Tommy End, the wrestler known to AEW audiences as Malakai Black and previously as Aleister Black during his WWE run, has pulled out of PROGRESS Wrestling Chapter 199: BoneStorm. AEW star Eddie Kingston has been confirmed as his replacement for the show.
The news was announced by PROGRESS Wrestling co-owner Big Damo, alongside fellow co-owner Nikki Storm, who confirmed on X that End and Xelina would no longer be appearing at the event due to what was described as a personal issue. No further detail on the nature of that issue was provided in the announcement.
Xelina was also scheduled to appear at BoneStorm before her withdrawal was confirmed in the same statement from Big Damo and Nikki Storm. Her removal from the card came as part of the same update that confirmed End would not be competing.
With End off the card, PROGRESS turned to Eddie Kingston, a current AEW talent, to fill the gap left by the withdrawal. Kingston’s addition gives the promotion a recognizable AEW name to help offset the loss of End, who wrestles under the Malakai Black persona in AEW and was previously one of WWE’s most prominent cult-favorite acts as Aleister Black.
Big Damo, a former WWE performer, has co-owned PROGRESS Wrestling alongside Nikki Storm, and the pair’s social media statement served as the primary confirmation of the lineup change ahead of Chapter 199. The specifics of Kingston’s match assignment, and what End was originally scheduled to do at the event, were not detailed in the reporting on the change.
The swap underscores the logistical challenges independent promotions face when AEW-contracted or AEW-affiliated talents become unavailable close to an event date, with PROGRESS moving quickly to secure a replacement of comparable profile in Kingston rather than restructuring the card without a marquee addition. No word has been given on whether End’s absence is expected to affect any future PROGRESS dates, and neither outlet reported a revised timeline for his return to the promotion.
