Elias traveled the indie wrestling scene for half a decade as Heavy Metal Jesus, Logan Shulo before landing in NXT. But once he arrived in NXT he was given a great character that he really latched onto as The Drifter Elias Samson.
If you watch Elias on Raw every week and are entertained by his antics and even more delighted by his songs, then you’re not alone. Even when he’s insulting people, the hometown crowds still seem to love everything that comes out of his melodious mouth.
He might have lost his last name and they don’t really call him “The Drifter” anymore, but Elias is doing big things and looks like a heel who could someday be in a place much higher on the card sooner than later.
He’s been able to display way more in-ring ability on the WWE main roster since being called up than he ever did in NXT. After wandering the hallways for weeks on end, it was finally time for him to debut and it was actually worth the wait.
Triple H recently spoke to CBS Sports where he discussed the Elias character and really put him over. The Game also praised Elias for being an asset to NXT while they had him at the WWE Performance Center.
“The entire time [Elias] was there, I was trying to get him ready for Raw and SmackDown because I knew as a performer his value was there. I said to Dusty [Rhodes], ‘He is made for the roster and not for NXT.’ The gimmick, the way he is and his demeanor, he is suited for that. He is not a fit for NXT. It doesn’t mean he won’t be successful there and it doesn’t mean he won’t have a run there but that run was to get ready for the roster.”
