NXT hotshot Je’Von Evans made his SmackDown debut on May 30, 2025. He had an impressive outing, teaming up with Rey Fenix to take on Los Garza. Even though he ended up taking a loss, his in-ring athleticism and charisma had everyone talking.
Evans is scheduled to face NXT North American champion Ethan Page, Fenix, and TNA star Laredo Kid in a Fatal 4-way match for the title. It will be another opportunity for him to showcase what he can do in the ring. As Evans chases championship gold, let’s dive into his personal life and the wrestling career that led him from AEW to the doors of the blue brand.
Je’Von Evans: Real Name and Early Wrestling Career
The 21-year-old Evans hails from Greensboro, North Carolina, and his real name is Malachi Jeffers. The Young OG of NXT started training as a pro wrestler when he was 13 years old in 2018 under the name Kid Blacka Merica.
A year later, in January, he would begin wrestling under the name Jay Malachi. During his time on the independents, Evans wrestled for Fire Star Pro Wrestling (FSPW), Premier Wrestling Federation (PWF), and Deadlock Pro Wrestling.
Evans competed as a singles as well as a tag team wrestler during this stint. At PWF, he won the tag team championship twice with Jackson Drake, while the duo also won gold at FSPW. In FSPW, Evans would also find singles success, winning the FSPW South Eastern Championship and the FSPW Heavyweight Championship.
In 2022, he signed for All Elite Wrestling and made his debut on August 21. He wrestled in a taped match for AEW Dark and lost to Fuego Del Sol. This remains his only confirmed AEW appearance, as his stint was cut short.
Evans then joined DPW, where he flourished. He won the Breakout Star of the Year award and then came out on top in the DPW Carolina Classic tournament. He would win Wrestler of the Year in 2023 and win the DPW Worlds championship. Evans vacated the title in November to sign with WWE and start the biggest chapter of his wrestling career.
NXT Career, Challenging Ilja Dragunov and Oba Femi
Evans arrived in NXT under his current in-ring name and made his debut on NXT Level Up, losing to Brooks Jensen on February 16, 2024. However, following this, Je’Von Evans would not only complete an impressive climb up the ranks but also leave the fans in awe.
On April 9, 2024, he made his NXT television debut and defeated SCRYPTS of the Out the Mud faction. Then, he confronted the then-NXT champion Ilja Dragunov and faced him the following week.
Despite losing, his performance left a lasting impression, with Dragunov endorsing and shaking hands with him. On the June 18 episode of NXT, Evans won a 25-man battle royal to earn an NXT title match against Trick Williams.
Page managed to wiggle his way into the match, leading to a Fatal 4-way title match at NXT Heatwave, which was won by Page. Evans continued to showcase his unique offense and moves, such as the Springboard Cutter and the finisher, the Double Spring Tornillo Splash, which got him over with the fans.
A brutal New York City street fight at NXT Roadblock, where Evans emerged victorious over Ethan Page, further solidified his status as one of the best young stars in all of WWE. At NXT Stand and Deliver this year on April 19, he took on Oba Femi and Williams in a triple-threat match for the NXT championship.
Though he failed to win, his fearless approach in the ring and dynamic offense earned him plaudits.
Randy Orton Praised Je’Von Evans After An Exciting Match Between the Two Stars
On the October 8 episode of NXT last year, Randy Orton returned home to St. Louis to battle Je’Von Evans. Despite the veteran starting off strong, Evans had Orton on the back foot with a flurry of quick offense.
Though Orton suplexed him four times on the announce desk, Evans showed great heart to give ‘The Viper’ a run for his money when the action resumed in the ring. A surprise superkick and a springboard cutter even got Evans a near fall before Orton recovered to hit the RKO and win. After the show, Orton was full of praise for Evans.
“I got to work with an incredible talent tonight, only 20 years old. You know him, he’s bouncy, Je’Von Evans. Dude, I’m very excited to see where he goes in the future. He’s gonna be around for as long as he wants to be,” The Apex Predator said in a digital exclusive. Orton also praised Evans for showing respect to the business.
Apart from his in-ring exploits, Evans has also been in headlines for his online beef with AEW star Ricochet earlier this month. After a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) claiming that Evans was the best young prospect in wrestling, Ricochet responded to the message, writing, “I’d squash him.”
The NXT upstart didn’t stay quiet, replying that he was busy training under Shawn Michaels and even called out AEW owner Tony Khan. The two continued to go back and forth, before Evans mentioned that Ricochet is “wrestling in front of 2,000 people every week, for a crackhead.” The posts were soon deleted from social media.
.@WWEJeVonEvans and @ReyFenixMx are putting on a clinic! 🔥#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/A1WeD60O5y
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
For now, the WWE Universe got a glimpse of what Evans is capable of in his showing on SmackDown. Fans will have another chance to witness his unbridled talent when he competes at Worlds Collide, hoping to win his first WWE gold.