Recently released WWE Superstar expresses interest in joining AEW
A recently released WWE Superstar has disclosed that he has an interest in performing in All Elite Wrestling, as well as other promotions in the industry.
WWE merged with UFC's parent company, Endeavor, last September to form a new entertainment company called TKO Group Holdings. There were many releases following the merger, and one WWE Superstar who was let go was Elias.
The Drifter had a successful tenure with the company, but he was released along with many other superstars in September 2023. In an interview with Jamal Niaz for Monopoly Events at For The Love of Wrestling, Elijah (formerly known as Elias in WWE) shared that he would like to perform in Japan because he thinks he would be successful:
"I think it’d be cool to go to Japan and work for New Japan, just to show something that people might have not expected. They might associate me in a certain way, and I would just love to just kind of blow that expectation away. I feel like if you picture Elias or Elijah in New Japan, it’s not an immediate, obvious connection. But then I feel like if I’m put in that environment, ‘Oh, hey, guess that? This can work out too'," he said.
The veteran added that the same can be said for AEW or TNA Wrestling and is looking forward to what lies ahead:
"The same with AEW, or TNA, I mean I love the idea. I have plenty of ideas about how to evolve my character and take it to the next step, and I feel like you need a TV audience in order to show that. So we’ll have to see what kind of opportunities come my way and which way we go, but all three of them are very appealing," he added. [H/T: Fightful]
You can check out the full interview in the video below:
Vince Russo believes WWE destroyed Elias with his booking
Former WWE writer Vince Russo took the promotion to task in 2022 for how the promotion booked Elias.
Speaking on Sportskeeda's Legion of RAW show in 2022, the veteran criticized the company for making the former WWE Superstar look weak following an attack from The Bloodline. Russo claimed WWE should have announced that he was injured instead of taking him out of his scheduled match later on the show:
"Okay, if Elias is hurt and he can't compete, that's fine. But why are you gonna bury the guy in the process? First of all, you're making him an absolute idiot by approaching The Usos and Sami Zayn. There's four of them there, and he's gonna approach them. So now Elias, you're an idiot. Then you get your butt kicked, so now you're not a tough guy because you can't be in the match. If the guy is injured, say he was injured. Say he got injured working out this morning or he pulled this or tore a pec. Say that! You buried the guy twice." [From 13:20 - 14:07]
You can check out the video below:
All Elite Wrestling has signed Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada in recent weeks and Mercedes Moné is rumored to be making her debut with the promotion next Wednesday night. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Elijah in the world of professional wrestling.