Following the emergence of AEW in 2019, WWE signed several wrestlers to multi-year contracts. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 led to budget cuts and the release of many talents.
With Triple H assuming the role of Chief Content Officer, some of these stars were later re-hired. Nevertheless, another wave of budget cuts hit WWE in September 2023 after its merger with UFC under TKO Group Holdings.
Among those released was Elias, now known as Elijah on the independent circuit.
Hello… I am ELIJAH pic.twitter.com/2oDFDUkKEz
— ELIJAH (@_Iam_Elijah_) January 1, 2024
As WWE continues to trim its roster, AEW has become an attractive destination for released talent. Elias expressed openness to working with various promotions, including AEW, TNA Wrestling, and NJPW, in a recent interview.
With Tony Khan, AEW’s President, yet to sign any former WWE talent in 2024, Elias stands as a potential target for the promotion.
Elias recently returned to the ring at a Wrestling REVOLVER event, facing ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey in his first match since May 2023. Post-match, he unleashed an attack on his opponent after failing to secure a victory.
Reflecting on Elias’s tenure in WWE since signing in 2014, he engaged in significant storylines with iconic figures like The Undertaker, John Cena, and Edge (now Adam Copeland).
Despite never capturing a major title, Elias held the 24/7 Championship four times. His last storyline involved a rebranding to Ezekiel, Elias’s brother.
A pivotal moment in Elias’s career unfolded at WrestleMania 35 in 2019, where he crossed paths with John Cena, who returned as The Doctor of Thuganomics.
In an interview with Jamal Niaz, Elias disclosed that plans for a match against Cena were initially in place but were altered due to Cena’s Hollywood commitments.
“That was a special time, you know that. First off, that was actually originally supposed to be a match, which I was really excited about. But due to some things and movies and whatever going on, it turned into this Doctor of Thuganomics deal which is so cool,”
Elias reminisced.
The segment culminated with Cena delivering an Attitude Adjustment to Elias after a fiery roast session. As Elias navigates his post-WWE journey, the possibility of joining AEW adds an intriguing layer to his future in professional wrestling.
