July 3, 2023 • 21 mins
Today, Battle and Eli talk with @aew superstar Wheeler Yuta ahead of his big match this Wednesday on #Dynamite against Kenny Omega. Yuta also talks about Blackpool Combat Club, finishing off the Elite at Blood & Guts, what's next after this chapter is over with the Elite and more! #AEW #aewdynamite #allelitewrestling
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Battle Boy from the Parts Unknown StudiosInto the Battle Crowd, Battle Crown,
the Battle Found, Battle the BattleCrowd. Welcome to the Battleground Podcast,
your place for all things pro wrestling. Little Found, the Battle Found,
(00:24):
the Battle Round now making their wayto the microphone and set up for your
hosts to the Battle Crowd. Yeah, what's up you guys. Welcome back
into the Battleground Podcast. I HeartRadio's official wrestling podcast. I got my
tag team partner Eli on the showwith us, and as you see,
the man of the Hour, Wheeler, you to joins us on the show.
(00:47):
And I do need to apologize toyou real quick, Wheeler, because
the last time you were on ourshow, you were, you know,
going on to win the gold andyou I think you actually had the your
title the last time you're here.Maybe no, did you have the title
last time? I think I thinkhe had just beat Garcia for it.
(01:07):
I think so. So I thinkit was when you became the two time
yes. So I want to apologizebecause you know, when you come on
the show and you have gold,you also have that in the background of
you losing the gold if you comeon the show having it. So I
want to apologize for us jinxing youon that. But now that you're back
on you don't have gold, you'regonna go on to win gold. We
(01:29):
just we'll figure out which one itis right now. I'll take it.
Yeah, yeah, But you knowyou got a big match coming up this
Wednesday on a EW Dynamite. You'rein Canada. You're going against Kenny Omega.
Walk us through this real quick,like what's going through your mind?
Because I mean, Kenny Omega justlost the IWGPUS Championship at Forbidden Door,
(01:51):
so we know he's not going tobe in a good mood and I feel
bad because I feel it like he'sgoing to try to take it out on
you. Well, what's your mindsetheading into this and anticipated clash. I
mean, I'm also not in thebest of moods after I lost as well
I Forbidden or maybe I'll take someof that anger out on him. But
yeah, I think that going intothis match is a huge match. Obviously
(02:13):
he had one of the like anabsolute classic match with Will Osprey at the
pay per view. But he's gotto be hurt, he's got to be
banged up, Like there's no wayaround that. Like if you can watch
the match. You see all theall the risks that they took, all
the impact that he took. Sohe's got to be banged up. So
I think it's that's something I coulduse to my advantage. But I know
that he's going to be super firedup. He's he's not happy with me.
(02:36):
He's not happy with losing the USChampionship. He's not happy just in
general with all the things that havebeen going on between the Elite and the
BCC. And this is I believeKenny's first singles match on a dynamite in
Canada. Uh don't don't quote meon that if I'm wrong, but I
believe this is like a very specialmoment for him. All Right, So
(02:57):
he's very much gonna be angry motivated, But I'm just as just as excited
and just as motivated to prove thatI belong in this spot. Um,
do you think you're I mean,are you at your highest level now going
into this? Like? Is thisone of those like if I got to
face Kenny Omega, you know,after your time with BCC, I mean,
(03:19):
is is this it? I mean, is are you at your top
form? You think from you know, endurance, you know all the stuff
in the ring. I mean,it's are you at peak skill? Peak
level? I can I can onlycontinue to grow and continue to get better.
But I think I'm definitely the bestversion of Wheeler Uta that I've ever
been. So I'm excited to justsort of be able to take all those
(03:39):
tools, all the things that I'velearned from the BCC. And I think
you've seen them obviously in our multimanmatches. You've seen them in the singles
matches I've had in the past.But hopefully this is now the fully formed
Wheeler Uta and I can just startto really get to that next level.
And what better way to do itthan to beat Kenny again, this time
in his home country in a singlesRight, Well, let's go back to
(04:00):
uh Forbidden Door real quick. Lastweekend Toronto, massive show, massive buzz.
A lot of people already saying it'sthe pay per view of the year
so far. I mean, whatwas what was that atmosphere like the show
the weekend? I mean, justkind of give us a glimpse of how
crazy that was. Yeah, ForbiddenDoor this year and last year, we're
both just absolutely phenomenal weekends. Likethe crowds were incredible. Being able to
(04:25):
work with New Japan is incredible.Seeing some of my my friends from New
Japan, from the super Juniors andfor my time and Strong as well,
seeing some of my rivals I wasnot expecting to see. I forgot that
El Desperado does the Japanese raw,so I saw him out. Oh man,
I owe this guy one. Istill want to wrestle him again.
(04:45):
I need that rematch. But itwas really cool to be able to,
you know, see all those peoplefrom Forbidden Door, and yeah, the
crowd is just insane, Like it'san atmosphere like no other because it's matches
that you never thought would happen,and you never thought that they would happen
like on that that stage in thatway, like the fact that these people
are like we had Brian o'cata,like that is like a dream thing that
(05:09):
like you Like, there's this guyon Twitter. Tom's Customs makes graphics that
are fake graphics, like I couldimagine that being one of them, Like,
yeah, a big graphic that couldhave been made like five years ago
that we're never gonna see. Everyresult happened for real. So just all
that all that energy, it makesit something really special. Yeah, and
then you think about Brian, youknow, wrestling with his broken arm still
(05:32):
in the match. I was like, what like that is that's adrenaline kicking
in for that one for sure.Yeah. Brian told me one time,
because we always like to joke thathe's invincible, and I think he is.
And he told me one time thatbeing invincible doesn't mean that you can't
get hurt, you can't get injured, that things won't go wrong. It
just means that all that can happen, and you're gonna do it anyways,
(05:54):
You're gonna push through it and doit anyways. And that's what he did.
Yeah, and that was that wasThat was match of a year right
there. In my books, itwas a contender when you saw that one.
Um, you know, we talkabout this and we always love to
watch the entrances when everything happens ina show. And of course Blackpool Combat
Club had an amazing entrance that night, a forbidden door. Many people consider
(06:15):
that match the one that turned thecard from solid to great. Despite the
loss, how important was that matchfor both teams? Yeah, I think
that that match was very important.You know, we really wanted to one
get at each other, but toalso show like this is a really good
showcase of AW and you know,it was AW and New Japan of course,
but it was just we wanted toreally go out and prove that we're
(06:41):
some of the best wrestlers in theworld. And I think that we went
out there and we did that.But it was just so much fun to
be in that atmosphere with those guys. But yeah, it was a very
important match, and I think thatit really did set the stage where now
we want some revenge of blood andguts, which I think is very important.
But it was, yeah, absolutelya blast to be out there with
those guys. Yeah that I actuallywore this hoodie because y'aw's entrance from especially
(07:06):
with Kesha with the black leather jacketand y'all using the different song. I
mean, it felt like the Legionof Doom was invading that I was just
like, oh my god, likeit just looks so mean and just menacing
and just I mean it may nothave looked like that much on TV,
but that was one of my favoriteentrances I've ever said. It was just
(07:26):
I was so ready for it.Talking about we talked about earlier, you
and Kenny Omega and this kind ofyou know, you've used a lot of
the tools you've gathered. What doyou think has been the biggest change,
you know, pre BCC, WillardUter and now current. Is it just
tappened into that aggressive side. Doyou think because that is that have been
the biggest change. I think theaggression has been a big thing. But
(07:48):
I also think like just the mindset. You know, I ran psychology.
Yeah, yeah, Like I'm focusedon winning the match first. That's my
main thing, and it doesn't matterhow I do it. If I have
to get a little dirty, geta little angry, I can do that.
But I think before, you know, I was very much focused on,
you know, being a showman,kind of caring about what other people
(08:11):
thought of me. And now I'mnot learned with that anymore. You know,
people think whatever they want to thinkabout me. It's fine. I'm
just gonna go out there and todo my thing with the best of my
ability. And you know, thepeople that rock with me, cool,
the people that don't whatever, Iget it. Yeah, it's just been
focusing on I'm just gonna do myown thing, and if that means being
a little dirtier, being a littlemore aggressive, being a little angrier,
(08:31):
then that's fine with me exactly.And I mean that's the thing is,
like you sit here and everybody watchesyou on TV, and of course the
IWC always has an opinion for everything. Oh I don't like this or this
or this as somebody who is youknow, and I'm sure that you see
the comments and whatnot. There's morehigh praises than low praises, Like how
(08:54):
do you just kind of differentiate oflike not focusing here but focusing here.
I mean, I've found like thepeople that I go to for feedback,
so the comments that I see,like I see them, of course,
but those comments don't really affect mepositively or negatively anymore. I would say.
I just I like I know whowho to talk to, Like if
(09:16):
I have a question about something,instead of going on Twitter, I can
go backstage and talk to a myriadof wonderful pro wrestlers who who know a
lot more about what it is.But I understand like all the comments and
all the opinions, like I hadplenty of them when I was a kid,
Like of course I was a wrestlingfan, right right right, I
read those It's weird to be like, I don't want to out in this
(09:39):
website. But there was like awebsite that my mom was looking at and
reading an article about, and shelike mentioned it to me because like,
you know, that's the same websitethat gave our like Gateway computer of virus
like that about it, and nowyou're reading their articles like, so you
know I'm here to get on thosesites. Yeah, I was brendo it
(10:00):
and I love to read all thatstuff too, but just for me as
a performer, now, it's notreally constructive anymore, So right, stay
away from it. But everyone isentitled to their opinions, and I welcome
you to share them because the morethe more you talk about me, the
better it is for me. Soright, and those and of course those
people that are sharing the negative opinionsare the same ones that come up to
these meet and greets and ask foryour photo and autograph. Yeah, they'll
(10:22):
be like, oh, I lovedyour match the other night. But then
you go on Twitter and it's likeuser name with a bunch of numbers and
it's like oh blah blah blah.Or the best part is like Wheeler only
signed fifteen things for me at theairport. Man he hates the fans.
It's like, all right, bro, come on, like the it's just
unbelievable. It is. Well,so getting back to this rivalry, which
is kind of, you know,front and center on all of AWTV right
(10:46):
now. The next chapter has beenannounced July nineteenth, Dynamite the Elite will
face off against Blackpool Combat Club ina blood and guts match, which is
historically insane. This one will becoming from the Garden and Boston, and
you know, this type of matchshould give you guys an advantage because it's
all things violent. You know,what can people expect going into this?
(11:11):
There's something you're wanting to achieve.Parsley, Are you wanting to have the
big spot in the match or youjust wanting to get the victory? I
mean, like to get some revengefor the sixers. I might like throw
some things around the team. Thereyou go. No, I think my
goal is you know, just likeI said before, it's just to come
out with the win. I thinkthat after having last year's Blood and Guts,
(11:33):
I really have more of a senseof the match, so I know
how to use the tools a littlebit better. Like I've never had a
cage match before. That, sonow I can know, I know how
to use the cage. I knowhow to use all these different things to
our advantage. Of course, havinglike the whoever the first manage, like
the man advantage is a big deal. Like last year we were down to
man, so every time a newperson came in, it would be Jericho
(11:54):
Appreciation Society first and then BCC.So it's like a bunch of mini handicap
matches. So knowing how to youknow, take all those elements and use
them to our advantage, I thinkit's gonna be a big thing. But
yeah, I would love to,uh, you know, get another win,
just like I did the pay perview, and that would be I
think my ultimate goal is to hto win this one for the BCC.
(12:15):
But as long as we get ourhands raised at the end, again,
I don't really care how it happens. And you should do a monster heel
move and come out with a seventysix ers jersey, that would be That
would that would be who talk aboutsome heat one of the theories I probably
would, but yeah, yeah fromoil right now, so the best move.
Yeah, speaking of blood and guts, let's have a little bit of
(12:39):
fun here on this one. Whois the first person that will show blood
My money's on Moxley. Oh man, my money. I think we're gonna
bust open. I'm gonna say NickJackson first, that's Michael. He's got
a punchable face, so, likeI can, I think he sees this
(13:01):
and then we'll get all the hateon the internet. Yeah, well you
know as well, so I mean, who knows, but well, and
you know it's been crazy with thisbecause you know, it's it kind of
I don't want to, I won'tsay that anyways. There's so many layers
to the store. And I meaneven you know, bringing in Eddie and
now he's got his thing with Claudiobut obviously you and him are close,
(13:22):
and then you know mox Len Eddienow and then all I mean, there's
just so many layers to this.And then with the Don Callis and Kenny
Omega thing. Um, I mean, can you comment on Don Callis's association
with you guys? I mean,is he kind of moving with you guys
as a group? Is it justbecause of uh, you know, you
get what I'm saying. I mean, is I don't know if we have
(13:43):
a clear answer right now? Heis not officially a member of the BCC
or anything like that. Of course, he has his association with Takeshta and
we will appidly happily take his help, you know, a screw driver handed
to us and things of that nature. But yeah, he's associated, but
as of right now, definitely notnot an official member or anything like that.
(14:05):
Yeah, some mission. So here'ssomething fun that we like to ask,
and we've started to try, likedo this year recently when we go
to the AI computers and we askedthem to ask wrestlers one question. Now,
this is all from chat GPT,so this is where it gets fun.
This is what the chat GPT wantsto ask Wheeler Utah, what's been
(14:28):
the most significant or transformative experience foryou since joining AEW and how has it
impacted your career as a professional wrestler. Oh? Pretty good. The other
one was how did you get yourstart in wrestling? And I wasn't gonna
ask. Yeah, that one's alot less deep than the one you ask.
(14:50):
Yeah, I think you know,there's two two things. I'll give
the obvious one first, I thinkwould be the match with John that I
had actually in Boston. So it'llbe nice to go hopefully spill someone else's
blood there to send him up.But yeah, that that match, of
course, like it gave me confidence, It brought me into the BCC.
(15:11):
I think that it earned legitimately earnedthe respect of John of Regal of Brian.
So it was a really important matchI think for me to have and
it gave me. Yeah, itwas. It was awesome. Like some
of my friends from the Independence werethere, like uh Drew from Beyond Wrestling,
who I had wrestled for just rightup the road and Booster like every
(15:31):
Thursday of my life for years,right he was he had floor awesome.
So yeah, that was like justsuch a special night. And I think
that that really turned me into thewheeler uter that I am today. It
helped me find that fire that eventually, you know, turned into that aggression
and that willingness to sort of dowhatever I need to do to get it
(15:52):
done. And I think that thatthat really changed me as a wrestler.
Also, I would say the hypethat I recently took with Brian Angelson.
Sure you saw the photos. Actuallythe morning of Anarchy at the Arena,
I was up at like four am. Uh went to went met Brian.
We went on this long, beautifulhike, and it was it was nice
(16:14):
to sort of I guess, detached, but then also focused and we got
to talk about a lot of thingsthat were uh like it was it was
really nice to sort of have thattime to go talk and uh just sort
of take things in as opposed tojust always being go, go go.
So that was a really special specialtime for me and sort of put some
things into perspective, uh that Idon't want to necessarily bring up for everyone
(16:37):
to know, but it was,yeah, that's what's that's between you and
you yourself, so we're not yeah, yeah, but it was. It
was really special. And then ofcourse he made me start doing pushups and
bridges rock so there's like there heI don't know if he'll ever share it,
but there's a video of me justdoing as many lion pushups as I
(16:59):
could possibly do. Then about halfwaythrough the hike and then we have to
finish the hikes. Uh yeah.It was a whole another level, a
lot of fun, and I thinkit was a very special day for me.
Note to self, do not takea hike with Danielson. Thank you,
thank you. Yeah, unless you'retraining for something don't do it.
Yeah yeah, yeah, Well I'mnot training for anything, so I don't
(17:22):
have to worry about that at all. Um. Well, um with with
the big match coming up this thisWednesday, Um with Kenny Omega, I
mean what what you know, whatfinal thoughts do you have for that?
And then from there, you knowwhat, where can we keep up with
you online? What are your socialsyou go to and all that? Uh?
Yeah, I'll start with the socialsbecause I'm not great at them at
Wheeler, Utah is my Twitter andInstagram. Honestly, I would say if
(17:45):
you want to know about me,follow the aw social media. They tweet
a lot more than I do.Um. I made a joke that I
used to tweet once a month andnow I'm like twice a month. Um.
Progress yeah, progress that we're movingup in the world. And that
is as far as the match withKenny, I think that it's going to
be something special. It's another opportunityfor me to continue to prove myself as
(18:10):
a member of the BCC, andit's an opportunity for me, honestly to
end the war before we even getthe blood and guts. My goal is
that in blood and Guts We'll walkout there and it'll just be a massacre
or a surrender. It'll be oneor the other because I'll have already decided
the war by taking out Kenny.So that's that's my goal for and hopefully
I get it out in Edmonton,and that's what's going to happen this Wednesday
(18:32):
night on Dynamite. Of course youcan watch it here in Nashville time,
which is seven o'clock but Eastern timeeight o'clock there. And you know,
last thing before we go, what'sthe next thing? You beat Kenny Omega,
because we put that out in theuniverse. You win blood and guts,
we put that out in the universe. What's next on the horizon?
Is there is there a title thatyou want to go after? I mean,
(18:53):
Christian Page thinks he is the Tand T Champion even though he didn't
win it. Is that some thingyou want to go after? Maybe do
you want to go after the puretitle? I could see you in Claudio
maybe taking going after FTR. Ithink that would it would be some good,
uh good wrestling drama there. Yeah, these are these are all great
(19:14):
options that I think I'd like todo. But I think for me personally
the next thing. You know,obviously, I want to end end this
war with the elite, and wewant to come out on top. But
I don't really like how Eddie Kingston'sbeen acting lately. I don't like how
he's been treating us. I knowhe's gonna go to the g one,
so he's gonna be gone for awhile, so I guess he'll escape us
for a little bit. But yeah, I don't like that. Like you
(19:36):
said, we've been friends for avery long time. Him and John have
been friends for even longer than that, and it just seems like he's kind
of throwing all that away because hedoesn't like Claudio and that that's upsetting because
you know, I thought we wereI thought we were friends, and I
thought that our friends more than that, that you could, you know,
mind your own damn business for afew minutes while we'd go do our thing.
But I guess, I guess soEddie Kingston be someone i'd love to
(19:57):
go after. And I think thatme and the best friends will never be
done fighting, So I think thati'd love, speaking of championships, love
to go after that international championship oneday. Be sweet. I can see
that happening, and of course you'reon this show, so you go on
to win the gold so that youknow how this works. So that's the
plan for wheel Er. You towell, buddy, we want to say
thank you for taking the time outof your busy schedule to hang out with
(20:18):
us and talk with us. Lookingforward to seeing your hand getting raised on
Wednesday night over Kenny Omega in hishome country, because again we're putting it
out there in the universe, becausethat's got to be a big notch for
you to beat Kenny Omega. Yeah, and they're making me fly to Edmonton
on the fourth of July. Thatis offensive, not right, not right.
(20:41):
Well, Wheeler, we just wantto say thank you once again for
taking the time out of your busyschedule man and talking with us, and
we look forward to seeing you thisWednesday night on Dynamite. Absolutely. Thank
you. Guys. We hope youenjoyed today's episode of the Battleground Podcast.
Make sure you give it five starsand a nice review. To stay up
to date with the show, followthem at Battleground Podcast on Instagram.
Battle Boy from the Parts Unknown StudiosInto the Battle Crowd, Battle Crown,
the Battle Found, Battle the BattleCrowd. Welcome to the Battleground Podcast,
your place for all things pro wrestling. Little Found, the Battle Found,
(00:24):
the Battle Round now making their wayto the microphone and set up for your
hosts to the Battle Crowd. Yeah, what's up you guys. Welcome back
into the Battleground Podcast. I HeartRadio's official wrestling podcast. I got my
tag team partner Eli on the showwith us, and as you see,
the man of the Hour, Wheeler, you to joins us on the show.
(00:47):
And I do need to apologize toyou real quick, Wheeler, because
the last time you were on ourshow, you were, you know,
going on to win the gold andyou I think you actually had the your
title the last time you're here.Maybe no, did you have the title
last time? I think I thinkhe had just beat Garcia for it.
(01:07):
I think so. So I thinkit was when you became the two time
yes. So I want to apologizebecause you know, when you come on
the show and you have gold,you also have that in the background of
you losing the gold if you comeon the show having it. So I
want to apologize for us jinxing youon that. But now that you're back
on you don't have gold, you'regonna go on to win gold. We
(01:29):
just we'll figure out which one itis right now. I'll take it.
Yeah, yeah, But you knowyou got a big match coming up this
Wednesday on a EW Dynamite. You'rein Canada. You're going against Kenny Omega.
Walk us through this real quick,like what's going through your mind?
Because I mean, Kenny Omega justlost the IWGPUS Championship at Forbidden Door,
(01:51):
so we know he's not going tobe in a good mood and I feel
bad because I feel it like he'sgoing to try to take it out on
you. Well, what's your mindsetheading into this and anticipated clash. I
mean, I'm also not in thebest of moods after I lost as well
I Forbidden or maybe I'll take someof that anger out on him. But
yeah, I think that going intothis match is a huge match. Obviously
(02:13):
he had one of the like anabsolute classic match with Will Osprey at the
pay per view. But he's gotto be hurt, he's got to be
banged up, Like there's no wayaround that. Like if you can watch
the match. You see all theall the risks that they took, all
the impact that he took. Sohe's got to be banged up. So
I think it's that's something I coulduse to my advantage. But I know
that he's going to be super firedup. He's he's not happy with me.
(02:36):
He's not happy with losing the USChampionship. He's not happy just in
general with all the things that havebeen going on between the Elite and the
BCC. And this is I believeKenny's first singles match on a dynamite in
Canada. Uh don't don't quote meon that if I'm wrong, but I
believe this is like a very specialmoment for him. All Right, So
(02:57):
he's very much gonna be angry motivated, But I'm just as just as excited
and just as motivated to prove thatI belong in this spot. Um,
do you think you're I mean,are you at your highest level now going
into this? Like? Is thisone of those like if I got to
face Kenny Omega, you know,after your time with BCC, I mean,
(03:19):
is is this it? I mean, is are you at your top
form? You think from you know, endurance, you know all the stuff
in the ring. I mean,it's are you at peak skill? Peak
level? I can I can onlycontinue to grow and continue to get better.
But I think I'm definitely the bestversion of Wheeler Uta that I've ever
been. So I'm excited to justsort of be able to take all those
(03:39):
tools, all the things that I'velearned from the BCC. And I think
you've seen them obviously in our multimanmatches. You've seen them in the singles
matches I've had in the past.But hopefully this is now the fully formed
Wheeler Uta and I can just startto really get to that next level.
And what better way to do itthan to beat Kenny again, this time
in his home country in a singlesRight, Well, let's go back to
(04:00):
uh Forbidden Door real quick. Lastweekend Toronto, massive show, massive buzz.
A lot of people already saying it'sthe pay per view of the year
so far. I mean, whatwas what was that atmosphere like the show
the weekend? I mean, justkind of give us a glimpse of how
crazy that was. Yeah, ForbiddenDoor this year and last year, we're
both just absolutely phenomenal weekends. Likethe crowds were incredible. Being able to
(04:25):
work with New Japan is incredible.Seeing some of my my friends from New
Japan, from the super Juniors andfor my time and Strong as well,
seeing some of my rivals I wasnot expecting to see. I forgot that
El Desperado does the Japanese raw,so I saw him out. Oh man,
I owe this guy one. Istill want to wrestle him again.
(04:45):
I need that rematch. But itwas really cool to be able to,
you know, see all those peoplefrom Forbidden Door, and yeah, the
crowd is just insane, Like it'san atmosphere like no other because it's matches
that you never thought would happen,and you never thought that they would happen
like on that that stage in thatway, like the fact that these people
are like we had Brian o'cata,like that is like a dream thing that
(05:09):
like you Like, there's this guyon Twitter. Tom's Customs makes graphics that
are fake graphics, like I couldimagine that being one of them, Like,
yeah, a big graphic that couldhave been made like five years ago
that we're never gonna see. Everyresult happened for real. So just all
that all that energy, it makesit something really special. Yeah, and
then you think about Brian, youknow, wrestling with his broken arm still
(05:32):
in the match. I was like, what like that is that's adrenaline kicking
in for that one for sure.Yeah. Brian told me one time,
because we always like to joke thathe's invincible, and I think he is.
And he told me one time thatbeing invincible doesn't mean that you can't
get hurt, you can't get injured, that things won't go wrong. It
just means that all that can happen, and you're gonna do it anyways,
(05:54):
You're gonna push through it and doit anyways. And that's what he did.
Yeah, and that was that wasThat was match of a year right
there. In my books, itwas a contender when you saw that one.
Um, you know, we talkabout this and we always love to
watch the entrances when everything happens ina show. And of course Blackpool Combat
Club had an amazing entrance that night, a forbidden door. Many people consider
(06:15):
that match the one that turned thecard from solid to great. Despite the
loss, how important was that matchfor both teams? Yeah, I think
that that match was very important.You know, we really wanted to one
get at each other, but toalso show like this is a really good
showcase of AW and you know,it was AW and New Japan of course,
but it was just we wanted toreally go out and prove that we're
(06:41):
some of the best wrestlers in theworld. And I think that we went
out there and we did that.But it was just so much fun to
be in that atmosphere with those guys. But yeah, it was a very
important match, and I think thatit really did set the stage where now
we want some revenge of blood andguts, which I think is very important.
But it was, yeah, absolutelya blast to be out there with
those guys. Yeah that I actuallywore this hoodie because y'aw's entrance from especially
(07:06):
with Kesha with the black leather jacketand y'all using the different song. I
mean, it felt like the Legionof Doom was invading that I was just
like, oh my god, likeit just looks so mean and just menacing
and just I mean it may nothave looked like that much on TV,
but that was one of my favoriteentrances I've ever said. It was just
(07:26):
I was so ready for it.Talking about we talked about earlier, you
and Kenny Omega and this kind ofyou know, you've used a lot of
the tools you've gathered. What doyou think has been the biggest change,
you know, pre BCC, WillardUter and now current. Is it just
tappened into that aggressive side. Doyou think because that is that have been
the biggest change. I think theaggression has been a big thing. But
(07:48):
I also think like just the mindset. You know, I ran psychology.
Yeah, yeah, Like I'm focusedon winning the match first. That's my
main thing, and it doesn't matterhow I do it. If I have
to get a little dirty, geta little angry, I can do that.
But I think before, you know, I was very much focused on,
you know, being a showman,kind of caring about what other people
(08:11):
thought of me. And now I'mnot learned with that anymore. You know,
people think whatever they want to thinkabout me. It's fine. I'm
just gonna go out there and todo my thing with the best of my
ability. And you know, thepeople that rock with me, cool,
the people that don't whatever, Iget it. Yeah, it's just been
focusing on I'm just gonna do myown thing, and if that means being
a little dirtier, being a littlemore aggressive, being a little angrier,
(08:31):
then that's fine with me exactly.And I mean that's the thing is,
like you sit here and everybody watchesyou on TV, and of course the
IWC always has an opinion for everything. Oh I don't like this or this
or this as somebody who is youknow, and I'm sure that you see
the comments and whatnot. There's morehigh praises than low praises, Like how
(08:54):
do you just kind of differentiate oflike not focusing here but focusing here.
I mean, I've found like thepeople that I go to for feedback,
so the comments that I see,like I see them, of course,
but those comments don't really affect mepositively or negatively anymore. I would say.
I just I like I know whowho to talk to, Like if
(09:16):
I have a question about something,instead of going on Twitter, I can
go backstage and talk to a myriadof wonderful pro wrestlers who who know a
lot more about what it is.But I understand like all the comments and
all the opinions, like I hadplenty of them when I was a kid,
Like of course I was a wrestlingfan, right right right, I
read those It's weird to be like, I don't want to out in this
(09:39):
website. But there was like awebsite that my mom was looking at and
reading an article about, and shelike mentioned it to me because like,
you know, that's the same websitethat gave our like Gateway computer of virus
like that about it, and nowyou're reading their articles like, so you
know I'm here to get on thosesites. Yeah, I was brendo it
(10:00):
and I love to read all thatstuff too, but just for me as
a performer, now, it's notreally constructive anymore, So right, stay
away from it. But everyone isentitled to their opinions, and I welcome
you to share them because the morethe more you talk about me, the
better it is for me. Soright, and those and of course those
people that are sharing the negative opinionsare the same ones that come up to
these meet and greets and ask foryour photo and autograph. Yeah, they'll
(10:22):
be like, oh, I lovedyour match the other night. But then
you go on Twitter and it's likeuser name with a bunch of numbers and
it's like oh blah blah blah.Or the best part is like Wheeler only
signed fifteen things for me at theairport. Man he hates the fans.
It's like, all right, bro, come on, like the it's just
unbelievable. It is. Well,so getting back to this rivalry, which
is kind of, you know,front and center on all of AWTV right
(10:46):
now. The next chapter has beenannounced July nineteenth, Dynamite the Elite will
face off against Blackpool Combat Club ina blood and guts match, which is
historically insane. This one will becoming from the Garden and Boston, and
you know, this type of matchshould give you guys an advantage because it's
all things violent. You know,what can people expect going into this?
(11:11):
There's something you're wanting to achieve.Parsley, Are you wanting to have the
big spot in the match or youjust wanting to get the victory? I
mean, like to get some revengefor the sixers. I might like throw
some things around the team. Thereyou go. No, I think my
goal is you know, just likeI said before, it's just to come
out with the win. I thinkthat after having last year's Blood and Guts,
(11:33):
I really have more of a senseof the match, so I know
how to use the tools a littlebit better. Like I've never had a
cage match before. That, sonow I can know, I know how
to use the cage. I knowhow to use all these different things to
our advantage. Of course, havinglike the whoever the first manage, like
the man advantage is a big deal. Like last year we were down to
man, so every time a newperson came in, it would be Jericho
(11:54):
Appreciation Society first and then BCC.So it's like a bunch of mini handicap
matches. So knowing how to youknow, take all those elements and use
them to our advantage, I thinkit's gonna be a big thing. But
yeah, I would love to,uh, you know, get another win,
just like I did the pay perview, and that would be I
think my ultimate goal is to hto win this one for the BCC.
(12:15):
But as long as we get ourhands raised at the end, again,
I don't really care how it happens. And you should do a monster heel
move and come out with a seventysix ers jersey, that would be That
would that would be who talk aboutsome heat one of the theories I probably
would, but yeah, yeah fromoil right now, so the best move.
Yeah, speaking of blood and guts, let's have a little bit of
(12:39):
fun here on this one. Whois the first person that will show blood
My money's on Moxley. Oh man, my money. I think we're gonna
bust open. I'm gonna say NickJackson first, that's Michael. He's got
a punchable face, so, likeI can, I think he sees this
(13:01):
and then we'll get all the hateon the internet. Yeah, well you
know as well, so I mean, who knows, but well, and
you know it's been crazy with thisbecause you know, it's it kind of
I don't want to, I won'tsay that anyways. There's so many layers
to the store. And I meaneven you know, bringing in Eddie and
now he's got his thing with Claudiobut obviously you and him are close,
(13:22):
and then you know mox Len Eddienow and then all I mean, there's
just so many layers to this.And then with the Don Callis and Kenny
Omega thing. Um, I mean, can you comment on Don Callis's association
with you guys? I mean,is he kind of moving with you guys
as a group? Is it justbecause of uh, you know, you
get what I'm saying. I mean, is I don't know if we have
(13:43):
a clear answer right now? Heis not officially a member of the BCC
or anything like that. Of course, he has his association with Takeshta and
we will appidly happily take his help, you know, a screw driver handed
to us and things of that nature. But yeah, he's associated, but
as of right now, definitely notnot an official member or anything like that.
(14:05):
Yeah, some mission. So here'ssomething fun that we like to ask,
and we've started to try, likedo this year recently when we go
to the AI computers and we askedthem to ask wrestlers one question. Now,
this is all from chat GPT,so this is where it gets fun.
This is what the chat GPT wantsto ask Wheeler Utah, what's been
(14:28):
the most significant or transformative experience foryou since joining AEW and how has it
impacted your career as a professional wrestler. Oh? Pretty good. The other
one was how did you get yourstart in wrestling? And I wasn't gonna
ask. Yeah, that one's alot less deep than the one you ask.
(14:50):
Yeah, I think you know,there's two two things. I'll give
the obvious one first, I thinkwould be the match with John that I
had actually in Boston. So it'llbe nice to go hopefully spill someone else's
blood there to send him up.But yeah, that that match, of
course, like it gave me confidence, It brought me into the BCC.
(15:11):
I think that it earned legitimately earnedthe respect of John of Regal of Brian.
So it was a really important matchI think for me to have and
it gave me. Yeah, itwas. It was awesome. Like some
of my friends from the Independence werethere, like uh Drew from Beyond Wrestling,
who I had wrestled for just rightup the road and Booster like every
(15:31):
Thursday of my life for years,right he was he had floor awesome.
So yeah, that was like justsuch a special night. And I think
that that really turned me into thewheeler uter that I am today. It
helped me find that fire that eventually, you know, turned into that aggression
and that willingness to sort of dowhatever I need to do to get it
(15:52):
done. And I think that thatthat really changed me as a wrestler.
Also, I would say the hypethat I recently took with Brian Angelson.
Sure you saw the photos. Actuallythe morning of Anarchy at the Arena,
I was up at like four am. Uh went to went met Brian.
We went on this long, beautifulhike, and it was it was nice
(16:14):
to sort of I guess, detached, but then also focused and we got
to talk about a lot of thingsthat were uh like it was it was
really nice to sort of have thattime to go talk and uh just sort
of take things in as opposed tojust always being go, go go.
So that was a really special specialtime for me and sort of put some
things into perspective, uh that Idon't want to necessarily bring up for everyone
(16:37):
to know, but it was,yeah, that's what's that's between you and
you yourself, so we're not yeah, yeah, but it was. It
was really special. And then ofcourse he made me start doing pushups and
bridges rock so there's like there heI don't know if he'll ever share it,
but there's a video of me justdoing as many lion pushups as I
(16:59):
could possibly do. Then about halfwaythrough the hike and then we have to
finish the hikes. Uh yeah.It was a whole another level, a
lot of fun, and I thinkit was a very special day for me.
Note to self, do not takea hike with Danielson. Thank you,
thank you. Yeah, unless you'retraining for something don't do it.
Yeah yeah, yeah, Well I'mnot training for anything, so I don't
(17:22):
have to worry about that at all. Um. Well, um with with
the big match coming up this thisWednesday, Um with Kenny Omega, I
mean what what you know, whatfinal thoughts do you have for that?
And then from there, you knowwhat, where can we keep up with
you online? What are your socialsyou go to and all that? Uh?
Yeah, I'll start with the socialsbecause I'm not great at them at
Wheeler, Utah is my Twitter andInstagram. Honestly, I would say if
(17:45):
you want to know about me,follow the aw social media. They tweet
a lot more than I do.Um. I made a joke that I
used to tweet once a month andnow I'm like twice a month. Um.
Progress yeah, progress that we're movingup in the world. And that
is as far as the match withKenny, I think that it's going to
be something special. It's another opportunityfor me to continue to prove myself as
(18:10):
a member of the BCC, andit's an opportunity for me, honestly to
end the war before we even getthe blood and guts. My goal is
that in blood and Guts We'll walkout there and it'll just be a massacre
or a surrender. It'll be oneor the other because I'll have already decided
the war by taking out Kenny.So that's that's my goal for and hopefully
I get it out in Edmonton,and that's what's going to happen this Wednesday
(18:32):
night on Dynamite. Of course youcan watch it here in Nashville time,
which is seven o'clock but Eastern timeeight o'clock there. And you know,
last thing before we go, what'sthe next thing? You beat Kenny Omega,
because we put that out in theuniverse. You win blood and guts,
we put that out in the universe. What's next on the horizon?
Is there is there a title thatyou want to go after? I mean,
(18:53):
Christian Page thinks he is the Tand T Champion even though he didn't
win it. Is that some thingyou want to go after? Maybe do
you want to go after the puretitle? I could see you in Claudio
maybe taking going after FTR. Ithink that would it would be some good,
uh good wrestling drama there. Yeah, these are these are all great
(19:14):
options that I think I'd like todo. But I think for me personally
the next thing. You know,obviously, I want to end end this
war with the elite, and wewant to come out on top. But
I don't really like how Eddie Kingston'sbeen acting lately. I don't like how
he's been treating us. I knowhe's gonna go to the g one,
so he's gonna be gone for awhile, so I guess he'll escape us
for a little bit. But yeah, I don't like that. Like you
(19:36):
said, we've been friends for avery long time. Him and John have
been friends for even longer than that, and it just seems like he's kind
of throwing all that away because hedoesn't like Claudio and that that's upsetting because
you know, I thought we wereI thought we were friends, and I
thought that our friends more than that, that you could, you know,
mind your own damn business for afew minutes while we'd go do our thing.
But I guess, I guess soEddie Kingston be someone i'd love to
(19:57):
go after. And I think thatme and the best friends will never be
done fighting, So I think thati'd love, speaking of championships, love
to go after that international championship oneday. Be sweet. I can see
that happening, and of course you'reon this show, so you go on
to win the gold so that youknow how this works. So that's the
plan for wheel Er. You towell, buddy, we want to say
thank you for taking the time outof your busy schedule to hang out with
(20:18):
us and talk with us. Lookingforward to seeing your hand getting raised on
Wednesday night over Kenny Omega in hishome country, because again we're putting it
out there in the universe, becausethat's got to be a big notch for
you to beat Kenny Omega. Yeah, and they're making me fly to Edmonton
on the fourth of July. Thatis offensive, not right, not right.
(20:41):
Well, Wheeler, we just wantto say thank you once again for
taking the time out of your busyschedule man and talking with us, and
we look forward to seeing you thisWednesday night on Dynamite. Absolutely. Thank
you. Guys. We hope youenjoyed today's episode of the Battleground Podcast.
Make sure you give it five starsand a nice review. To stay up
to date with the show, followthem at Battleground Podcast on Instagram.
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