Tehuti Miles wasn’t supposed to end up in a wrestling ring. He was supposed to be a statistic—just another combat vet transitioning back into civilian life with a duffel bag full of trauma and a head full of what-ifs. But this guy, born in Hammonton, New Jersey, had other plans. First, he served in Afghanistan. Then he suited up for the Maryland Terrapins football team. Now he struts across WWE screens under the bright lights as Ashante “Thee” Adonis, a man equal parts soldier, showman, and swagger incarnate.
This is the story of a guy who walked through real fire before ever hitting the ropes—and still came out grinning.
From Afghanistan to Arm Drags
The boots came before the boots, you could say. Miles enlisted in the Army right out of Hammonton High in 2008, barely old enough to vote. From 2010 to 2011, while most guys his age were partying through college, he was ducking bullets in the sandstorms of Afghanistan.
But when he got home, Miles didn’t just fade into the background. He enrolled at the University of Maryland and walked onto the football team. He wasn’t just a warm body—he was a D1 running back with bruises to prove it. If life was about survival, he was already ahead of the curve.
But football wasn’t his final play. Wrestling came calling, the same way it does for a lot of guys with too much adrenaline and not enough outlet. He started training with MCW Pro Wrestling, debuting as Elijah King, a name that already screamed charisma.
A King in the Making
As Elijah King, Miles cut his teeth in promotions like MCW Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor, looking like a comic book hero in a room full of chain-smokers and journeymen. He lost more than he won, but every time he stepped into the ring, he sharpened the blade. On January 19, 2019, he captured the MCW Rage Television Championship, a small victory that would foreshadow bigger things.
In Ring of Honor, he worked under the radar in dark matches and “Future of Honor” events—just another guy trying to be noticed in the land of technical beasts and cult-favorite icons. But even when he lost, the camera noticed him. He had that intangible thing—call it poise, call it presence, call it the kind of chip on your shoulder that turns into a crown.
WWE Calls, And a Star is Born
When WWE finally invited Miles to the Performance Center in 2019, they didn’t just find another jacked prospect. They found a guy with ring awareness, a military-grade work ethic, and a grin that screamed “TV time.” First, he got smashed in a handicap match by Braun Strowman on Raw (as tradition dictates). But by 2020, he had a real contract and a new name: Ashante “Thee” Adonis.
It wasn’t long before Adonis found himself showing up on both 205 Live and NXT, racking up battles with seasoned talents like Tyler Breeze and Ariya Daivari. But the real ignition came when WWE strapped a rocket to Hit Row—a faction that fused hip-hop swagger with wrestling rebellion.
Alongside Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Top Dolla, and B-Fab, Adonis wasn’t just a guy anymore—he was part of something loud, unapologetic, and culturally sharp. They could wrestle, rap, and run their mouths like they owned the place. For a second, it looked like Hit Row might actually change the game.
From SmackDown to Shutdown
In 2021, Hit Row was drafted to SmackDown. The hype was real. The potential was limitless. Then, poof—they were released. One match, one promo, and that was it. Like a push interrupted mid-sentence, the chapter slammed shut.
Adonis didn’t sit and sulk. He hit the indie scene as part of The HitMakerZ, staying hungry, staying visible, waiting for that call. And in 2022, the call came.
Hit Row returned to WWE. The swagger returned. But the second run was a little quieter, the spark a little dimmer. By 2023, the group disbanded again after Top Dolla’s release. Adonis, ever the survivor, pivoted.
Romance Angles and NXT Returns
Back on NXT, Adonis started a new chapter—not just with his fists, but with his heart. A budding storyline romance with Karmen Petrovic became the kind of soap opera drama WWE fans live for. Mixed tag matches. Emotional betrayals. Even a dramatic breakup after Petrovic lost a title shot he’d arranged for her.
This wasn’t the kind of spotlight he expected, but Adonis worked it anyway. He sold the heartbreak. He leaned into the gimmick. And when he got blindsided or dumped on screen, he made you feel it—because he had learned to sell pain long before the cameras rolled.
Detour to TNA and the Comeback Road
In 2025, as part of WWE’s partnership with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), Adonis made a brief detour to Genesis, losing to Jake Something in the pre-show but expanding his reach. It was more proof that Tehuti Miles is the kind of guy you can plug in anywhere—NXT, SmackDown, indies, TNA—and he’ll make it work.
Because he’s not just a wrestler. He’s a worker. A survivor. A guy who went to war, played college ball, lost jobs, earned them back, got booed, got cheered, got dumped, and still came back the next week to lace up his boots.
The Real Story Behind the Mic
Outside the ring, Adonis has dipped into music, dropping “Barbie Barz” with former Hit Row members in 2023. He’s also appeared in music videos and is a playable character in multiple editions of WWE 2K. He’s branding himself from every angle—a wrestler who knows the future’s as much about mic work and style as suplexes.
But he’s not afraid of shadows either. In 2022, it was revealed that Miles bailed out former NXT colleague Velveteen Dream, a move that raised eyebrows. Loyalty? Compassion? Or just another layer in a story that refuses to be simple?
The Last Word
Tehuti Miles—Ashante “Thee” Adonis—is the kind of performer wrestling needs in the 2020s. Not just because he looks good in gold chains and aviators. But because he’s built for reinvention. Because he’s not just “the guy who used to be in that faction” or “the vet with the military gimmick.”
He’s a man who keeps walking through doors—whether kicked open or slammed shut. And if he has to rebuild from scratch again? You can bet he’ll do it in style.
Ashante “Thee” Adonis: Combat-tested, ring-seasoned, heartbreak-hardened, and still standing.