Former NRL star-turned wrestler targets Wales scalp
Former NRL star and WWE wrestler Daniel Vidot is eying an upset when USA’s Hawks rugby league national team faces Wales at The Wern in Merthyr Tydfil on Saturday.
Brisbane-form Vidot, 36, who burst onto the scene as a teenager at Canberra Raiders in 2009, scored 55 tries in 114 appearances in the NRL and represented Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup in 2013.
The former Brisbane Broncos wing called time on his highly-lucrative league career in 2017 - at the age of just 27 - to join World Wrestling Entertaining (WWE) after a successful tryout.
Vidot, who had a short spell in Super League with Salford in 2016, left the American juggernaut in 2024 and made his USA Hawks debut in the same year after qualifying on residency grounds.
Now a leading name in the squared circle for the Yokohama-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, Vidot has been granted permission by his employer to miss several tour dates to play against Wales.
"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,” Vidot told RugbyJP.com.
The 6ft 2in powerhouse, who was a target for the Queensland Reds before making the leap to pro wrestling, won a tag team match on Monday in Iwate, in the northeast region of Japan, before travelling to join his team in Merthyr Tydfil ahead of their International Test Match against 1995 Rugby League World Cup semi-finalists Wales.
Vidot visited Wales in his youth and believes that former Newcastle Knights prop Adam Woolnough’s USA team can cause an upset in the Welsh valleys.
“I’ve been here before in my early 20’s for the Australian Institute of sport team so I’m really looking forward to Saturday and hopefully getting a win," said Vidot who wrestles as Xyon alongside former Syracuse Orange football team offensive guard Omari Jahi Palmer who is better known as Oddyssey.
“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,” added the heavyweight contender who crashed through four defenders to score in his adopted country’s 28-20 win over Scotland in February.
Vidot has dropped 124kg to 115kg to prepare for his return to the 13-man game against a new-look Welsh side who have opted to select a wave of young talent.
Wales head coach Paul Berry has named six potential debutants including teenage prospect Tokoaitua Owen who is part of the Brisbane Broncos development squad.
“Saturday is a really important day for us, both in terms of the opportunity to represent Wales against the USA and the chance to give more players valuable international experience ahead of the Celtic Cup,” said Berry.
“We have a good blend of players in the senior squad, with experience to help guide those who are looking to take the next step in their careers. It is particularly pleasing to see players coming through the pathway and earning the opportunity to be involved at this level.”
Vidot will return to Japan next week to compete at AJPW’s 54th Anniversary Tour event on Thursday 22 October at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo
Wales Rugby League will offer a live stream of the International Test Match on pay-per-view live streaming platform Lounges TV
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