10 Things AEW Fans Should Know About Daniel Garcia
Daniel Garcia #DanielGarcia
It may have its issues, but AEW has proven that it can deliver an entertaining product, which is not all that surprising seeing as the company is filled with up-and-coming talent like Daniel Garcia, who began his wrestling career in 2018. He officially signed with AEW last October, and he has managed to make a real name for himself. Garcia is known for his technical prowess, and that technical ability has shown in matches against Bryan Danielson and Wheeler Yuta.
RELATED: 10 Physically Strongest Wrestlers In AEW
At just 24, Garcia’s career is just getting started, and if he continues to improve, there is a good chance that he will become World Champion one day. Seeing as Garcia has not been around that long, it is fair to assume that many wrestling fans do not know that much about him.
He Was Trained By A Fellow AEW Wrestler
Every single wrestler on the planet needed to receive some level of training before stepping foot in the ring, and Daniel Garcia was no different. He received most of his training from Jesse Guilmette, who AEW fans know as The Blade.
It is true that The Butcher and the Blade will likely never become the AEW Tag Team Champions, but no one can deny the fact that the Blade is a good wrestler. Garcia is a spectacular technical wrestler, and he owes all of that to the Blade.
How He Got The Red Death Nickname
After defeating Bryan Danielson, Garcia was given the Dragon Slayer nickname, but this is not the only nickname he has had. For most of his career, he was known as the Red Death, and it was used to describe his intimidating appearance and technical ability.
RELSTED: Every Wrestler Who Has Won Championships In Both WWE & AEW
Oddly enough, Garcia was not the one who came up with this nickname, it was actually fellow AEW wrestler Andrew Williams, who is better known as The Butcher. He believed that Garcia was missing something, and thought that the name would help develop his in-ring character.
He Wants To Have A Dream Match With Hook
Hook wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, and he has been trained by veterans like Cody Rhodes and Colt Cabana. He made his official debut last December, which makes him the literal definition of a rookie, but he has been impressive thus far.
When Garcia was asked about a potential dream match, he named Hook as his desired opponent. Such a match would pit two of AEW’s up-and-coming stars against each other, and the only way to make such a match better would be if a title was on the line.
His Moment With Minoru Suzuki
While on AEW’s Unrestricted podcast, Daniel Garcia was asked about his favorite wrestlers and moments, andhe revealed that Bryan Danielson is his all-time favorite wrestler. As for his favorite moment though, it involved a Japanese legend.
Garcia faced Minoru Suzuki in 2021 during a West Coast Pro Wrestling event. Suzuki won the match, and in a sign of respect, he bumped fists with Garcia in the middle of the ring. This may have been Garcia’s favorite moment at the time of the interview, but there’s a good chance that his matches with Danielson have overtaken this moment.
He’s Wrestled In WWE
A number of AEW wrestlers would probably do well in WWE, but it is hard to see Garcia doing well given his previous experience with the company. Like many young wrestlers, WWE brought him in to be a jobber in order to elevate their own talent.
RELATED: The Worst Entrance Theme Song These 10 Current AEW Wrestlers Ever Used
His first WWE match came in 2018 during an episode of 205 Live, where he faced Drew Gulak, and lost. His next match came in 2021, where he faced Tyler Rust on an episode of NXT, and he lost that match fairly quickly.
He’s Been Praised By CM Punk
It has become abundantly clear that CM Punk is not fond of certain people, but that does not mean that he does not praise other wrestlers when praise is due. When he first came to AEW, he talked about facing all the young guys, and he faced Daniel Garcia a year ago.
Punk has praised Garcia for listening and for being respectful, and he is glad that he is not corny. He mentioned that Garcia is fundamentally sound, and he went so far as to say that Garcia is the type of wrestler he wants to see on television.
His Other Wrestling Accomplishments
It was great to see Daniel Garcia become the new ROH Pure Champion in his hometown, but this is not the only championship he has won. This past January, Garcia won the Battle of Los Angeles tournament which is held annually by Pro Wrestling Guerilla, and he is the current PWG World Champion.
He has won a number of other Indie championships as well, including the C4 Championship with Capital City Championship Combat, and the ESW Heavyweight Championship. He also became the World Champion of Limitless Wrestling.
He Has A College Degree
There are hundreds of wrestlers in North America who dream of signing lucrative deals with promotions like AEW, but only a small handful of them will ever get the opportunity. That is the reason why so many aspiring wrestlers go to college. A degree provides some sense of security as a back-up plan.
Daniel Garcia understood this, which is why he attended Buffalo State College during the early stages of his wrestling career. He recently graduated with a communications degree, which may come in handy as his career progresses.
Why He Joined The Jericho Appreciation Society
Given his technical ability and admiration for Bryan Danielson, a number of fans were surprised when Garcia joined the Jericho Appreciation Society instead of the Blackpool Combat Club. Even Danielson himself admitted that he wanted to work with Garcia.
RELATED: 10 Current AEW Wrestlers You Forgot Had A Failed Gimmick
In an interview, Garcia admitted that he did not need to join the BCC because he already considered himself to be a great technical wrestler. The JAS on the other hand, allowed him to show his charismatic side, and he believed that Jericho could help him with the entertainment side of wrestling.
He Was In A Near Fatal Car Accident
Sometimes, a wrestler’s career ends in an abrupt and terrible way, and this nearly happened to Daniel Garcia in 2019. After finishing a show in Montreal, Garcia drove back to New York with three other wrestlers, and their vehicle crashed after hitting a patch of black ice.
The car was split in two, and Garcia barely avoided getting hit by the railing. He broke both of his legs in multiple places, and the lower half of his body still has a fair bit of scarring. Luckily. he was able to heal and continue his career.