Nixed WWE Re-Branding For Elias – As seen below, the WWE 2K22 graphic for Elias has been revealed, and it shows the WWE Superstar with what appears to be a nixed look from late last year.
We noted back in December how Elias had a re-branding weeks earlier, but the new look was reportedly similar to WWE Hall of Famer “Macho Man” Randy Savage, with colorful trunks and a beard. WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon and officials close to him reportedly did not like these changes, and plans for the re-branding were nixed.
No other details were provided on the nixed re-branding, but 2K revealed Elias’ render this week and it shows him wearing short trunks and wrist cuffs. It’s believed that this is the look WWE officials nixed late last year, but there’s no word yet on how it ended up in WWE 2K22, and if it will be in the final version of the game.
Elias previously wore trunks during his early WWE NXT days, but this nixed look would be a significant change from how he’s looked in recent years.
You may remember how WWE aired Elias teaser vignettes last summer. Multiple vignettes for the re-branding of the former WWE 24/7 Champion began airing in August, but the last vignette aired on August 23, and that was the last we’ve seen of Elias. It was later reported that WWE had no end plan for the vignettes, and that WWE just filmed them to kill off Elias’ musician gimmick.
Elias is currently listed on the WWE roster, but he is not assigned to RAW or SmackDown as of this writing, likely due to WWE keeping him out of the WWE Draft back in the fall. He has not wrestled since his Symphony of Destruction Match loss to Jaxson Ryker on the July 19 edition of RAW. Elias has also been quiet on social media since last summer.
