WWE superstar sensationally claims iconic character was actually an idea ‘stolen’ from him-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Former WWE superstar Elias has claimed he was the mind behind Seth Rollins’ wild transformation into the Monday Night Messiah.

The 38-year-old wrestler, who is now going by the name Elijah after getting released from the company in September 2023, will be over in the UK for North Wrestling and others this summer, and he has reflected on the decade he spent in WWE.

He exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘I was always coming up with different characters, ways to evolve Elias into the next thing. There was a character that I really thought could have been incredible myself, it was the Monday Might Messiah.

‘And if you realise, Seth Rollins and AOP ended up – for lack of better terms, they just gave it to those guys.’

While the star – best known for his musical troubadour persona – insisted there is no ill will towards Seth, he still feels he had a great ‘vision’ of where he could have taken the character.

‘I had a real vision of me being the Pied Piper of Monday Night Raw and controlling people, with kind of a cult like leader,’ he added. ‘The biblical themes and things like that, I always love that Messiah stuff.’

Elias, now known as Elijah, has claimed he pitched the Monday Night Messiah character (Picture: WWE)

Seth Rollins had great success with the persona, which gave way to him becoming The Visionary (Picture: WWE)

He insisted the pitch was ‘one of many’ he was giving to everyone on the creative side up until his last day, and that it’s no rarity for those ideas to go to wrestlers higher up the card.

‘There’s guys that just are getting paid more or getting put more in a spotlight, and they might want to put the resources into those guys,’ he pondered.

‘It’s no discredit to Seth, the guy’s absolutely incredible. But this is how that’s how the system works, you know what I mean? That’s the risk you take with giving these ideas.’

For his part, Seth has been open about the creative process developing his on-screen persona from the Monday Night Messiah to the Visionary, admitting back in 2020 that ‘it’s definitely something’ the wrestler himself is ‘very proud of’.

Seth has discussed his own creative process for the character in the past (Picture: WWE)

Elijah joked ‘it might be better to stay quiet’ behind the scenes, but he would often be one to knock on doors and try to push his way into more prominent positions.

He added: ‘So you get upset, you do your thing. But at the at the end of the day, you’re like, “Well, okay, that’s how it goes. That’s the business.” I knew what I was getting what I was getting into the business.’

The beloved star was willing to try anything to enhance his position, which even included cutting his hair and shaving his face to play Elias’ twin brother Ezekiel.

‘From a comfort standpoint, it was definitely interesting,’ he chuckled. ‘But it’s another one of those things where I’m like, “Okay, boss, I’ll make the best of it.” ‘

Elias was open to other characters, such as his own twin brother Ezekiel (Picture: WWE)

It was quite the transformation (Picture: WWE)

He even thinks WWE could, and perhaps should, have done more with the storyline, exploring other members of the family – and he’d love the chance to do that in the future.

‘I still have a character in mind for my older brother Elrod,’ he admitted, as well as other family members. ‘I think we’ve opened up a whole box of characters and creative outlets we could possibly go in.’

For now though, Elijah is excited to be back on the independent scene after his WWE release, and it’s been ‘a lot more fun’ that he expected after being in the wrestling giant’s ‘system’ for so long.

He said:’To kind of step outside, and have the freedom to call your shots, and pick the shows and the locations, and then the shows themselves, and the crowds themselves… it’s been a lot of fun.’

Asked about the chances of landing in promotions like TNA Wrestling or AEW, Elijah isn’t chasing a big deal with companies so soon after leaving WWE.

‘There’s been interest all around the world,’ he revealed. ‘But just for me personally, I’m just not sure if I even want to jump into a situation like that, you know what I mean?’

He added: ‘I’m not going to write anything off, because you just never know what opportunity might pop up or sound good or fun or creative. But in the meantime, right now, I’m not really not seeking anything out like that.’

Elijah will face Joe Hendry at NORTH Wrestling on July 13. Click here for tickets and more information.

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