Elijah Holyfield, son of boxing legend Evander Holyfield, made his WWE debut on December 10, 2024, during a taping for the upcoming reality show WWE LFG (Legends & Future Greats). He faced Anthony Luke in a non-televised match that took place ahead of a live NXT episode.
After initially making his debut in December 2024, Holyfield is now set to make his singles debut in front of a live audience during the Sunday, March 23, 2025 episode of WWE LFG, where he will represent The Undertaker’s team against Anthony Luke from Booker T’s team.
Background
Elijah Holyfield is a 27-year-old former NFL running back who played college football at the University of Georgia. After going undrafted in 2019, he had stints with the Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals. His football career ended following a knee injury in the summer of 2022.
WWE confirmed Holyfield’s signing in November 2024, less than a month before his initial in-ring debut. He participated in a WWE tryout in July 2024 before officially joining the company.
Interestingly, Elijah’s father Evander Holyfield has his own history with WWE, having appeared on Saturday Night’s Main Event in 2007 where he defeated Matt Hardy in a boxing match.
Elijah Holyfield joins the tradition of former football players transitioning to successful WWE careers, following in the footsteps of stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Roman Reigns.Sources
