AJPW star Xyon to play rugby for USA against Wales
All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) star Xyon has been named in USA Rugby League’s national team squad to travel to play Wales on Saturday 17 October.
The former AJPW World Tag Team Champion is part of an 18-man team announced for the International Test Match in Merthyr Tydfil.
Brisbane native Xyon, 36, who played over 100 games in the National Rugby League (NRL), was granted permission by AJPW to play for his adopted country of USA who he qualifies for based on residency.
Ex-Samoa international Xyon, whose real name is Daniel Vidot, will wrestle a tag team match in Iwate on Monday before heading to Britain to face 1995 Rugby League World Cup semi-finalists Wales.
HAVOC member Xyon, who made his AJPW debut last year after a six-year stint with the industry-leading WWE, produced a try-scoring display in USA’s 28-20 win over Scotland in February.
"All Japan Pro Wrestling is very supportive and love that I still have a passion for rugby league so I’m very blessed to be able to do both,” Xyon told RugbyJP.com.
The former-Brisbane wing, who is a reigning Impact Pro Wrestling Australia tag team champion, visited Wales in his youth and believes that ex-Newcastle Knights prop Adam Woolnough’s USA team can cause an upset in the Welsh valleys.
“I’ve been there before in my early 20’s for the Australian Institute of sport team so I’m really looking forward to returning and hopefully get a win over there.
“We’ve beaten South Africa and Scotland so we definitely want to add Wales to that list and I definitely think we have the right team to do it,” said Vidot who crashed through four defenders to score in his adopted country’s 28-20 win over Scotland in February.
The USA team is ranked 21st in the world while hosts Wales are 13th and Xyon has been cutting weight in preparation for his rugby return.
“My goal is to weigh 115kg by the time I leave so yes definitely been working hard to get my match fitness ready.”
Wales Rugby League will offer a live stream of the International Test Match on pay-per-view live streaming platform Lounges TV https://lounges.tv/lounge/bfOvYHAB0d
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