Aleister Black is an intimidating force in NXT. What makes the Dutch Destroyer so mesmerizing and frightening to fans and opponents alike? Is it his silent composure, his masterful precision, or his dark aura? Could it be the perfect combination of all three?
Black’s abilities go beyond the realm of professional wrestling. He is also trained in kickboxing and an ancient Indonesian martial art known as Pencak Silat, which is a full-body fighting form. It incorporates strikes, grappling, and weapons. Every single part of the body is used in Pencak Silat.
Black lets his ability do his talking in the ring and you won’t see many moves as disruptive as his Black Mass spinning heel kick.
Outside of the ring, Black keeps a low profile. He shares images of his various tattoos on Twitter and on occasion will type a warning or two, but for the most part who Aleister Black is stays shrouded in darkness and that is just the way he likes it.
Despite his desire to remain a superstar shrouded in mystery, Black did share a bit of his past while appearing on Colt Cabana’s podcast. Black stated that he had an “unconventional childhood” that was greatly affected by his father, who was born into a religious cult. Black told Cabana that his father’s involvement in the cult inspired his in-ring persona.
Black made his NXT debut in 2017, after spending years destroying opponents across the globe on independent circuits. Black’s wrestling debut took place in Europe when he was only 17 years old. Over the next 15 years, Black perfected his craft.
There is so much more to Aleister Black than his unique persona and it appears the head honchos at the WWE see that too because they have made no attempt to water down his character. His anti-hero image is part of what draws fans to him. Fans are growing weary of the cookie cutter good guy, bad guy personas. Black breaks those molds and maintains his individuality while not being classified as a superhero or a villain.
The wrestling world has needed Aleister Black for a very long time. His presence is dark and sinister, but refreshing at the same time. All hail the Dutch Destroyer, he is the NXT’s next big thing and given time could very well be wrestling’s next big superstar.