Wheeler Yuta has made a name for himself as part of AEW, but he would likely be spending his time under the sea had he not entered the squared circle.
Yuta debuted for All Elite Wrestling in June 2021, and would be welcomed as part of the Blackpool Combat Club the following April.
In addition to AEW, Yuta is also part of the Ring of Honor roster and is currently in his second reign as ROH Pure Champion.
Not a Wrestler
It’s hard to imagine Wheeler Yuta as anything other than a professional wrestler, but it was something the grappler considered in his youth.
Speaking on The Sessions, Yuta said that military service would have likely been his path if not for wrestling.
“When I was young, I always thought that I was probably going to go into the navy at some point. I think my dad’s biggest dream would have been if I had gone into the naval academy and then go on to be an officer. Of course, he loves that I do the wrestling stuff but I think, if he had his way when I was younger that’s what he would have pushed me to.
“I was probably going to go into the navy at some point.”
Wheeler Yuta on what he would have done if not become a wrestler.
“Yeah I always considered going into the navy. My dad’s in the navy. My uncle’s in the navy. So that was kind of something I always had in the back of my head, but I just knew I wanted to wrestle so that was always first.”
Growing Up
Wheeler’s father is a huge supporter of his chosen career path, but the elder Yuta wasn’t afraid to use his naval discipline as a parent.
When asked how it was growing up with a naval master chief for a father, Yuta said it was good, and recalled one time when his father’s military resolve took precedence.
“There was definitely some things that you could tell were very specific to his military stuff. Like if he told us ‘hey we’re going to leave at nine AM’ [it meant nine AM.] If I was there at 9:05, his favorite thing would be to go ‘hey bud, when I say 9 am, that means when the big hand is on the 12, and the little hand is on the nine. He’d explain to me how a clock works and I’m like ‘alright dad I’m sorry.'”
Yuta’s most recent match saw him, ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli, and Jon Moxley defeat The Butcher, the Blade and Kip Sabian on last night’s Rampage tapings.
For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.
