Aleister Black, out of SmackDown due to a creative decision and a minor injury

WWE protects the impact of the Ambulance Match with a planned pause

The wrestler suffered a small fracture, but it does not concern the company

Aleister Black
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Sebastián Martínez
Sebastián Martínez
Published 01/17/2026

Aleister Black has disappeared from WWE programming since his defeat against Damian Priest in the Ambulance Match held on SmackDown, an absence that has raised numerous questions among fans. According to information published by PWInsiderElite.com, the situation is part of a previously established creative plan.

Internal sources from WWE have confirmed that Black is off television selling both the brutality of the match and the defeat suffered against Priest. This break was already planned before the confrontation, so it is not a decision made afterwards.

Furthermore, PWInsider reports that Aleister Black may have suffered a small fracture in the coccyx during one of the hardest hits of the match. Nevertheless, it is a minor injury that would not have prevented him from appearing on television if the company had deemed his immediate return necessary.

The information makes it clear that there is no major medical concern surrounding the wrestler and his absence will not be prolonged. Everything indicates that WWE is protecting the credibility of the match and preparing the ground for his return in the coming weeks.

For now, it has not been specified when Aleister Black will return to SmackDown programming, but insiders assure that his hiatus will be brief.