Eli Drake

**Shaun Ricker** (born November 1, 1982) is an American professional wrestler and actor, who is signed to WWE, performing on the SmackDown brand as a manager under the ring name **Max Dupri.** Ricker is also known for his time with TNA / IMPACT Wrestling as **Eli Drake**. Ricker has also worked extensively on the U.S. independent wrestling circuit, and has been signed by prominent promotions like Championship Wrestling from Hollywood (under his real name) and the National Wrestling Alliance.

Ricker began his wrestling career in 2003 on the independent circuit. He later joined the then-NWA-affiliated Championship Wrestling from Hollywood (then called either "NWA Championship Wrestling from Hollywood" or "NWA: Hollywood") in 2010. After leaving CWFH in 2013, Ricker signed a developmental contract with WWE and performed on NXT (then, a minor production with a hybrid, reality TV / wrestling format) as **Slate Randall** until his release in 2014. Ricker signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2015, where he found great success, holding the IMPACT Global Championship, the TNA King of the Mountain Championship, and the IMPACT World Tag Team Championship (with Scott Steiner), once each.

After leaving IMPACT in 2019, Ricker signed with the recently-rebooted NWA, and held the NWA World Tag Team Championship (with James Storm). Ricker left the NWA in 2021 to re-sign with WWE, where he went by the ring name **LA Knight**, and was assigned to NXT.

Outside of wrestling, Ricker appeared as a cast member on the TNT reality series *The Hero*, hosted by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He also appeared in an episode of *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* in 2015.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *BFT* (Snapmare driver)
	+ *Blunt Force Trauma* (Knee lift transitioned into a discus clothesline)
	+ *Bottom Rung* (Belly-to-back side slam)
	+ *Gravy Train* (Over-the-shoulder back-to-belly piledriver)

* **Signature moves**
	+ Back elbow
	+ *Burning Hammer* (Inverted Death Valley driver)
	+ Clothesline
	+ Float-over DDT
	+ Hangman's neckbreaker
	+ Inverted stunner
	+ Jumping neckbreaker
	+ Leaping elbow drop, with theatrics
	+ Pop-up reverse powerbomb
	+ Single-leg powerbomb
	+ *Skylord Slam* (Front powerslam)
	+ Springboard moonsault
	+ Superplex
	+ Swinging neckbreaker

* **Nicknames**
	+ "The Defiant One"
	+ "The Last of a Dying Breed"
	+ "The Namer of Dummies"
	+ "The Perpetual Motion Machine of Badassery"
	+ "The Prince of Eternia"

* **Managers**
	+ Chris Adonis
	+ Percy Pringle III
	+ Tyrus
* **Wrestlers managed**
	+ MACE
	+ Mansoor

* **Entrance music**
	+ **Independent circuit**
		- "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)" by Paul Engemann
		- "Fame" by David Bowie
		- "Eli Drake" by Dale Oliver
	+ **Total Nonstop Action Wrestling / IMPACT Wrestling**
		- "Wish It Away" (Edit) by Psyko Dalek (used as a member of The Rising)
		- "The Ghost in Us" by Dale Oliver (used as a member of The Rising)
		- "Eli Drake" by Dale Oliver
		- "Let's Talk" by Dale Oliver
	+ **World Wrestling Entertainment / NXT**
		- "Knight Vision" by def rebel
		- **"Rollin' Deep"** by def rebel

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Championship Pro Wrestling**
	+ CPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jackpot and Sin City Syndicate
* **Championship Wrestling from Hollywood**
	+ CWFH Heritage Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA Heritage Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Brian Cage
	+ Red Carpet Rumble (2013)
* **DDT Pro-Wrestling**
	+ Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (1 time)
* **Future Stars of Wrestling**
	+ FSW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
* **Empire Wrestling Federation**
	+ EWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Great Goliath Battle Royal (2011) – with Josh Dunbar
* **Heartland Wrestling Association**
	+ HWA Television Championship (1 time)
	+ Attack of the Trios (2009) – with Dean Jablonski and Jon Moxley
* **Mach One Wrestling**
	+ M1W Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brian Cage
	+ M1W Tag Team Championship Tournament (2010) – with Brian Cage
* **National Wrestling Alliance**
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with James Storm
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Ranked #**94** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the *PWI 500* in 2016
	+ Ranked **#32** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the *PWI 500* in 2018
* **Pro Wrestling Revolution**
	+ PWR Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Total Nonstop Action Wrestling / IMPACT Wrestling**
	+ GFW / IMPACT Global / World Championship (1 time)
	+ TNA King of the Mountain Championship (1 time)
	+ IMPACT World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Scott Steiner
	+ Gauntlet for the Gold (2016, 2017 – Heavyweight)
	+ Feast or Fired (2016 – King of the Mountain Championship Contract)
	+ Feast or Fired (2018 – World Tag Team Championship Contract)
	+ Race for the Case (2017 – Red Case)
* **Ultimate Championship Wrestling**
	+ UCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **World Wrestling Entertainment / NXT**
	+ Million Dollar Championship (1 time)