Death Riders member names 40-year-old star as the surprising locker-room leader in AEW

AEW has many veterans and legends on the roster, but it's rare for fans to get a glimpse of the locker room hierarchy outside of the occasional backstage brawl. The Death Riders' Wheeler Yuta has just revealed that Orange Cassidy has become a quiet locker-room leader.

Orange Cassidy may seem a strange pick, but the 40-year-old is actually a 20-year veteran of the business. He's also been the company's workhorse for years and currently has more AEW matches under his belt than any other wrestler.

In a recent appearance on Something for Everybody, Wheeler Yuta pointed to Cassidy as someone who leads by example, calling him a model employee:

"There are a lot of people in the locker room that definitely step up. Some of them are guys that lead by example, like Orange Cassidy is a good example of somebody who just leads by demonstrating. Alright, he shows up to work every week. He does what he’s asked. He brings candy for the boys, that’s fun. Just brings four bags of candy to the locker room every week. He’s on time, he does his stuff, he hits his times. He’s a very model employee."

Yuta referred to Orange Cassidy as a quiet leader, even though they're currently opposed on AEW television:

"He’s a quiet leader that everyone looks up to and respects. Not me, obviously, I hate him. Screw that guy. Go Death Riders." [H/T: Fightful]

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Orange Cassidy recently returned to AEW TV

Orange Cassidy was out of action for a month to start this year, but he's now back on TV and competing for the International Championship.

The Freshly Squeezed star is set to face Konosuke Takeshita for the title this Wednesday on Dynamite. While Cassidy has plenty of experience with the International Title, having won it twice, the odds of another long reign are stacked against him this time.

That's because the winner of Takeshita vs. Cassidy will go on to defend the International Championship against Kenny Omega at AEW Revolution on March 9.

Now, staring down the possibility of facing two of the most acclaimed wrestlers in the world in back-to-back matches, it remains to be seen whether Orange Cassidy can triumph and reclaim the International Title.