Every now and again, a wrestler captures the hearts and attention of fans watching AEW Dark or AEW Dark Elevation either at home or in the arena in a very special way. They get cheered, the crowd backs them instead of their typically contracted foes, and with every near-fall, the hopes of a shock-the-world underdog victory start to feel like more and more of a possibility, even if the results usually don't end up in their favor.
Of the wrestlers to make their debuts on Dark or Dark Elevation over the past few months, one very unique performer has risen above the rest to become a bit of a cult figure akin to Pineapple Pete and Fuego Del Soul before him: Cheeseburger.
That's right, Cheeseburger, or as Jericho Cruise attendants might know him, “World Famous CB” made his debut on the April 27th edition of AEW Dark Elevation in Philadelphia, where he turned in an incredibly energetic bout against Tony Nese that was so good, it earned him a callback in Baltimore for an encore versus Max Caster the following week; and encore that, unfortunately, fans won't get to watch, as there was a taping issue that prevented the match from making it onto Elevation.
But who is Cheeseburger, and why should AEW bring him on full-time? Fortunately, his career sort of speaks for itself.
Cheeseburger could be an asset to AEW both in and out of the ring.
Before he was hitting hurricanranas on Tony Nese or sailing away with Chris Jericho, Cheeseburger was a young wrestler looking to break into the industry as a member of the ROH ring crew. He trained and eventually became a trainer for the promotion under Delirious and, after making his in-ring debut alongside Roderick Strong in a battle against the latter's future Undisputed Era faction-mates reDRagon back in 2013, quietly developed a cult following in the promotion known for shaking hands before and after every match.
Though some have and will continue to knock Cheeseburger for his weight, as he's notably slight at 5-f00t-8, 136 pounds, he actually uses that to his advantage; playing the perennial underdog who has to work for everything and can get bullied by anyone with a mastery akin to the “1–2–3 Kid ” – well before the name X-Pac was associated with go-away heat. There's a sort of charisma to Cheeseburger when he is in the ring that can win almost any crowd over.
Cheeseburger has also made a name for himself thanks to his technical ability is very solid in the ring, which is understandable, considering he was also a trainer in ROH, and began running his own gym, Worldwide Dojo, in Bristol, Pennsylvania, back in 2018. If AEW wants to bring in a fun wrestler who can turn in light-hearted, energetic matches on Dark, Dark Elevation, Rampage, and even the newly re-launched Ring of Honor, while also helping to coach up younger performers like Lee Moriarty, Lee Johnson, Brock Anderson, and even the Varsity Blondes, there aren't very many better, or more “World Famous” options on the open market than Cheeseburger.
In his final match with Ring of Honor – at least with the old Ring of Honor – Cheeseburger took on Delirious in a 15-minute student versus master Pure wrestling match for the ages. The duo exchanged blows, grappled, and spammed each other with fold after fold until Cheeseburger eventually got the win thanks to a Dilearious tap out on a short arm pin. The match drew rave reviews from Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman on commentary, though not so much from “Mecca” Brian Johnson, and was so impactful on Delirious that he handed off his mask after the match – which is the ultimate sign of respect in the world of wrestling.
Will Cheeseburger ever take part in a match of that weight again? Will he become the Delirious and carve out a nice niche in the industry as a behind-the-scenes player, or will his star fade now that his home for almost a decade, Ring of Honor, is under new management? Only time will tell, but if his pop on Dark is of any indication, Tony Khan might want to grab his contact information and get into the World Famous Cheeseburger business.
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