As All Elite Wrestling (AEW) prepares for its highly anticipated debut in London, Ontario, this Saturday, April 30, at Budweiser Gardens, rising star Daniel Garcia takes a moment to reflect on his journey and the company’s growth. The Buffalo, New York native, known for his technical prowess and intense in-ring style, sees the London event as a testament to AEW’s expanding reach and influence in the world of professional wrestling.
“I think there’s a new era of AEW right now,” Garcia says, discussing the company’s recent signings. “We have a lot of new free agents, some of the hottest free agents in the world. People like Will Ospreay, Mercedes Monet, Kazuchika Okada. We have some of the hottest professional wrestlers in the world who chose to come to AEW. And I think if that’s not a sign of growth in the company, I don’t know what is. People want to come here and I think that’s a great sign.”
For Garcia, performing in London holds a special significance. While it may be his first time wrestling at the Budweiser Gardens, the city has played a crucial role in his early career. “London has seen me since I was 18 years old when I was just a kid, and now I get to come back as a full-grown man, wrestling for the hottest wrestling company in the world, it’s really a blessing,” he reflects.
Canada’s rich wrestling history is not lost on the young star, who cites several Canadian legends as inspirations and mentors. “Obviously, it’s well documented that Chris Jericho is one of my biggest mentors and one of the biggest people who have helped me throughout my career. And now people like Adam Copeland have been helping me a lot. Right from Toronto, there’s Christian Cage. I had a match with him at Revolution, one of the best matches in my career,” Garcia acknowledges. “Canadians are some of the best wrestlers of all time. You guys have a true rich history of professional wrestling and it’s great to be able to come to London to add to that.”
Garcia’s recent match against Christian Cage for the TNT Championship at Revolution showcased his abilities, despite the challenging odds and the eventual loss he faced. “I was pretty impressed with my performance. Obviously, I wish I could have walked away with the win, but when you’re fighting not just one person, when you’re fighting three other people on the outside, people like Nick Wayne, Mother Wayne and Killswitch. When you’re fighting such great athletes at the same time, the numbers game just kind of gets to you and sometimes it just catches up,” he explains.
Many fans and media acknowledged the young wrestler’s tribute to Sting at Revolution, featuring a special jacket, but Garcia reveals that the jacket was not only a nod to the wrestling legend but also to Buffalo rapper Westside Gunn. “It’s that jacket. It wasn’t just a tribute to Sting, it was Westside Gunn. He’s a rapper from Buffalo. He’s a huge artist. That’s his logo, the Scorpion,” Garcia shares. “About two days before the pay per view, I hit him up to see if he had any left that I could use because I thought scorpions were appropriate for Sting’s last match in the pay per view, and it matched my gear. The colors were perfect. He actually didn’t have any more for sale, but he was coming to the pay per view because he comes to all of them and sits front row, so he brought his own jacket for me to wear.”
Throughout his journey in AEW, Garcia has found unwavering support in his close friend and mentor, Daddy Magic. “He’s just somebody who’s been by my side at AEW since literally my first day there. We walked in together and were people who got paired together by our boss, Tony Khan. He paired us together. There was just something about us that he thought would be a cool dynamic, and I think he saw it before anybody else did,” Garcia says of their relationship. “Now we’re at a point where it’s literally just the two of us. Nobody else is involved in that group or our dynamic. It’s just us.”
Daddy Magic’s guidance has been instrumental in helping Garcia navigate the ups and downs of his career. “He always just lets me know that a loss is not the end of the world. Things will get better and that even though you lost this one, it doesn’t mean you’re going to lose the next one. Don’t give up because tomorrow could be the day that you win. Tomorrow could be the day that you do win the big one,” Garcia shares. “So having somebody like him to tell you it’s not the end of the world to comfort you and console you throughout those struggles, I can’t thank him enough for his unconditional support.”
Garcia opened up about his journey, the influences that have shaped his career, and his aspirations for the future.
“I was just always a fan as a kid,” Garcia shared, reminiscing about his early days in wrestling. “I would go to shows and watch it on tv with my family, with my mom, and then we would start going to local shows in Buffalo, like independent shows at the Firehouse and bingo halls. And I started seeing these people and thinking, man, if they can do it, maybe I can do it, too.”
Garcia’s passion for wrestling led him to pursue a career in the independent circuit, where he quickly made a name for himself. His talent and dedication caught the attention of AEW, and he soon found himself signing a contract with the company, making wrestling his full-time job.
“Then all of a sudden, you’re thrust into a position where people see you all the time. It kind of comes out of nowhere in a lot of ways, but it’s amazing,” Garcia said, reflecting on his rapid rise to success.
One of the most significant influences on Garcia’s career has been his work with wrestling legend Chris Jericho. Garcia speaks highly of Jericho’s mentorship, crediting him with instilling a fearless attitude and a willingness to take risks.
“Chris really helped me in a lot of ways. He’s somebody who I feel like giving me a lot of confidence. He gave me the vision and the confidence to not fail,” Garcia explained. “I would see him try new things, and it inspired me to try new things. He would step out of his comfort zone, and it makes me want to step out of my comfort zone and take it even further.”
Another influential figure in Garcia’s life has been fellow AEW wrestler Brian Danielson. Garcia spoke of Danielson not only as a mentor in the ring but also as a role model outside of it.
“Brian? I feel like I’ve learned so much from him, not just as a wrestler, but as a man. He’s a great person. He’s a great human being, and he’s just taught me so many life lessons,” Garcia shared. “Just by watching how he treats people teaches me so much about how I should treat people and how I should act and be kind towards human beings.”
As Garcia looks to the future, his goals in AEW are clear. ” I just want to prove that I can be somebody that can be built around and invested in. I want to be somebody that the company is willing to invest in and put stock in, and somebody that can be on every poster or in every promotional video,” he states. “I feel like I can be the player on the court that you run your offense through. I can be the person carrying the ball. I can be the person to take that last shot when the shot clock is ticking down. I can be all those things.”
Don’t miss your chance to witness Daniel Garcia and the rest of the AEW roster live in action at Budweiser Gardens this Saturday, April 30. Tickets are available at the Budweiser Gardens box office or online at www.budweisergardens.com.
