Early career (2018–2023)
Jeffers began training in 2018 under independent wrestler LaBron Kozone (FSPW) in North Carolina and made his original debut on January 26, 2018, at the age of 13, under the ring name Kid Blacka Merica. In January 2019, he changed his ring name to Jay Malachi. [3] On August 21, 2022, he debuted in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in a match taped for AEW Dark , where he lost to Fuego Del Sol. [4] Jeffers achieved his biggest success on the independent circuit in Deadlock Pro-Wrestling, where he held the DPW Worlds Championship. He vacated the title on November 2, 2023, after signing with WWE. [5] [6]
WWE (2023–present)
In November 2023, it was reported that Jeffers had signed with WWE, where he would report to the NXT brand. [7] He began to work on the NXT brand as Je'Von Evans. [8] The following week on NXT, he faced then-NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov in a losing effort, but was endorsed by Dragunov after as the two shook hands. [9] He would wrestle for the NXT Championship at NXT Heatwave in a fatal-four way match, for the NXT Heritage Cup against Charlie Dempsey on the September 10 episode of NXT and for the NXT Tag Team Championship against Axiom and Nathan Frazer but didn't win any title. [10] [11] [12] At NXT Deadline on December 7, Evans participated in the Iron Survivor Challenge, which was won by Oba Femi. [13]
He also feuded with Ethan Page, being defeated at NXT Vengeance Day, but winning at NXT: Roadblock in a New York City street fight [14] [15] After the feud, he would challenge for the NXT Championship at NXT Stand and Deliver and the NXT North American Championship at Worlds Collide, but failed to win the titles. [16] [17] He also appeared on the May 30 episode of SmackDown , teaming with Rey Fénix in a tag team match where they lost to Legado Del Fantasma's Los Garza (Angel and Berto). [18] On the September 26 episode of SmackDown, Evans answered Sami Zayn's United States Championship open challenge but failed to win the title. [19]
