One of WWE's rising stars wants to make it known what the "WWE" truly stands for.
Current RAW star, Elias, recently spoke with the New York Post ahead of WWE's 'Elimination Chamber' PPV this Sunday. Elias will be joining: Braun Strowman, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins & The Miz inside of the structure, all for an opportunity at the WWE Universal Championship.
“I understand I am in there with the top quality of this company. So that says that if I am in that caliber, if I am in there in the ring with those guys, that’s exactly what I am."
Although you may see Elias on WWE TV weekly, with the fans chanting along with him and playing up to his character, things were not always so smooth for the man formerly known as "The Drifter". Elias would state to the New York Post that he was rejected after four WWE tryouts. When Elias finally got his break in the WWE, his gimmick in NXT did not fare well with fans as they did not react to him during most shows.
“Shawn Michaels came to one of the tryouts I did. He just said to everybody and I took it to heart, that: ‘Hey, if the answer is no, that just means not yet.’ ”
On a recent edition of RAW, Elias unfortunately had a run-in with the "Monster Among Men" Braun Strowman. Strowman would mock Elias's signature entrance, as the big man entered the spotlight with a bass in hand. Strowman would then proceed to break the bass over the back of Elias.
“I mean, you are seeing this giant guy out there with a giant cello, guitar, whatever you want to call it and you see him kind of doing what I do, but the giant version of it." Elias said. “Of course it’s so many thoughts at once and I’m just taken aback. Of course, I believe it made for some great TV.”
Elias does have some big goals set for himself. He hopes to make it onto his first WrestleMania card and even threw out some names to the New York Post concerning who he'd like to face at the "Grandest Stage Of Them All".
“I can see myself having a great WrestleMania match with John Cena, with Chris Jericho. I wouldn’t mind mixing it up with Braun after what he did to me last week. Get me to the stage and I’ll take it from there.”
You can read more of Elias's comments to the New York Post by clicking here. Elias, as noted, will be competing in the Elimination Chamber match this Sunday, which we will have full coverage of and a post-show podcast, right here on Fightful.