Fred Yehi

[Grimmas]

Quentin said:

"Baffling this guy hasn’t gotten more opportunities the last 3 years but someone who’s individual performances in a match have never disappointed me. One of the most unique people to come out of that peak EVOLVE era. Very low key amount of longevity, he’s having matches I would call very good going back to 2012. Wish he got to do more but one of my favorites of the last few years who I think highly of enough to sneak on at #100"

[SegundaCuerda]

Yehi is one of the wrestlers that captivated me during the last few years and made me fall in love with the current US Indy scene. He's a ver innovative worker I feel like in every match I see of him he does something new. He's solid, great selling, his matches always go for a different route you would think. It's hard to tell at this point, but maybe he could be on the bottom part of my list.

Recommended matches: 

07/08/2020 St. Louis Anarchy Tomas Shire vs Fred Yehi
27/06/2020 Journey Pro/St. Louis Anarchy Jeremy Wyatt vs Fred Yehi, Iron Man Match https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWqhtv9Y4eI
23/03/2019 ACTION Arik Royal vs Fred Yehi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzsbaZU-tBU
25/05/2018 AAW Eddie Kingston vs Fred Yehi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceWgZRgm0A4

[Jetlag]

He is undoubtedly a good worker and a nice breath of fresh air, as he is one of few guys nowadays who don't wrestle like a blatant ripoff. That said I've yet to see any match of his that blows me away and makes me think he's possibly one of the 100 greatest ever wrestlers. Him not having much to work with in the current landscape is probably a big part of the reason for that.

[Jmare007]

Add me to the group of people being baffled and disappointed a guy like Yehi doesn't get more chances to shine in more high profile promotions. Dude is a breath of fresh air and it's hard not to be entertained with the matches he has and the creative shit he pulls off.

I haven't followed him as much as I'd like to but I'm always impressed by him. Maybe this project will make me be less lazy and do a legit deep dive on him to see if I can put him in my ballot somewhere. I also hope these next 5 years have him in more prominent roles and high profile matches outside of a few indies.

[Chakazard]

I've really got to find the time to watch that Iron Man match.  I think Yehi/Wyatt could hold my interest for an hour.

[GlassS0Ldier]

The Wyatt match was great, probably the best broadways the US in a long time (those Trevor Lee matches from a couple years back weren't doing it for me). 

Yehi himself is easily my favorite current US indie worker, and when he's in control, one of the more intelligent. It's refreshing to see someone on the circuit who's more focused on submissions and grappling, which is a style that's easier to borrow from tactfully unlike much of the AJPW/NOAH/Modern NJPW cosplay seen so frequently the last decade. Even when he fiery and starts to ham it up, his mannerisms feel like a charming and unintrusive 80s WWF throwback more than the distracting melodrama you'd expect. That said, Yehi can still get sucked in to other wrestlers' bad habits and tropes, though he's rarely ever the one initiating them. I loved his match with Thomas Shire from last year, but it was tough to ignore the unnecessary forearm exchange awkwardly thrown in at the end that felt at odds with the story and tone of the match up to that point. Just illustrates a larger issue with modern wrestling that even guys as talented as Yehi can't really escape from.

That said, great worker. Still got a ways to go before being considered a top 100 guy ever, though, but not impossible if his career pans out well (though that's become a bigger concern, with how infrequently he's worked beyond Ring of Honor, somebody better sign this guy already).