Before joining WWE in 2023, Je'Von Evans wrestled on the independent scene as Jay Malachi, getting his start in 2018 and eventually becoming a standout in Deadlock Pro-Wrestling. Speaking on "A Shot of Brandi," Evans revealed that his family was a little surprised by his career trajectory."At first, they thought that this was just a hobby, when I started young," Evans said, after Brandi Rhodes asked what his relatives thought of his status as a pro wrestler. "They thought it was going to be like a little sport and then I'd be done. Then once they started seeing that I was taking it serious, they were like, 'Oh, okay.'"Evans is just 22 years old, and was 21 when he was called up, so he often draws comparisons to Randy Orton, who also debuted on the WWE main roster at 21. However, one could make the argument that Orton had a leg up on Evans because of his family's deep history in the industry, which makes Evans' quick ascent all the more impressive.Asked about making his WWE WrestleMania debut earlier this year, Evans acknowledged that the gravity of it all hasn't quite set in yet. "I think I'm just so excited that I'm able to say that my first WrestleMania match was at the age of 21," Evans continued. "Rey Mysterio was in it, for a title, you know? It's crazy. It's crazy. I'm just blessed and happy that I'm able to tell that story."Still at the beginning of his career, Evans has yet to capture a title on the main roster, but he is setting the bar high for himself. He stated that when his career is over, he wants to be considered one of the industry's all-time greats, alongside names like John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Ric Flair, and The Rock.If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "A Shot of Brandi" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
