Backstage Update On AEW Status Of Wheeler Yuta After Four-Month Absence

Current ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta has been noticeably absent from AEW television in 2024. While fellow Blackpool Combat Club members Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, and Jon Moxley have all featured in prominent roles since the turn of the year, Yuta hasn't been seen in AEW since the January 10 edition of "AEW Rampage," when he challenged Eddie Kingston for the Continental Crown Championship. It had previously been reported that Yuta was dealing with an injury — now, Fightful Select have provided an update, reporting that Yuta has been dealing with concussion symptoms for some time and hasn't been medically cleared.

Per Fightful, sources within AEW had originally hoped for Yuta's absence to be a short one, but as of this writing, there is no concrete timetable on when the ROH Pure Champion will return to action. There has also been no word on exactly when or where Yuta sustained a concussion. He had originally been booked for the CMLL Homenaje A Dos Leyendas event in March, as he was supposed to team up with the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club for their eight-man tag team match against Mistico, Volador Jr. Blue Panther, and Ultimo Guerrero. However, both AEW and CMLL announced that Yuta wasn't cleared to compete; he was replaced by Matt Sydal.

Before his absence, Yuta had made three successful defenses of the ROH Pure Championship against Tom Lawlor, Matt Sydal, and Komander, having dethroned Katsuyori Shibata in November 2023. Yuta is currently in the middle of his third reign with the title, but depending on the severity of his concussion symptoms, there is a chance that the title may have to be vacated if Yuta is unable to return to action in the near future.