Wheeler Yuta has said that Claudio Castagnoli’s attack on AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson reminds him of his aunt, who passed away due to COVID-19 complications before AEW All Out.
During the attack, Yuta was held back by PAC and the former had to helplessly watch them put a plastic bag around the World Champion’s head to suffocate him. Yuta stated that while watching Danielson getting attacked, he imagined how his aunt had to struggle to find breath in her final moments. He said:
“It was really rough day for me Saturday. Before the show, I found out that my aunt in Japan had passed away. She passed away from the complications due to COVID-19 and I just kinda know that in her last moments, she was struggling to find breath. That’s really all I could think about when I watch that happen to Bryan[Danielson].”
The former ROH Pure Champion said that ‘The American Dragon’ was doing the best he could. However, Yuta didn’t share details out of respect for Danielson and his family. He also opened up about Blackpool Combat Club members and said that he hasn’t spoken to them since the incident.
Bryan Danielson will face his longtime rival Nigel McGuinness at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam on September 25th at Arthur Ashe Stadium. While it was speculated that ‘The American Dragon’ would be unable to compete, it has been clarified that he will indeed compete at the show, facing his arch-rival.
Tonight’s All Elite Wrestling Dynamite episode will take place at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. It will be the last Dynamite in the United States before the company heads overseas on the road to All In on August 25.
AEW Dynamite Tonight
Here is what has been announced to occur on tonight’s show
Jay Lethal vs. Adam Page
Three-Way Match for the Number One Spot In Casino Gauntlet At All In: Roderick Strong vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Swerve Strickland vs. Wheeler Yuta
AEW TBS Championship Match: (C) Mercedes Moné vs. Hikaru Shida
AEW World Tag Team Championship: (C) The Young Bucks vs. The Acclaimed
Plus, Dynamite will also feature:
Hook to appear
A Flim By Mariah May segment
Kazuchika Okada & Claudio Castagnoli Face to Face
The Acclaimed Finally Get Their Title Opportunity
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) are set to challenge The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) for the tag titles. The fan-favorite duo earned the opportunity after defeating the champions in an eliminator match on the June 19 episode of AEW Dynamite. After nearly two months of building to their rematch, both teams will try to settle their differences and end the episode with the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
(AEW)
Mercedes Moné Puts Title On The Line Ahead of All In
In preparation for her match against Dr. Britt Baker, DMD, at All In, Moné puts her title on the line against Shida. The matchup will be the “CEO” fifth time defending the AEW TBS Championship since winning it at Double or Nothing on May 26.
(AEW)
Swerve Strickland Faces Wheeler Yuta In Non-Title Match
Elsewhere in the episode, Strickland takes on Yuta in a non-title match to get ready for his title defense at All In. Bryan Danielson will be in the corner of his Blackpool Combat Club ally and get a preview of what to expect from the champion at the upcoming pay-per-view.
(AEW)
Number One Spot In Casino Gauntlet Will Be Determined
Another important match on tonight’s episode is the three-way match to determine who will have the number one spot in the Casino Gauntlet. Strong, Cassidy, and O’Reilly will push each other to their limit to gain an advantage in the featured All In match.
What Happened On Last Week’s AEW Dynamite Episode
Before tonight’s episode, here is a recap of what happened last week.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for our continued coverage of Dynamite and the upcoming AEW All In 2024 PPV on Sunday, August 25.
Fans haven’t seen Wheeler Yuta on AEW television for months and unfortunately, it’s unknown when the young star could be returning.
According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Yuta is reportedly dealing with concussion symptoms and there is no update as to when he could return.
Yuta hasn’t wrestled since January when he lost to Eddie Kingston for the Triple Crown Championship.
Even despite him being a heel, Yuta has been a fan favorite ever since arriving to AEW. He originally was a babyface as he found himself alongside The Best Friends, but now the group is greatly fractured.
Yuta found a new version of himself once he joined The Blackpool Combat Club. Working alongside the likes of Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley and even William Regal, Yuta had his game elevated and in turn, his personality as a wrestler. Danielson noted that he’s really appreciated seeing the growth of Yuta since they joined Blackpool Combat Club forces.
Wheeler was the ROH Pure Champion before getting hurt and was making a memorable run with the title. His last post on X was on January 13 and actually involved his hatred for the aformentioned Kingston as well as some respective New York sports teams.
“I hate Eddie Kingston, the Yankees, and the New York Football Giants.”
I hate Eddie Kingston, the Yankees, and the New York Football Giants
However, Yuta did like a Tweet at the end of April, indicating that he’d like to square off against fellow AEW star Ortiz in singles action, a name who also hasn’t been seen on AEW television in awhile.
Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Tuesday, March 26. WWE held a huge episode of RAW this week in Chicago, and there is a lot to unpack, so let’s get right into it.
– Fire The Man: Becky Lynch expressed the idea that she was legit worried that Vince McMahon would fire her in 2020 when she became pregnant.
– WrestleMami: WWE dropped a new Rhea Ripley t-shirt that looks very Undertaker-ish. It is also done up in the Judgment Day style, and we can imagine these will sell well. You may click here to see what they have to offer in the WWE Shop.
– Dominik Got Smashed: Becky Lynch really clocked Dominik Mysterio with a punch this week on RAW. The slow motion video is going viral, and you may check it out below.
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) March 25, 2024
– JR’s New Book: Jim Ross announced that his new book, “Business Is About to Pick Up!: 50 Years of Wrestling in 50 Unforgettable Calls,” co-written by Paul O’Brien, will be released on May 27.
Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events
Looking ahead, here are some of the major upcoming shows that we have in the pipeline:
April 6:NXT Stand & Deliver and WrestleMania XL Saturday from Philadelphia, PA.
April 7: WrestleMania XL Sunday from Philadelphia, PA.
April 21: All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynasty live on pay-per-view from St. Louis, Missouri at the Chaifetz Arena.
May 4: WWE Backlash France from Décines-Charpieu, France at the LDLC Arena.
AEW star Wheeler Yuta has been forced to withdraw from a CMLL event as he is currently sidelined.
Yuta was slated to team with his Blackpool Combat Club teammates, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, & Claudio Castagnoli to face the team of Mistico, Volador Jr, Blue Panther, & Ultimo Guerrero for the March 29 CMLL show.
However, the promotion announced that Wheeler Yuta is not medically cleared to compete. Meanwhile, Matt Sydal has been announced as his replacement.
Official statement on Wheeler Yuta’s withdrawal
CMLL posted the following letter from AEW on Twitter/X:
Dear CMLL;
This letter is to inform you that WHEELER YUTA is not medically cleared for travel or any in ring activities at this time and will not be able to participate in your upcoming event. I have obtained authorization from Wheeler Yuta to share this information to CMLL and all involved. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. If you have any questions that I may be able to answer, please do not hesitate to contact me.
MATT SYDAL EN HOMENAJE A DOS LEYENDAS 2024 Por dictamen médico, el integrante del Blackpool Combat Club -Wheeler YUTA- no podrá participar en la magna función del viernes 29 de marzo en la Arena México. Su lugar será tomado por el espectacular Matt Sydal. pic.twitter.com/M3DeuLuSZu
Yuta was roped in by BCC back in 2022 when he impressed not only the members of the faction, Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, and Claudio Castagnoli but also then-manager, William Regal.
Being mentored by the seasoned superstars, he has managed to hone his craft. His learnings from his teammates have been on display and it is needless to mention that Wheeler Yuta is thriving.
“Claudio, he’s taught me about European uppercuts. He’s also showed me how to take care of my body, my condition, and how to work out in the ring through tag team matches. Moxley, he taught me how to unlock aggression, to turn it up a notch and to win any means necessary.
And Bryan is such an amazing technician. Little techniques you might not pick up on, but in the ring, they really matter. Bryan has showed me technique. And of course his Lordship, (William) Regal, has been immense in wrestling and in life.”
Yuta had last competed on the January 12 (taped on January 10) episode of AEW Rampage when he faced Eddie Kingston for the Continental Crown. It’s curious that an injury has not been disclosed by either AEW or Yuta himself, despite his lengthy absence from action.
We will now have to wait and see when Yuta manages to make his return to the squared circle.
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.
Several AEW/ROH stars were slated to work an upcoming Beyond Wrestling event but have been pulled due to a conflict with the reported ROH TV tapings.
On Monday, Beyond Wrestling announced that Wheeler Yuta, Willow Nightingale, Tracy Williams, and Trish Adora would no longer be appearing at their Perfection or Vanity show in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Sunday, February 26.
As previously noted, the belief is that ROH is scheduled to hold TV tapings that weekend, most likely at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.
The Statement
“Wheeler YUTA, Willow Nightingale, Tracy Williams, and Trish Adora will no longer be appearing or competing at ‘Perfection Or Vanity’ on Sunday, 2/26 at White Eagle in Worcester,” Beyond Wrestling’s statement read”Email beyondwrestling@gmail.com if you’d like a refund.”
Yuta and Nightingale are under contract with AEW, while Williams and Adora, who were both part of the ROH roster before Tony Khan bought the promotion, have also made appearances for AEW.
Yuta currently holds the ROH Pure Championship after he won back the title by defeating Daniel Garcia at Final Battle. Adora was also in action at this same show, losing to Nightingale on the pre-show.
It was announced last December that weekly ROH TV was coming to the HonorClub streaming service, although no start date was given.
Wrestling Revolver held their live event, A Night at the MOXbury on Feb. 2 at the Calumet Center in Dayton, OH.
The event featured a mix of talent from Impact Wrestling, All Elite Wrestling, and other independent promotions. The card had the Revolver World Champion Steve Maclin defend the title against Crash Jaxon. AEW’s Wheeler Yuta also competed at the event against JT Dunn. AEW talent Jon Moxley acted as the host of the show.
A Night at the MOXbury went live on FITE+ at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. Wrestling fans can watch the event live or on Video on Demand by subscribing to FITE+ for $4.99. Wrestling Revolver also allowed the option to buy the pay-per-view without a subscription for $11.99.
If you would like more results for this week’s events in wrestling, please check back on our results section.
?On a Thursday night, this is the only place you want to be.
The event opened with Moxley coming out to greet the crowd. He promoted the rest card and gave credit to the wrestlers competing. After he finished talking, it cut to the opening of the first match.
Evil Uno def. “Firestarter” Jake Crist
Marina Shafir def. “Spider” Blair Onyx
“Speedball” Mike Bailey def. Gringo Loco vs. JesSICKa vs. Fulton vs. Tyler Matrix vs. Jarett Diaz in a Speedball Open Invite Scramble Match
ROH PURE Champion” Wheeler Yuta def. JT Dunn in a Pure Rules Match
(C)Steve Maclin def. Crash Jaxon in a Revolver World Title Match
The Bullet Club (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) w/ Gia Miller def. (C)DadSCOUT in a Revolver World Tag Title Match
Billie Starkz def. Allie Katch w/ The Unit
(C)Alex Shelley def. Rich Swann in a Revolver Remix Title Match
The Rascalz (Trey Miguel, Zachary Wentz & Myron Reed) def. The Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner, 1 Called Manders, & Matthew Justice) in a No DQ Match
2022 has been a wild year in wrestling, not just because staples of the industry like Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis have become a thing of the past.
This year has also seen an influx of young talent reach the forefront of wrestling and poise themselves as the top names of the future.
While some of these stars were wrestling before this year, 2022 has been a pivotal year for everyone involved, and here are our top five breakout wrestlers of this year.
5: Wheeler Yuta
Wheeler Yuta is in his record-breaking second reign as ROH Pure Champion. (via AEW)
The induction of Wheeler Yuta into the Blackpool Combat Club was a fantastic creative decision earlier this year, and a lesson on how to make a new name with established stars.
This time last year, sure, some wrestling fans would be aware of Yuta, but it his inclusion with the BCC that has turned him into one of the most exciting prospects in all of wrestling.
Now in his second reign as Ring of Honor Pure Champion, Yuta has also represented AEW in NJPW’s 29th Best of the Super Juniors tournament, and the future looks extremely bright for the young star.
4: Bron Breakker
Reports of WWE wanting to fast-track Breakker to the main roster come as no surprise.
Our reigning NXT Champion, it’s incredible to think that Bron Breakker has only been with WWE for slightly over a year.
In such a small amount of time, Breakker has become one of the biggest stars the gold brand has ever produced, thanks in part to his family connections as a Steiner.
But Bron isn’t just a tribute act to his father and brother, and has shown endless ability and charisma, so it’s hardly surprising that we see reports of WWE wanting to fast-track him to the main roster.
3: Hook
Originally a meme among wrestling fans, Hook has become one of the most promising future stars in AEW (Scott Lesh Photography)
What started off as a meme among fans, Hook has become one of the most popular names in AEW, all without having to do much.
The 23-year-old FTW Champion, Hook’s presence screams ‘star’ and his ability in the ring (complete with suplexes inspired by his father Taz) have only added to his starpower.
In short, Hook has all the tools to be a top name in wrestling, and when you consider his young age, the second-generation wrestler has oodles of time to make that goal happen.
2: Roxanne Perez
Roxanne Perez started this year as ROH Women’s World Champion and will likely end as WWE NXT Women’s Champion.
Roxanne Perez started this year as the first-ever ROH Women’s World Champion, and short of a monumental upset, will end it as the WWE NXT Women’s Champion.
Throw in a reign as NXT Women’s Tag Champion, Perez is proving herself each week, not just as a star of today, but as a top babyface for years down the line.
The 21-year-old former Rok-C is a babyface that fans naturally want to cheer (something that is a slight rarity in these modern times) and expect many more accolades, titles and moments in her future.
1: Logan Paul
Logan Paul has won over even his harshest of critics with his three WWE matches this year.
Logan Paul was once society’s public enemy number one, but it’s safe to say that he has found something of a home in WWE.
After a mixed response to his WWE debut last year, Paul stepped into the ring as a wrestler for the first time at WrestleMania 38, and exceeded expectations.
Paul’s impressive WrestleMania outing has been followed up with more impressive performances at Summerslam and Crown Jewel, and the Maverick has won over even his harshest of critics.
Rumors of Paul’s imminent return aren’t being met with disgust or outrage, but rather excitement and intrigue, as the YouTuber has proven he belongs in professional wrestling.
Bryan Danielson battled Sammy Guevara on last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
The American Dragon picked up the victory but there is some friction brewing within the Blackpool Combat Club.
Danielson recently battled Chris Jericho for the ROH Championship but lost after Daniel Garcia betrayed him. The storyline was that Danielson and Jericho were battling over whether Garcia was a sports entertainer or a professional wrestler.
Garcia opted to be a sports entertainer and aligned with the Jericho Appreciation Society. Wheeler Yuta of the BCC confronted Danielson backstage and mocked him for not seeing the attack by Garcia coming.
Danielson and Yuta had a shoving match before former ROH Champion Claudio Castagnoli broke it up. Danielson smacked Yuta in the face during the argument. Bryan later defeated Sammy Guevara in a singles match on Dynamite.
Jim Cornette on Wheeler Yuta Yelling at Bryan Danielson
Wrestling legend Jim Cornette reviewed the verbal exchange between Bryan Danielson and Wheeler Yuta on episode 455 of The Jim Cornette Experience.
Cornette said that he hopes this leaves to Danielson turning heel but suggested it is more likely that AEW President Tony Khan thought the argument would be a good segment.
So now the babyfaces are fighting amongst themselves, and if it means that Danielson will eventually turn out of this then great.
I don’t care how it happens. But I don’t have any confidence that is what they are setting up.
I think the babyfaces are just arguing because Tony (Khan) thinks it might be swell.
Co-host Brian Last questioned how into Wheeler Yuta AEW fans are and if he should be the one shouting in Bryan Danielson’s face. Cornette noted that there is an established section of fans that are into everything AEW does.
What did we determine now? Is it six or seven hundred thousand that love the whole Elite thing, the whole Harpo (a Cornette nickname/ reference to Harpo Marx for Kenny Omega) thing, and love all the play wrestlers.
They are going to love Yuta because he’s been embraced by all their favorites.
And everyone that wants to watch a major league wrestling program on National Television are sitting there wondering ‘what the f*** is this?’.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit The Jim Cornette Experience with a H/T so SEScoops for the transcription.
Wheeler Yuta recently spoke with Jaychele Nicole for SEScoops this past week to talk about his upcoming match with Daniel Garcia and about holding the ROH Pure Championship.
On April 1, Wheeler Yuta became the brand new ROH Pure Champion by defeating then-champion Josh Woods at ROH Supercard Of Honor XV.
His History With Daniel Garcia
(via @JWasherBeyond)
Since then, Wheeler has been defending the title on AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation against a vast amount of competitors. Now, at Death Before Dishonor, Yuta will be putting his championship on the line against Daniel Garcia.
For the past few months, Eddie Kingston and Chris Jericho have been in a blood feud. When Eddie needed backup, he called on the Blackpool Combat Club.
Yuta has now been involved in Eddie’s feud against the Jericho Appreciation Society. He recently competed in the Blood & Guts match between the Blackpool Combat Club and the Jericho Appreciation Society where he had his first interaction with Daniel Garcia since the independents.
On August 8, 2021, Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta went to a 60-minute time limit draw for the IWTV Independent Wrestling World Title.
Yuta retained the title due to the draw, but that is the last and only match between the two.
Yuta’s Confidence Heading Into Death Before Dishonor
(AEW)
The youngest member of the Blackpool Combat Club, Wheeler Yuta, spoke with Jaychele Nicole for SEScoops about his feelings going into the match with Garcia.
The ROH Pure Champion said, “Yeah, definitely going into this match. I’m more confident than the first one. We went 60 minutes, but that’s actually the only time Garcia and I have ever had a singles match. The only time we’ve ever interacted in a match would be Blood and Guts. So it’s definitely going to be something that I’m excited for.
“And I think we do know each other a lot better now. But I’m excited to see where the return match goes. I don’t know if it’ll go the full 60 minutes but I think with the pure rules, it’ll be an interesting factor as well that I think fits in very well with both of our styles. So very excited. Yeah.”
Expectations For Yuta vs. Garcia
He also talked about his expectations for the match and how he plans to defeat Garcia:
“Well, I think it’s, it’s interesting that it’s under pure rules. You know, I think pure rules, people think of a very sportsman-like contest, but I think that this one’s gonna get gritty, it’s gonna get dirty, it’s gonna get violent. So I think that the key to winning this match is just who’s willing to go the extra mile.”
Wheeler Yuta on what fans can expect in his match with Daniel Garcia
“Of course, we do have those rules, but who can take those rules and like I said, make them advantages? Use them to hurt your opponent, as opposed to having them be weaknesses or restrictions. So I think that’s what we’re gonna have to do. And we’ll see who the better man is and hopefully, at the end of this will, we’ll have a satisfying conclusion and we’ll know.”
Defending the ROH Pure Championship
Before his time in AEW and the sale to Tony Khan, he spent some time in ROH having Pure Rules matches. Yuta had four Pure Rules matches in Ring of Honor in late 2020 and early 2021.
“It’s really been special to me that I’ve been able to defend the Ring of Honor Pure Championship for, for one thing, it kind of felt like a chapter of my career that I never got to sort of complete, like I had a very brief stint in Ring of Honor, actually it was all through the pandemic.
“So I never got to have a Ring of Honor crowd even, it was all empty arena. So it felt like something that I had, you know, check it off the bucket list.
“It’s always something I wanted to do. But I didn’t feel like I really reached my potential. So when Tony bought Ring of Honor, and I was able to re-enter that world was really exciting.
“So now being able to defend the pure championship, it feels like I’m sort of coming full circle with that sort of completing that chapter. And additionally, just the people that have held it before me, the legacy of the championship is something that’s really special. And I’m really happy to be part of it,” Yuta said.
Strategies for Pure Rules Matches
Yuta even shared some of his strategies for participating in Pure Rules matches.
Matches for the ROH Pure Championship are conducted under “Pure Wrestling Rules”. The Pure Wrestling Rules are:
Each wrestler has three rope breaks to stop submission holds and pinfalls during the match. After a wrestler exhausts his rope breaks, submission and pin attempts under the ropes by the opponent are considered legal.
There are no closed-fist punches to the face allowed in a Pure match, only open-handed slaps or chops to the face are allowed. Punches to other parts of the body (except for low blows) are permitted. The first use of a closed fist to the face would get a warning, and the second would cause the wrestler to be penalized a rope break. If he is already out of rope breaks, he would be disqualified.
A wrestler is subject to a 20 count by the referee if the wrestler goes to the floor.
The Blackpool Combat Club member said:
“Yeah, you really just need to take those rules that could be weaknesses and turn them into advantages. So like, for example, the punch one, you just sort of have to change up the strikes that you’re using.
“If you know that you can’t punch, then maybe use a forearm, maybe use an uppercut, a kick, a knee. So, changing your strategy is very difficult for that. But it’s a lot of fun, as well.
“And then, of course, like the rope breaks, you have to do different things like maybe, maybe it’s a weakness because you can’t get out of submissions. But maybe you turn that into a strength where you exhaust your opponents.
“And then you can use the ropes, you can do rope-assisted submissions, different things that you can’t do in normal wrestling matches. So just taking those rules and making them advantages instead of weaknesses.”
Watch Wheeler Yuta’s interview with Jaychele Nicole for SEScoops:
AEW and Ring of Honor breakout star Wheeler Yuta recently spoke with Jaychele Nicole for SEScoops this past week to discuss all the recent happenings with the Blackpool Combat Club ahead of his Death Before Dishonor match with Daniel Garcia.
Watch the full interview here, with highlights below:
Claudio Castagnoli Joining BCC
At AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door, Claudio Castagnoli made his debut against Zack Sabre Jr. He replaced Bryan Danielson in the match as Zack’s mystery opponent.
He was also named Bryan’s replacement for the Blood & Guts match. He received one of the biggest pops at Forbidden Door and lit the wrestling world ablaze with his debut.
Claudio was also announced as the newest member of the Blackpool Combat Club.
(via AEW)
The youngest member of the Blackpool Combat Club, Wheeler Yuta, spoke with Jaychele Nicole for SEScoops to talk about his reaction to BCC gaining a new member.
Yuta had the following to say:
“Yeah, Claudio was someone that I’ve always really had a lot of respect for as a wrestler. He’s, he’s incredible. Yeah, he, he’s someone that I’ve really, really appreciated and knowing that he ended Regal’s career and it only made sense that he would be someone that could fit in with our club, he does our style.”
Wheeler Yuta on Claudio Castagnoli joining BCC
“He can do so many things. He’s absolutely incredible. So, it’s really great to have him now as a mentor as someone that I can talk to on my team and hopefully learn from and it’s been just great to have him here so far.”
Career-Defining Match With Moxley
Yuta also talked about his career-defining match with the now Interim AEW World Champion Jon Moxley.
Moxley inducted Yuta into the Blackpool Combat Club following their match on the April 8 episode of AEW Rampage in Boston, Massachusetts. For ROH Death Before Dishonor, AEW will be returning to Massachusetts but this time heading to Lowell.
Yuta reflected on the match and how he feels about returning to the area.
“Yeah, I’m really excited to be back in that area. Massachusetts will be in Lowell for Death Before Dishonor. And then right after that, we’ll be in Worcester for Dynamite. So I’m really excited for both of those.
“Before I got to AEW, I made a lot of my mark on the independents around that area. So it was really cool to have that match with Moxley in that crowd. Seeing a lot of familiar faces was really, it was really nice.
“And yeah, that was really the career-defining match. For me. It’s what sort of kick-started where we’re going now and I’m really excited for what the future holds, but it wouldn’t happen without that match,” the ROH Pure Champion said.
Yuta on his match with Jon Moxley
He continued to talk about working with Moxley and being in the ring with him, “Yeah, there’s something different when Moxley comes out. It’s kind of a surreal experience. And I felt that both from being in the ring watching it happening and then also as him as my teammate, so it’s very, it’s very comforting to have him on my side now instead of against me, but no, Moxley just brings things to another level. And he did that for me. He did that for me.
“And that match you mentioned before and I think he’s done that for a lot of people. He just had a match with Takeshita recently, that was awesome. And Moxley just, he’s got another gear that he’s trying to sort of impart that wisdom on me now.
“So I think that’s my next thing is to find that next step that next level and guys like Moxley, Danielson, Castagnoli they all have. So that’s what I need to find.”
Training With The Blackpool Combat Club
(via AEW)
He also was able to pull back the curtain and talk about what it is like to train with the Blackpool Combat Club.
He said, “Yeah, those training classes are a weekly occurrence. So we’re there every week. It’s Regal, it’s Bryan, it’s the BCC and we’re running class, we’re training, we’re learning.
“And yeah, that’s something they really instill is you have to prepare. So every little piece of information they can give me I try to get and we do that every week.”
Yuta continued and shared some lessons he’s learned from the group so far:
“Yeah, there’s, there’s countless like little techniques that they’ve shown me and I could go on for days about that. But I think the main thing that we’ve we’ve talked about is just the mindset of knowing that when you’re in the ring, you’re trying to hurt that guy.
“For us in the Blackpool Combat Club, our thing’s we’re trying to leave a mark on you, trying to leave a scar.
“So whether it’s, you know, a literal scar that you see on your forehead, or maybe it’s a limp, maybe it’s something that you get up every day and you go, ‘Oh, wow, I wish those guys hadn’t done that.’ That’s the mindset. So that’s what we really try to focus on. And that’s, that’s been the biggest lesson they’ve taught me.”
Participating In Blood & Guts
Lastly, Yuta reflected on participating in Blood & Guts a few weeks back. He talked about preparing for and recovering from the brutal match.
He said, “Yeah, the recovery was definitely hard, just a lot of kind of waiting for things to heal. But getting prepared for that match was just knowing that you’re going into a fight, knowing that you’re gonna have to, you’re gonna have to hurt people, you’re gonna get hurt, it’s not going to be fun. You’re just going to have to go in there and give it all you got. So just having that mentality going in, I think was the biggest thing.
“We’ve done all the physical preparation, we’ve done everything we can do. So going into that match, it was just the mental preparation of knowing not to be scared by the structure, just knowing you’re gonna get hurt, but you’re going to hurt people. And I think that’s how we want.”
Yuta said that he would support Cesaro in any role he assumes. The young star then mentioned the Swiss Superman’s history with William Regal and discussed how he will fit well with the BCC:
“Cesaro’s awesome. I would support him in any role anywhere I can see him wrestle.” said Wheeler Yuta, “He’s incredible. But I think he would fit in very well with us, he’s got history with [William] Regal as well.”
The former US champion left WWE in February after his contract expired. At this point, all options seem to be open for his future including a potential WWE return.
Apart from this, Yuta also discussed his transition from Best Friends to the Blackpool Combat Club. He mentioned how both Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy are his real-life friends and he was comfortable with them.
Joining the BCC was a step out of his comfort zone and completely different then what he has done till now. Per the AEW star, he felt like he had to earn the respect of his teammates once again.
Wheeler Yuta is on the rise and he credits the competitiveness of the AEW locker room for his urge to “level up.”
Yuta has emerged as quite the prospect. He captured the ROH Pure Championship against Josh Woods at the Supercard of Honor event on April 1. He followed that up with a highly-praised match against Jon Moxley on the April 8 episode of AEW Rampage.
Wheeler Yuta Lauds AEW’s Competitiveness
During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Wheeler Yuta told Dave LaGreca and Mark Henry that he can’t afford to slack off in AEW.
“AEW is such a competitive environment but in the best way possible. It’s very positive and uplifting but there’s just so much talent that you have no choice but to either level up or get left behind.
“So, I think being put in that environment has really helped me out and it’s allowed me to grow as both a wrestler and just a human being, being around all of these people that I respect so much and who have done it for years and years.
“It’s an environment where you really have to get stronger, get better, or else you’re gonna get left behind. So, being in AEW I think has been the best thing for my career, hands down.”
On AEW TV, Yuta has found himself fighting for the respect of the Blackpool Combat Club. He made significant progress after William Regal shook his hand following a war against Moxley.
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