Malakai Black To Face Dijak In First Post-WWE Match At PROGRESS Wrestling

Malakai Black will face Dijak at PROGRESS Wrestling’s Odyssey Tour event on Friday, September 4, 2026, in Edinburgh, Scotland, marking his first in-ring match since his departure from WWE in April 2026, according to official promotion announcements.

The Edinburgh bout represents the opening night of a three-date independent tour for Black, who will also appear on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in Leeds, England, and Sunday, September 6, 2026, in Manchester, England, as reported by Wrestlezone and PW Ponderings. PROGRESS Wrestling stated that Black’s opponents for the Leeds and Manchester dates have not yet been revealed.

A First-Time European Clash in Edinburgh

The September 4 matchup at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange will be the first time Black and Dijak have wrestled each other in Europe, according to Wrestlezone. PROGRESS Wrestling highlighted the stylistic contrast of the pairing in its promotional release, describing Dijak as a six-foot-seven competitor from Massachusetts and Black as a martial artist from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Malakai Black has his first opponent and it’s a familiar face… Two of the biggest names in professional wrestling worldwide collide in Edinburgh! Dijak the 6 foot 7 behemoth from Massachusetts, USA, takes on the incredible martial artist from Amsterdam, Netherlands – Malakai Black. Expect one of the best matches you’ll ever see in person, as this will be hard hitting, high flying and innovative – PROGRESS Wrestling is coming to Edinburgh with a banger
PROGRESS Wrestling

Both competitors share a history within WWE. Black experienced two separate stints with the company, performing under the name Aleister Black before his release in April 2026. Dijak joined WWE in 2017 and performed under the names Dijak, T-BAR, and Dominik Dijakovic before his contract expired in June 2024, as documented by Wrestlezone.

Independent Circuit Return and Background Context

The upcoming September fixtures mark Black’s return to the independent wrestling scene and his first appearance for PROGRESS Wrestling since January 2017, when he competed under the name Tommy End, according to PW Ponderings. The UK-based promotion is currently owned by former WWE colleagues Nikki Storm (Nikki Cross) and Big Damo (Killian Dain). Additionally, Zelina Vega, Black’s wife, has been announced for the September 6, 2026, Manchester event under her post-WWE ring name, “Xelina.”

Outside of his scheduled PROGRESS dates, Black remains a free agent. Wrestlezone reported that Black had preliminary contact with Major League Wrestling several months following his WWE release, though those conversations did not advance significantly. Meanwhile, Dijak recently dropped the MLW Tag Team Championship alongside partners Bishop Dyer and Josh Bishop to Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows on an episode of MLW Fusion.