Some wrestlers climb the mountain. Others are thrown off it. Then there are the ones like Elijah Burke—who grab a microphone, throw on designer shades, and start their own congregation at the foot of the hill. Known to many as “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero, Burke’s journey through WWE, TNA/Impact, and the NWA isn’t just a tale of wrestling resilience—it’s a sermon in survival, charisma, and reinvention.
Burke never reached the peak—but he built his own pulpit.
Chapter One: The Boxer, The Cop, The Knockout Kid
Before the robes and the gospel of swagger, Elijah Samuel Burke wore a badge and gloves. A Jacksonville law enforcement officer turned amateur boxing phenom, Burke claimed an astonishing 103–1 record, with 102 of those wins by knockout. He said the only “loss” came when he refused to stop punching after a KO, earning a DQ. And if that sounds like wrestling promo hyperbole, remember—it’s also completely on brand.
Burke brought that confidence and legitimacy to WWE in 2004, after a stint in Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he quickly became OVW Heavyweight Champion. But WWE had other plans: they wanted him in The Spirit Squad. Burke, wisely or foolishly, said “nah.” That meant more time training while five guys in cheerleader outfits went to Raw.
But Burke was biding his time. And when he got to the big leagues, he wasn’t going to be doing splits in pleather.
Chapter Two: WWE’s ECW & The Future That Never Came
When WWE relaunched ECW in 2006, Burke debuted alongside Sylvester Terkay as a smug MMA-style cornerman with a boxer’s bravado. He even did commentary for a time, dropping slick one-liners and jabs that hinted at his true power: his mouth.
But it wasn’t until he led The New Breed—a stable of fresh ECW talent including Matt Striker, Kevin Thorn, and Marcus Cor Von—that Burke started to shine. In the feud against the ECW Originals, he was pegged as “The Future of ECW” by Vince McMahon himself. That future included a high-profile match at WrestleMania 23.
But then came CM Punk. And in classic WWE fashion, the rising indie darling was prioritized, and The New Breed crumbled like a poorly booked faction is wont to do. Burke was pinned by Punk at Judgment Day, again at One Night Stand, and once more at Unforgiven.
Still, Burke managed to stay relevant, and even got the bittersweet distinction of being Chris Benoit’s final opponent—a haunting footnote to one of wrestling’s darkest chapters.
By late 2008, Burke was cutting great promos in dark matches as “The Black Pope,” but WWE brass wasn’t buying. They cut him loose on November 10, 2008. But he wasn’t done. He was just warming up the choir.
Chapter Three: The Pope Has Spoken—TNA and the Rise of D’Angelo Dinero
Burke resurfaced in TNA in 2009 as “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero—a charismatic preacher-meets-pimp hybrid who combined flash, fashion, and fearlessness. And for the first time, he was allowed to run with his own sermon.
Pope was part Dusty Rhodes, part Macho Man, and part Don King—a silver-tongued, fist-flying, spotlight-seizing messiah of mayhem. He feuded with Suicide, then turned babyface, and suddenly it felt like TNA had struck gold.
He even pinned AJ Styles, earned a World Title shot, and won the 8 Card Stud Tournament at Against All Odds 2010. The wrestling world briefly believed the Pope would finally ascend.
But at Lockdown 2010, it all came crashing down. A shoulder injury against Styles killed his momentum, and when he returned, he was swallowed up by Hogan/Bischoff politics, Immortal, and other nonsense that buried talents faster than a TNA referee’s three-count.
Pope tried everything—heel turns, alliances with Sting and Kevin Nash, feuds with Samoa Joe, a bizarre run with Brother Devon and his sons. It never quite clicked. It wasn’t him. It was the booking.
Still, Burke made every word count. Every promo felt like a gospel reading. He was The Pope—a gimmick so good it survived the company’s chaos.
Chapter Four: Commentary, Comebacks, and “Da Pope” in the NWA
After a stint as a commentator in TNA, where his chemistry with Josh Mathews made him one of the better mic-men in wrestling, Burke left the company in 2017. But again—he wasn’t done. In 2019, he emerged on NWA Powerrr, reinvented once again as “Da Pope”.
This time, he wasn’t leading a faction or chasing main events—he was stealing every scene with charisma alone. In 2020, he defeated Zicky Dice to win the NWA World Television Championship—his first national singles title. It was a testament to perseverance. To charisma. To never needing Vince’s approval to matter.
Burke has continued to mentor, train, and wrestle across the indies, with occasional appearances in Fighting Evolution Wrestling and Puerto Rican promotions. In OVW, he became a Triple Crown Champion—the only place that seemed to understand his worth from day one.
Epilogue: The Pope, the People’s Champ (Without the Push)
Elijah Burke’s career is a masterclass in underappreciated brilliance. He never held a world title in WWE or TNA. He never main-evented WrestleMania. He never got the action figure deal, the movie role, or the “WrestleMania Moment.”
But what he did get was respect—from fans, from locker rooms, from everyone who ever heard him speak and thought, “Damn, this guy gets it.”
He may not be on WWE TV, but his fingerprints are all over it. His friendship with Xavier Woods and The New Dayisn’t just personal—it’s generational. The next class learned from The Pope.
So next time you watch some up-and-comer cut a fire promo or blend boxing footwork with ring psychology, remember: Pope Elijah Burke walked so others could run.
And if you didn’t know… now you Pope.