Elias

Elias Samson

El Vagabundo

In early 2014, Elias was signed to a developmental deal by WWE under the ring name **Elias Samson**. He made his *NXT* debut at the April 24, 2014, tapings, working as an enhancement talent and teaming with Buddy Murphy 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.

In August 2015, Samson debuted a new drifter musician character in a match taped prior to NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, approaching the ring with a guitar before defeating Bull Dempsey. Samson then entered the *Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic* tournament, where he was paired with Tucker Knight, 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, which he would dub as a finishing move onwards. In the following weeks, Samson would rack up victories over various competitors such as Steve Cutler and Jesse Sorensen. On the March 23, 2016 episode of *NXT*, after he suffered a loss to Johnny Gargano, Samson would attack him only to be fended off by Apollo Crews. 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 and Finn Bálor, but he would be on the losing side.

In what would be his final feud in NXT, Samson faced Kassius Ohno (whom he mocked after he had just lost an NXT Championship match against Bobby Roode) 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 Drifter"), where he lost to Oney Lorcan, who unmasked him afterwards.

On the April 10, 2017, episode of *Raw*, 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 by disqualification after The Miz intentionally attacked him. In June, Samson started his first feud as part of the main roster with Finn Bálor, 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 after interference from Bray Wyatt. In the end of July, WWE shortened his ring name to **Elias**.

Elias was then placed in a feud with Jason Jordan, 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 for the Intercontinental Championship.

On January 28, 2018, at the Royal Rumble, Elias entered his first Royal Rumble match at No. 6, lasting 26 minutes before being eliminated by John Cena. A month later, Elias competed for the first time in an Elimination Chamber match at the namesake pay–per–view, where he entered last, but was the second participant eliminated by Braun Strowman. Elias also appeared at WrestleMania 34, where he was attacked by Cena. Three weeks later, Elias competed at the Greatest Royal Rumble event, where he entered at No. 20, lasting over 30 minutes and eliminating five wrestlers before being eliminated by Bobby Lashley. Shortly after, Elias started a feud with Seth Rollins, whom he attacked with his guitar after interrupting his performance. The two eventually faced off for the Intercontinental Championship at Money in the Bank, where Elias lost.

In October, Elias turned face for the first time in his career, as he attacked Baron Corbin 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 Lio Rush. This led to a match at the TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs event, where Elias defeated Lashley in a ladder match 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 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, 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, who proceeded to sing "With My Baby Tonight" until Elias attacked both men, smashing a guitar over both Jarrett and Road Dogg. On February 4, Jeff Jarrett wrestled his first match on *Raw* in 19 years, losing to Elias. After the match, Jarrett smashed Elias with his guitar as payback for the previous week. Elias was attacked on both WrestleMania 35 and the Raw after the event by John Cena and The Undertaker respectively during his musical performances.

During the 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up, Elias was drafted to the *SmackDown* brand. Just before Elias was to have a musical performance, he was interrupted and attacked by Roman Reigns who was also making his SmackDown debut. The following week, Shane McMahon 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 10 seconds. On the May 28th episode of *SmackDown Live*, Elias pinned R-Truth with the help of McMahon and Drew McIntyre, 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 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 eliminated by the eventual winner Mansoor. After this, Elias continued his alliance with Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre, helping them in various feuds and matches. During WWE Smackville, he was defeated by Shane's new rival Kevin Owens. On August 12, 2019 during the *Raw* episode post-SummerSlam, Elias pinned R-Truth in the backstage after hitting him with his guitar, regaining the 24/7 Title. One week later, on *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 Founder's Day events in Los Angeles, ultimately pinning Fox Sports host Rob Stone 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 on *SmackDown Live*, Drake Maverick defeated Elias after the latter was attacked by Kevin Owens. In the quarterfinals of the King of the Ring tournament, Elias defeated Ali. Before he could face Chad Gable in the semifinals, Elias announced that he had suffered a broken ankle, thus removing him from the tournament and replacing him with Shane McMahon, who went on to lose to Gable.

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 turn by singing with Dana Brooke and attacking Drake Maverick. Elias participated in the Royal Rumble match at the namesake pay-per-view and entered at number two, but was eliminated by the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. Elias would then enter a feud with King Corbin, resulting in a match between the two at WrestleMania 36 after Corbin threw Elias off of a balcony on the March 27 episode of *SmackDown*. At WrestleMania, Elias was victorious against Corbin. On the April 17 *SmackDown*, Elias was attacked by Corbin backstage, leading to a short hiatus. He would return during the final moments of the Money in the Bank ladder match at the eponymous pay-per-view, getting revenge on Elias by hitting him with his guitar and costing him the match. On the May 15 episode of *SmackDown*, Elias defeated King 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* brand. On the October 12 episode of *Raw*, he returned from injury and attacked Jeff Hardy by bashing his guitar, thus turning back to a heel in the process. In December, after ending his feud with Hardy, Elias formed an alliance with Jaxson Ryker. At the Royal Rumble, Elias would enter his fifth rumble match and managed to eliminate Carlito before being eliminated by Damian Priest. On the May 31, 2021 episode of *Raw*, after being defeated by AJ Styles and Omos, Elias split up with Ryker, with the latter turning face in the process. Following a brief feud with Ryker, on the August 9 episode of *Raw*, a vignette aired which showed him burning his guitar, where he proclaimed that “Elias was dead”, thereby seemingly ending his drifter gimmick.

On the April 4, 2022 edition of *Raw*, Elias made his return to WWE under the new name **Ezekiel**, sporting a clean shaven look and trunks, while stating that he was the younger brother of Elias. In the following weeks on *Raw*, Ezekiel entered a feud with Kevin Owens, who refused to believe Ezekiel was really Elias' brother, and thought he was actually Elias himself. At Hell in a Cell, 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 or Elias 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 and writing off the Ezekiel character.

On the October 10 episode of *Raw*, a vignette aired declaring that Elias would return the following week. On the following week's episode of *Raw*, Elias would return to perform a song alongside Matt Riddle, but would be interrupted and attacked by Seth Rollins. In early 2023, Elias would begin a partnership with the returning Rick Boogs, as he would take up a mentorship role for Boogs. During the 2023 WWE draft, Elias went undrafted while Boogs went to *SmackDown*, effectively ending the duo. On September 21, Elias was released from his WWE contract.