Drew McIntyre has offered an early vote of confidence in Elijah Holyfield’s potential as an on-screen performer after the two shared a scene in Agent Of Shadows.
McIntyre discussed working with Holyfield during an appearance on The Joe Vulpis Podcast. The former WWE Champion was careful to draw a line between what he saw on the production and what happens between the ropes: McIntyre said he has not watched Holyfield wrestle. Still, the impression Holyfield made face-to-face was clear, as McIntyre highlighted the young WWE talent’s look, presence, and apparent comfort in a dramatic setting.
“Holyfield’s kid, Elijah, he was in a scene with me like face to face. I have not watched him wrestle for one second, sorry if he’s been on TV, I have not watched him. But, he has a great face and a great presence and just looks like a man, like a hard man. I’m hoping he clicks in the ring as well as the promo stuff because he did a great job in the scenes I was in with him.”
It is a notable endorsement because McIntyre’s praise was rooted in qualities that often matter immediately when a wrestler reaches television: visual credibility, body language, and the ability to command attention in a close-up interaction. Holyfield remains at an early stage of his WWE journey, but McIntyre’s comments suggest he already carries himself in a way that registers alongside an established top-level star.
For more background on this topic, read Channing ‘Stacks’ Lorenzo Stretchered Out After NXT Live Event Match Is Stopped.
McIntyre praises what he saw away from the ring
McIntyre did not present his comments as a full evaluation of Holyfield as a professional wrestler. In fact, he directly acknowledged that he has not seen any of Holyfield’s matches. That distinction is important. Ring work, live crowd response, and microphone performance are all separate demands, and McIntyre did not claim to have firsthand knowledge of Holyfield’s development in those areas.
Instead, his assessment centered on their work together for Agent Of Shadows. Sharing a scene with another performer, particularly in a face-to-face setting, can quickly reveal whether someone has confidence before a camera. McIntyre’s description of Holyfield having a “great face” and “great presence” speaks to that immediate screen impact.
For wrestling prospects, an authentic presence can be difficult to teach. Technique can be refined through training and experience. Promos can improve with repetition. But a performer’s ability to look believable in a confrontation, to project physical toughness, and to draw the viewer’s eye often becomes a foundational part of a successful television presentation.
That is what McIntyre appeared to recognize in Holyfield. The phrase “hard man” is especially fitting coming from McIntyre, whose own WWE identity has long been built around intensity and imposing physicality. He did not say Holyfield is already a finished product. Rather, he pointed to traits that could help the younger performer stand out if the rest of his game develops at the same level.
Elijah Holyfield continues developing outside NXT television
Holyfield has yet to make his NXT television debut. While that means WWE viewers have not had the opportunity to see him introduced on the brand’s weekly programming, he has continued gaining experience in other environments.
He regularly competes on EVOLVE and LFG, giving him opportunities to work in front of audiences and build the practical foundation required of a developing talent. Those appearances are particularly valuable for a wrestler still establishing an in-ring identity. Reps in live settings can help performers sharpen their timing, understand crowd reactions, and become more natural while executing the physical and storytelling elements of a match.
Holyfield is also set to work for AAA sometime in the future. No additional details were provided regarding when that opportunity will take place or what his role will be, but the planned appearance represents another potential step in his progression. Working in a different promotion can expose a developing wrestler to new opponents, styles, and expectations.
For now, Holyfield’s path is still taking shape. He has not received the full NXT television introduction that tends to define how a wider WWE audience first sees a prospect. That makes the comments from McIntyre an interesting glimpse at how Holyfield may already be perceived by a veteran who encountered him in a setting outside normal wrestling training or match competition.
Presence matters before the bell rings
Professional wrestling requires more than athletic performance. A wrestler can be technically skilled and still need to find the character, confidence, or visual identity that connects those abilities to an audience. Conversely, a compelling physical presence can give an emerging talent something audiences recognize right away, even before their larger body of work is established on television.
McIntyre’s remarks touched on that side of the business. He saw Holyfield in a scene rather than a match, and what stood out was the sense that Holyfield looked credible. In wrestling terms, credibility is often about making the audience believe a performer belongs in the moment. It can come through facial expressions, posture, eye contact, physical conditioning, or simply the way someone enters a room.
Holyfield’s name also naturally carries a degree of recognition because of his family background, but McIntyre’s comments focused on Elijah Holyfield himself and the specific impression he made during their shared work. McIntyre did not frame the praise around reputation or lineage. He framed it around the presence he personally observed.
That is a useful distinction for any prospect entering WWE’s system. A recognizable last name may bring attention, but it does not replace the work required to become a complete wrestling performer. McIntyre’s hope that Holyfield can “click” in the ring and with promotional material underscores that there are still important steps ahead.
A measured endorsement from a WWE veteran
McIntyre’s comments were positive, but also measured. He did not overstate what he knew about Holyfield’s wrestling ability. He apologized if Holyfield had already appeared on television, reiterating that he simply had not watched him wrestle. The honesty gives the praise additional context: this was not a broad scouting report, but a reaction to a direct professional interaction.
Even so, McIntyre’s experience makes the reaction worth noting. He has spent years performing at the highest level in WWE, where presentation is constantly scrutinized and every performer is expected to communicate character quickly. McIntyre understands the difference between someone merely appearing in a scene and someone who feels natural enough to hold attention beside an established star.
His takeaway was that Holyfield did a great job in the scenes they shared. For a developing wrestler who has not yet debuted on NXT television, that is encouraging feedback. It suggests Holyfield may have a comfort level in front of a camera that can become increasingly important as his WWE profile grows.
There is no timetable stated for Holyfield’s NXT television debut, and McIntyre did not offer predictions about when it might happen. The immediate facts remain straightforward: Holyfield is working EVOLVE and LFG, is expected to appear for AAA in the future, and made a favorable impression on McIntyre during production work for Agent Of Shadows.
What comes next for Holyfield
The next phase for Holyfield will be about turning those promising impressions into a complete body of work. McIntyre identified the raw presence. The remaining challenge, as McIntyre himself noted, is making sure that presence translates across the in-ring and promo aspects of professional wrestling.
That process is normal for an emerging talent. The most effective WWE performers are able to maintain the same credibility whether they are wrestling, speaking, reacting backstage, or appearing in a filmed segment. Holyfield’s work with McIntyre indicates he may already be comfortable in one of those areas. Continued matches on EVOLVE and LFG, along with the future AAA appearance, can provide further opportunities to develop the others.
Until Holyfield arrives on NXT television, fans will have to wait to see how WWE chooses to present him to its larger audience. McIntyre’s comments do not answer that question, nor do they guarantee a particular role or trajectory. They do, however, offer a strong early impression from someone who knows how much presence can matter.
For McIntyre, Holyfield looked like a “hard man” and handled their shared scenes effectively. For Holyfield, the task now is to continue building on that impression as his wrestling career moves forward.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.