Elijah Holyfield, the son of boxing legend Evander Holyfield, got off to a strong start in WWE EVOLVE with a win in his debut. The former NFL running back defeated Kai Kavari convincingly. The most noteworthy moment of the bout was his unique finisher that knocked out Kavari immediately.
Before joining WWE, Holyfield played running back for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. He later spent four seasons in the NFL before a serious knee injury in 2022 forced him to rethink his future.
That setback eventually led him to wrestling. After impressing WWE scouts during a SummerSlam weekend tryout, Holyfield signed a WWE developmental contract in November 2024. His profile grew even more through WWE LFG.
His momentum slowed in late 2025 when he suffered a torn bicep that required surgery. Now healthy again, the 27-year-old has officially begun his WWE EVOLVE journey.
Elijah Holyfield’s boxing-inspired finisher earned him the win
The match against Kavari was short, but Holyfield made the most of it. He used his strength and striking ability to stay in control. Nevertheless, he showed signs of inexperience sporadically.
He eventually finished the match with a powerful right hand that dropped Kavari instantly. Before performing the move, Holyfield did a thumbs-up taunt that almost looks similar to what Batista used to do before his finisher. He then punched Kavari right below the chin and initiated the pin.
The referee called for the bell right away after the count, giving Holyfield a knockout-style victory that paid tribute to his family’s boxing background.
Elijah’s finishing move is inspired by his father, former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield.
There were a few moments where he seemed to wait for Kavari to get into position. However, those small issues didn’t take away from an otherwise strong performance. Kavari also helped make the match interesting, especially with the way he sold Holyfield’s finisher.
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