Jeffrey Daniel Sciullo (born November 22, 1987) is an American
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
and
musician
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...
. He is currently signed to
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
, where he performs on the
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Elias.
Under the name Elias, shortened from Elias Samson, he portrays a musician who often uses music to mock his opponents or the fans in attendance. Sciullo began his WWE career on the
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
brand, appearing there from 2014 to 2017 where he developed his "Drifter" ring character. Prior to joining WWE, he worked for various companies on the
independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indie circuit is the collective noun, collective name of independent professional wrestling promotions which are smaller than major televised promotions. It is roughly analogous to a minor lea ...
under the ring name Logan Shulo. In 2018, the album ''
WWE: Walk with Elias'' was released by the
WWE Music Group
WWE Music Publishing, Inc.; trade name WWE Music Group, LLC., is an American record label funded and operated by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was manufactured and co-marketed by Columbia Records and was distributed by Sony Music. The ...
featuring Sciullo followed by ''Universal Truth'' in 2020.
Professional wrestling career
Independent circuit (2008–2014)
![Logan Shulo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Logan_Shulo.jpg)
Sciullo
wrestled extensively on the
independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indie circuit is the collective noun, collective name of independent professional wrestling promotions which are smaller than major televised promotions. It is roughly analogous to a minor lea ...
for various promotions in the
Northeastern USA
The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the South ...
, primarily for the
International Wrestling Cartel
International Wrestling Cartel is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is currently owned and operated by Justin Plummer.
Norm Connors ran the promotion for 19 years until he handed the reigns to t ...
(IWC) under the ring name Heavy Metal Jesus, Logan Shulo. While in the IWC, Shulo won the promotion's
Super Indy Championship and
World Heavyweight Championship.
WWE
NXT (2014–2017)
In early 2014, Sciullo was signed to a developmental deal by WWE under the ring name Elias Samson. He made his ''
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
'' debut at the April 24, 2014, tapings, working as an
enhancement talent
In professional wrestling slang, a job is a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect information related to kayfabe from being revealed. The term can be used a numbe ...
and teaming with
Buddy Murphy
Matthew Adams (born 26 September 1988) is an Australian professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Buddy Matthews as a member of the stable House of Black. He is best known for his time with WWE w ...
in a losing effort against
The Ascension. Samson was then used sporadically on television throughout 2014 and early 2015, mostly appearing as enhancement talent to wrestlers such as
Baron Corbin
Thomas Pestock (born September 13, 1984) is an American professional wrestler and former professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Baron Corbin.
Pestock is a former offen ...
.
In August 2015, Samson debuted a new
drifter
A drifter is a vagrant who moves from place to place without a fixed home or employment.
Drifter(s) or The Drifter(s) may also refer to:
Films and television Films
* ''The Drifter'' (1917 film), an American film directed by Fred Kelsey
* ''Th ...
musician character in a match taped prior to
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, approaching the ring with a guitar before defeating
Bull Dempsey
James Smith (born January 16, 1988) is an American professional wrestler currently performing internationally under the ring name Bull James. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he performed on NXT, under the ring name Bull Dempsey.
Pr ...
, and established himself as a
heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive for ...
at the same time. Samson then entered the ''
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is an annual professional wrestling tag team tournament held by the American promotion WWE, and is featured on its NXT brand, having first been established in 2015. In subsequent years, wrestlers from the NXT UK and ...
'' tournament, where he was paired with
Tucker Knight
Levi Rolla Cooper (born July 24, 1990) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Tucker. After signing with WWE in 2013, he was assigned to their developmental brand NXT, under t ...
, but the two were eliminated from the tournament by
Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson. On the December 23 episode of ''NXT'', taped before
NXT TakeOver: London, Samson defeated Bull Dempsey with a
diving elbow drop
Aerial techniques, also known as "high-flying moves" are maneuvers in professional wrestling using the ring's posts and ropes as aids, in many cases to demonstrate the speed and agility of smaller, nimble and acrobatically inclined wrestlers prefer ...
, which he would dub as a
finishing move
Finishing can refer to:
*Finishing (whisky), a whisky making method that involves aging of multiple casks
*Finishing (bookbinding), the process of embellishing a book
*Finishing (manufacturing), processes that are applied to a workpiece's surface
...
onwards.
In the following weeks, Samson would rack up victories over various competitors such as Steve Cutler and
Jesse Sorensen
Jessy Ryan Sorensen (born March 1, 1989) is an American professional wrestler, who is best known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He began his career in 2008, but he gained national exposition when he participated in the X Division ...
. On the March 23, 2016, episode of ''NXT'', after he suffered a loss to
Johnny Gargano
John Anthony Nicholas Gargano (born August 14, 1987) is an American professional wrestler best known under the ring name Johnny Gargano. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is best known for his time in NXT, wh ...
, Samson would attack him only to be fended off by
Apollo Crews
Sesugh Uhaa (born August 22, 1987) is a Nigerian-American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Apollo Crews.
He started his career in 2009, originally working under the ring name ...
. This led to a match between Samson and Crews that took place at
NXT TakeOver: Dallas, where Samson was defeated. Throughout the rest of the year, Samson would compete in different matches against competitors such as
Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WWE brand extension, brand.
Nakamura is known for his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where ...
and
Finn Bálor
Fergal Devitt (born 25 July 1981) is an Irish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Finn Bálor (), and is a member of The Judgment Day.
Devitt is widely known for his ten ...
, but he would be on the losing side.
In what would be his final
feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...
in NXT, Samson faced
Kassius Ohno
Cassius may refer to:
People
* Cassius, an ancient Roman family name, see Cassia gens
**Gaius Cassius Longinus (died 42 BC), Roman senator and a leader of Julius Caesar's assassination
** Avidius Cassius (130–175), usurper Roman Emperor
* Cassi ...
(whom he mocked after he had just lost an
NXT Championship
The NXT Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. It is defended as the top championship of the NXT brand division, the promotion's developmental territory. In ...
match against
Bobby Roode
Robert Francis Roode Jr. (born May 11, 1976) is a Canadian professional wrestler signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is currently inactive due to undergoing neck surgery.
Roode is known for his 12-year tenure for Total Nonstop ...
) in the first ever
"loser leaves NXT" match that took place on the March 29, 2017, episode of ''NXT'', where Samson was defeated. Just a week later, on the April 5 episode of ''NXT'' (which was taped as part of
NXT TakeOver: Orlando prior to the beginning of the event), Samson wrestled his final match on NXT as the masked "El Vagabundo" (Spanish for "The Vagabond"), where he lost to
Oney Lorcan
Christopher Girard (born December 21, 1985) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE as a coach at their Performance Center. Previously he performed on the NXT brand under the ring name Oney Lorcan. He is a former NXT Tag Te ...
, who unmasked him afterwards.
Main roster beginnings (2017–2019)
On the April 10, 2017, episode of ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
'', Samson made his main roster debut, appearing on the stage briefly during an
eight–man tag team match, as well as walking through the crowd during another match later that night.
Samson continued to appear in the background playing his guitar during backstage segments over the next few weeks. In his in–ring debut match on the May 22 episode of ''Raw'', Samson defeated
Dean Ambrose
Jonathan David Good (born December 7, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Jon Moxley. He also makes appearances for New Japan Pro-Wres ...
by disqualification after
The Miz
Michael Gregory Mizanin (born October 8, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name The Miz.
Mizanin first gained fame a ...
intentionally attacked him. In June, Samson started his first
feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...
as part of the main roster with
Finn Bálor
Fergal Devitt (born 25 July 1981) is an Irish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Finn Bálor (), and is a member of The Judgment Day.
Devitt is widely known for his ten ...
, who interrupted him during one of his performances. This led to a match between the two, where Samson defeated Bálor in a
No Disqualification match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
after interference from
Bray Wyatt
Windham Lawrence Rotunda (born May 23, 1987) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown brand under the ring name Bray Wyatt.
Rotunda is ...
.
In the end of July, WWE shortened his ring name to "Elias".
Elias was then placed in a feud with
Jason Jordan
Nathan Everhart (born September 28, 1988) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Jason Jordan. He is currently signed to WWE, where he works as a Producer (professional wrestling), producer. He has not wrestled sinc ...
, after Jordan would interrupt Elias during his songs by throwing vegetables at him at
No Mercy. This would lead to a match between the two at
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, where Elias was defeated by Jordan. On the November 6 episode of ''Raw'', Elias was defeated by Jordan in a
Guitar–on–a–Pole match, ending their feud. Two weeks later, Elias competed in his first title match as he unsuccessfully challenged
Roman Reigns
Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa'i (born May 25, 1985) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former American football, football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WW ...
for the
Intercontinental Championship.
![Elias concert Raw April 2018 crop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Elias_concert_Raw_April_2018_crop.jpg)
On January 28, 2018, at the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after the Royal Rumble match, a modified battle roya ...
, Elias entered his first
Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic Battle Royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
at No. 6, lasting 26 minutes before being eliminated by
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied w ...
. A month later, Elias competed for the first time in an
Elimination Chamber match
The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE. The match was founded by Chris Jericho , created and introduced by Eric Bischoff in November 2002. It features a large chain-linked circular steel st ...
at the
namesake
A namesake is a person, geographic location, or other entity bearing the name of another.
History
The word is first attested around 1635, and probably comes from the phrase "for one's name's sake",
which originates in English Bible translations ...
pay–per–view, where he entered last, but was the second participant eliminated by
Braun Strowman
Adam Joseph Scherr (born September 6, 1983) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Strongman (strength athlete), strongman. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDo ...
. Elias also appeared at
WrestleMania 34
WrestleMania 34 was the 34th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event took place on April 8, 2 ...
, where he was attacked by Cena. Three weeks later, Elias competed at the
Greatest Royal Rumble
WWE Greatest Royal Rumble was a professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brand divisions. The event took place on April 27, 2018, a ...
event, where he entered at No. 20, lasting over 30 minutes and eliminating five wrestlers before being eliminated by
Bobby Lashley
Franklin Roberto Lashley (born July 16, 1976) is an American professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and bodybuilder. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is an eight-time world champion, having been a two-t ...
. Shortly after, Elias started a feud with
Seth Rollins
Colby Daniel Lopez (born May 28, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Seth Rollins (often referred to as Seth "Freakin" Rollins).
Prior to signing ...
, whom he attacked with his guitar after interrupting his performance. The two eventually faced off for the Intercontinental Championship at the
Money in the Bank, where Elias lost.
In October, Elias turned
face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
for the first time in his career, as he attacked
Baron Corbin
Thomas Pestock (born September 13, 1984) is an American professional wrestler and former professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Baron Corbin.
Pestock is a former offen ...
with his guitar. Throughout November, Elias started a feud with Bobby Lashley, who would defeat him in different matches via count–out, disqualification or a distraction by his
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
Lio Rush
Lionel Gerard Green (born November 11, 1994), better known by the ring name Lio Rush, is an American professional wrestler and musician currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of the Chaos stable. He has also ap ...
. This led to a match at the
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs event, where Elias defeated Lashley in a
ladder match
A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling, most commonly one in which an item (usually a title belt) is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item. The ladder itself becom ...
with a guitar hanging over the ring, after which Lashley would attack him with the guitar after the match. The following night on ''Raw'', Elias would gain revenge as he would attack Lashley with a guitar. This sparked a
Miracle on 34th Street Fight between the two, in which Elias was victorious.
At the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after the Royal Rumble match, a modified battle roya ...
on January 27, 2019, Elias entered the Royal Rumble match at entrant 1 and was prepared for a concert before being interrupted by
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett (born July 14, 1967) is an American professional wrestler and promoter. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he also serves as Director of Business Development.
Beginning his career in his father J ...
, who proposed a duet. After seemingly accepting, Elias attacked Jarrett with his guitar. Afterwards, as the match officially began, Elias lasted fifteen minutes before being eliminated by the eventual winner Seth Rollins. The following night on ''Raw'', Elias turned heel after insulting the crowd, proclaiming that they disappointed him for lackluster reactions towards him, and was subsequently interrupted by Jeff Jarrett and
Road Dogg
Brian Girard James (born May 20, 1969) is an American professional wrestler currently signed with the WWE where he serves as the Senior Vice President of Live Events.
James was best known for his initial tenure with World Wrestling Federation (W ...
, who proceeded to sing "With My Baby Tonight" until Elias attacked both men, smashing a guitar over both Jarrett and Road Dogg. On the February 4 episode of ''Raw'', Elias defeated Jeff Jarrett, who wrestled in his first match on ''Raw'' since Jarrett left WWE after
No Mercy. After the match, Jarrett smashed Elias with his guitar as payback for the previous week. Elias was attacked on both
WrestleMania 35
WrestleMania 35 was the 35th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brand divisions. The event took place on A ...
and the Raw after the event by
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied w ...
and
The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway spent the vast majority ...
respectively during his musical performances.
Various alliances and feuds (2019–2021)
During the
2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up
The 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up was the thirteenth WWE draft – and the last to be branded as the Superstar Shake-up – produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE between the Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brands. Instead of a ...
, Elias was drafted to the SmackDown brand. Just before Elias was to have a musical performance, he was interrupted and attacked by
Roman Reigns
Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa'i (born May 25, 1985) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former American football, football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WW ...
who was also making his SmackDown debut.
The following week,
Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon (; born January 15, 1970) is an American businessman and professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he was a wrestler, producer and minority owner. He is the founder and executive chairman of Idean ...
challenged Reigns to a fight for attacking his father. Reigns came out and was attacked from behind by Elias, who assisted McMahon in beating up Reigns. Elias then challenged Reigns to a match at
Money in the Bank, and Reigns accepted. At the event, Elias was defeated by Reigns
in 8 seconds.
On the May 28 episode of ''SmackDown Live'', Elias pinned
R-Truth
Ronnie Aaron Killings (born January 19, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE, performing on the Raw brand under the ring name R-Truth.
Killings worked for World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WW ...
with the help of McMahon and
Drew McIntyre
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE Int ...
, winning the
24/7 Championship, his first title in WWE. He lost the title in the same night against R-Truth, after a tag team match that also involved Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre. R-Truth pinned him after the match with the help of Roman Reigns.
The following week at ''SmackDown Live'' he defeated again R-Truth in a
Lumberjack match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
for the 24/7 Championship, but in the same episode, while the lumberjacks brawled with each other, Truth pinned him under the ring ending his second reign.
Elias participated at the 51-Man Battle Royal at the
2019 Super Showdown but he was the last competitor eliminated by the eventual winner
Mansoor
Mansour ( ar, منصور, Manṣūr); also spelled Mounsor, Monsur (Bengali), Mansoor, Manser, Mansur, Mansyur (Indonesian) or Mensur (Turkish), is a male Arabic name that means "He who is victorious", from the Arabic root '' naṣr'' (نصر), m ...
.
After this, Elias continued his alliance with Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre, helping them in various feuds and matches. During the special episode
WWE Smackville
WWE Smackville was a professional wrestling livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion's SmackDown brand division. A portion of the live event was livestreamed exclusively on the WWE Network as a ...
, he was defeated by Shane's new rival
Kevin Owens
Kevin Steen (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kevin Owens.
Steen began his career in 2000, at the age of 16. Prior to joining WWE in l ...
. On August 12, 2019, during the ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
'' episode post-SummerSlam, Elias pinned R-Truth in the backstage after hitting him with his guitar, regaining the 24/7 Title.
One week later, at ''SmackDown'', Elias participated in the King of the Ring tournament, defeating Kevin Owens during the first match thanks to the help of Shane, who made himself the special referee while the match was in progress and distracted the latter.
Elias then lost and regained the 24/7 title on August 23 during the
Fox Sports
Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world.
The ''Fox Sports'' name has since been used for other sports media assets. These assets are held mainly by the Fo ...
Founder's Day events in Los Angeles, ultimately pinning Fox Sports host
Rob Stone on the set of the Fox College Football pregame show immediately after Stone had pinned R-Truth (who had pinned Elias earlier in the day while Elias was doing a concert to kick off the Founder's Day festivities). On August 27 at ''
SmackDown Live
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes simulc ...
'',
Drake Maverick
James Michael Curtin (born 30 January 1983) is an English former professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE as a writer on Raw. During his time as an on screen performer in the company, he worked under the ring name Drake Maverick. He ...
defeated Elias for the title after the latter was attacked by
Kevin Owens
Kevin Steen (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kevin Owens.
Steen began his career in 2000, at the age of 16. Prior to joining WWE in l ...
. It was announced on September 10, 2019, that Elias was suffering from an ankle injury and was not able to compete in the
2019 King of the Ring semi-final match against
Chad Gable
Charles Edward Betts (born March 8, 1986) is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Chad Gable. He is a four-time tag team champion in ...
. After a two-month hiatus, He returned on November 29, 2019, edition of SmackDown making fun of Drake Maverick, turning face in the process. The next week, he cemented his face turn when he sang with Dana Brooke and attacked Maverick.
Elias participated in the
Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic Battle Royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
at the
namesake pay-per-view and entered at No. 2 but was eliminated by the
WWE Champion
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDown's ...
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American-Canadian professional wrestler, former mixed martial artist (MMA), amateur wrestler, and professional American football player who holds both American and Canadian citizenship. He is ...
. Elias would then begin a feud with
King Corbin defeating him at
Wrestlemania 36
WrestleMania 36 was the 36th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and NXT brand divisions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic ...
at Night 1 of the event with a roll-up pin. On the May 15 episode of ''SmackDown'', Elias defeated Corbin again during the first round of the tournament for the vacant Intercontinental Championship. On the May 29 episode of ''SmackDown'', he was unable to continue the tournament when he suffered an injury caused, in storyline, by a car incident. In reality, Elias had suffered a torn pectoral muscle and required surgery rendering him out of action for 6–9 months. As part of the
2020 Draft in October, Elias was drafted to the
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
brand. On the October 12 episode of ''Raw'', he returned from injury and attacked
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero Hardy (born August 31, 1977) is an American professional wrestler and musician. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Hardy is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all-time and is regarded ...
by bashing his guitar, turning heel once again. At
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fenci ...
, Elias defeated Hardy by disqualification after Hardy smashed him with his guitar. On the November 2 ''Raw'', Elias was defeated by Hardy in a Guitar on a Pole match and a few weeks later would again be defeated in a Symphony of Destruction match, ending the feud.
In December 2020, Elias formed an alliance with
Jaxson Ryker
Chad Lail (born June 6, 1982) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in Impact Wrestling under the ring name Gunner.
Early life
Chad Lail was born on June 6, 1982, in Hickory, North Carolina. He served in the Ira ...
. At the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after the Royal Rumble match, a modified battle roya ...
, Elias would enter his fourth Rumble match at No. 13, eliminating
Carlito before being eliminated by
Damian Priest
Luis Martínez (born September 26, 1982) is an American professional wrestler of Puerto Rican descent. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Damian Priest, and is a member of the stable The Judgme ...
. At
Fastlane, Elias would replace
Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon (; born January 15, 1970) is an American businessman and professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he was a wrestler, producer and minority owner. He is the founder and executive chairman of Idean ...
in his match against
Braun Strowman
Adam Joseph Scherr (born September 6, 1983) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Strongman (strength athlete), strongman. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDo ...
, in which he was defeated. On the May 31, 2021 episode of ''Raw'', after challenging
AJ Styles
Allen Neal Jones (born June 2, 1977), better known by his ring name AJ Styles (also stylized as A.J. Styles), is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Regarded as one of the best ...
and
Omos
Tolulope "Jordan" Omogbehin (born May 16, 1994) is a Nigerian-American professional wrestler and former college basketball player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the WWE Raw brand under the ring name Omos. He played colleg ...
for the
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
The WWE Raw Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE's main roster, ...
in a losing effort, Elias split up with Ryker. The two would briefly feud until the July 19 episode of ''Raw'', where in a match between the two Ryker was victorious. In August, WWE aired vignettes where Elias burned his guitar, ending the musician character.
Ezekiel debut and return of Elias (2022–present)
On the April 4, 2022 episode of ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
'', Sciullo, Elias’s younger brother Ezekiel, returned to WWE television as a
face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
, a look consisting of a clean shaven face, shorter hair, and trunks, and said that he was the younger brother of Elias.
In the following weeks on ''Raw'', Ezekiel entered a feud with
Kevin Owens
Kevin Steen (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kevin Owens.
Steen began his career in 2000, at the age of 16. Prior to joining WWE in l ...
, who refused to believe Ezekiel was really Elias's brother, and thought he was actually Elias himself. At
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fenci ...
, Ezekiel lost to Owens.
On the June 20 episode of ''Raw'', the two brothers "reunited" in a doctored backstage segment. Later that night, Elias appeared to perform a concert, before being interrupted by Owens. Still refusing to believe that the brothers were different people, Owens challenged Ezekiel, Elias or their "even younger brother Elrod" to a match. On the August 8 episode of ''Raw'', Owens stretchered Ezekiel out of the arena after attacking him with an Apron Powerbomb, thus ending their feud.
Elias then returned on the October 17 episode of ''Raw''.
Discography
Extended plays
*''
WWE: Walk with Elias'' (2018)
*''
WWE: Universal Truth'' (2020)
Championships and accomplishments
*
International Wrestling Cartel
International Wrestling Cartel is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is currently owned and operated by Justin Plummer.
Norm Connors ran the promotion for 19 years until he handed the reigns to t ...
**
IWC Super Indy Championship
The IWC Super Indy Championship is a professional wrestling championship in the wrestling promotion International Wrestling Cartel. The championship was first awarded on March 22, 2002, when Super Hentai defeated Christopher Daniels in the fin ...
(1 time)
** IWC World Heavyweight Championship
The International Wrestling Council (IWC) World Heavyweight Championship (Campeonato Mundial de Peso Completo de la IWC in Spanish) was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Mexican professional wrestling promotion, Luc ...
(1 time)
* ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''
** Ranked No. 69 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishi ...
'' in 2018
* WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
** WWE 24/7 Championship
The WWE 24/7 Championship was a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It was a tertiary championship open to anyone—regardless of gender or WWE employment status—and carried the special rule ...
( 4 times)
** Slammy Award
The Slammy Awards is a concept used by WWE, where awards, similar to the Academy and Grammy Awards, are given to professional wrestlers and other individuals within WWE, such as commentators and managers. Introduced in 1986, there have been 13 edi ...
(1 time)
*** Musical Performance of the Year (2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
)
** WWE Year-End Award
The WWE Year-End Awards is a concept used by WWE, where awards, similar to the Academy and Grammy Awards, are given to professional wrestlers at the end of the year who have performed on Raw and SmackDown. Introduced in 2018, there have been two ...
(1 time)
*** Breakout Superstar of the Year (2018)
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Elias
1987 births
Living people
American male professional wrestlers
Sportspeople from Pittsburgh
Professional wrestlers from Pennsylvania
American people of Italian descent
American professional wrestlers of Italian descent
Musicians from Pittsburgh
Masked wrestlers
WWE 24/7 Champions
21st-century professional wrestlers