for sure — Tommy End will not be hurting for work. He will be the biggest free agent from this current crop of releases and potentially the one with the most potential alongside former rival Andrade. As a fan, it can only be exciting to see where End goes from here as the world is his to shine and craft what the next chapter of his career looks like.
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