Felix Upton on June 6, 2025
Elijah’s recent crossover appearance in NXT brought him back into the spotlight—but it’s what he said off-screen that hit hardest.
During an interview on Busted Open Radio, the former WWE star reflected on the day he was released and how it changed everything for him, both personally and professionally.
When asked by Bully Ray if time had given him any clarity, Elijah admitted it still stings.
“Yeah, no. You know what? When you see people like R-Truth and Carlito — and I could be wrong, maybe even The Miz got some today — you realize it actually is just kind of part of the business, as unfortunate as it is.”
He revealed the emotional fallout from being let go without any storyline closure.
“As somebody who dreams of being a pro wrestler, you want to see the whole story arc play out. You want to have the great sendoff on your way out. And then sometimes you realize — that’s just not the business.”
“When I got let go, I was in that mindset — I won’t even go into the expletives going on in my mind when that happened, you know what I mean? And the fire that that kind of builds inside of you for that to happen… and don’t get me wrong, that’s still there.”
“There’s still a lot of that: ‘I want to show anybody who had my name cross their table and said, “Yeah, he could go” — I’m gonna show you something.’”
But Elijah also acknowledged the business reality behind WWE’s decision-making.
“You can see there’s a real business aspect to it, removed from the personal wrestling passion aspect, where sometimes these decisions are made and yeah, they’re brutal, but you can be no exception to that.”
Bully Ray summed it up bluntly, and Elijah didn’t disagree.
“Sometimes we as wrestlers look at ourselves as the wheel, but then you realize you’re just a spoke in the wheel.”
Elijah was released from WWE in 2023 after years of reinventing himself across multiple gimmicks, most famously as Elias. Despite connecting with fans and carving out a memorable persona, creative direction stalled. WWE quietly let his contract expire, with no farewell match or final segment—just a name missing from the internal roster.
Elijah didn’t get the goodbye he wanted—but that might be exactly what he needed. No pyro, no farewell speech, just a door slammed shut and a fire lit underneath him. Now with a new voice in TNA and a chip on his shoulder, Elijah’s not asking for a second chance—he’s taking it.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
Do you think WWE gave up on Elijah too early? Or was it just the nature of the business? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
June 6, 2025 11:43 am
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