Wheeler Yuta

Yuta in May 2022

###

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

**Paul Gruber** (born October 26, 1996), is an American professional wrestler of Japanese descent, better known by his ring name **Wheeler Yuta**. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). In AEW's sister promotion, Ring of Honor (ROH), he is a former two-times ROH Pure Champion.

Through a working relationship between AEW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and AEW, he also works for the promotion.

## Professional Wrestling Career

### Early Career

Yuta made his Combat Zone Wrestling debut in late 2015 and consistently appeared for CZW until late 2016. Gruber made his debut for Major League Wrestling in a losing effort to MJF on the MLW One Shot event in late 2017. His last match for the promotion would be against Low Ki.

### New Japan Pro Wrestling (2021-present)

On April 23, 2021 Yuta made his NJPW debut in NJPW Strong's Collision against Rocky Romero in a losing effort. Yuta then began mostly teaming with Fred Yehi. On July 16, at the first-round of the Tag Team Turbulence, Yuta and Yehi lost in the first round against the team of Yuji Nagata and Ren Narita. On August 16, at Fighting Spirit Unleashed, Yuta faced Jay White in a losing effort. Yuta and Yehi's tag team disbanded when Yuta began being part of the Best Friends in AEW. On November 10, during an episode of *AEW Dynamite*, Yuta along with The Best Friends, Chuckie T. and Beretta rejoined CHAOS alongside Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander, who became the newest members of the stable, after being invited by Rocky Romero. Afterwards Yuta would later leave CHAOS after joining the Blackpool Combat Club on April 8, 2022, after a series of matches between himself and Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley. On May 1, Yuta was announced to take part in the 2022 Best of the Super Juniors in Japan. At the tournament, Yuta finished his block with a record of five wins and four losses, failling to advance to the finals of the tournament.

## Personal life

Yuta is of Japanese descent on his mother's side. He is the son of an American Master chief petty officer in the US Navy and his Japanese wife, whom he met while in service. Yuta was born in Hawaii before his family moved to South Carolina, to then returned to his father's native Philadelphia.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Bulldog Choke* (Bridging sleeper hold) – adopted from Jon Moxley
	+ *Flying Splash* (Diving splash)
	+ *LeBell Lock* (Omoplata crossface) – adopted from Bryan Danielson
	+ *Seatbelt Clutch* (Leg trap crucifix pin)
	+ *Yuta Lock* (Lifting standing figure-four leglock)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Atomic drop
	+ Cross-arm Olympic slam
	+ Chickenwing crossface, sometimes over the shoulder
	+ Discus elbow smash
	+ Dropkick
	+ Double wristlock to a grounded opponent followed by multiple stomps to the opponent's chest, face, and head – adopted from Bryan Danielson
	+ Double wristlock to a grounded opponent followed by multiple back elbow strikes – adopted from Jon Moxley
	+ Enzuigiri
	+ Flying elbow smash to a cornered opponent
	+ Knife-edge chop
	+ Multiple elbow strikes to a cornered opponent
	+ Multiple pin variations
		- Backslide
		- Schoolboy
	+ Multiple suplex variations
		- Deadlift German
		- German
		- Snap
		- Super
		- Tiger feint from the ring apron followed by a German
	+ *Stinger Splash* (Running body splash to a cornered opponent)
	+ Topé suicida
	+ Tombstone inverted cloverleaf

* **Entrance themes**
	+ **"Born In Battle (Wheeler Yuta AEW Theme)"** by Mikey Rukus

## Championship and Accomplishments

* **Ring of Honor**
	+ ROH Pure Championship (2 times)
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Ranked No. 96 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the *PWI 500* in 2021