AEW: Everything you need to know about Best Friends

Before they have their match against The Young Bucks on this Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, let’s get you a little more familiar with All Elite Wrestling’s resident Best Friends.

Friends. How many of us have them? Friends. Friends we can depend on. Friends. I’m talking about Best Friends. No, not your best friends. I don’t care about your best friends. I’m talking about AEW’s resident Best Friends. The Best Friends, Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta.

When it comes to the AEW roster, they are the best friends that anyone could ask for. Their friendship is so powerful that just hugging each other causes a dramatic camera zoom out every time. The friendship is that real and here is everything you need to know about them.

First, let’s reflect on both men as separate entities, starting with Trent, as you might recognize him for his WWE run.

After starting his wrestling career in 2004 on the indies under the name Plazma (thank God that name didn’t stick), Trent was signed by WWE in 2007. After spending a couple years in developmental (FCW at the time), he and Caylen Croft were called up in Dec. 2009 as The Dude Busters. The two actually had some fun chemistry and despite debuting as heels, the crowd reaction to them quickly morphed them into babyfaces. However, just as they were getting popular, Croft was released in Nov. 2010, forcing Trent to pursue a singles run.

In hopping around between SmackDown, Superstars, and NXT, Beretta was mostly used as enhancement talent before being released himself in Jan. 2013.

His post-WWE career was highlighted by two prolific tag team runs. One being with Rocky Romero in NJPW, where they were four time IWGP World Tag Team Champions, Super Junior Tag Tournament winners in 2016, and members of Kazuchika Okada’s Chaos stable. Their relationship ended in Sept. 2017 when both men opted to settle into new roles. Romero as the manager for Yoh and Sho (Roppongi 3k) and Beretta as a singles heavyweight competitor.

That other prolific tag team, of course, was Best Friends. First, let’s talk about Chuck Taylor (aka Chuckie T) for a sec.

Chuck Taylor’s wrestling style has always been of a comedic ilk, which makes it all the more fitting that his 2006 pro wrestling debut came under the Chikara promotion, a family friendly, comedic promotion. In fact, much of his career has been spent in Chikara, most notably forming The Gentlemen’s Club there, a comedic stable comprised of familiar faces like WWE’s Drew Gulak and fellow AEW member Orange Cassidy.

It’s also worth noting that while he technically officially did not start his wrestling career until 2006, he has been wrestling ever since 2002. He started training at the age of 15, but due to the laws of his home state of Kentucky, he could not legally compete or receive a wrestling license until the age of 18. So, to work his way around that, he’d drive to promotions in Illinois and Tennessee to wrestle there before turning 18.

Altogether, over the course of about 17 years in the business, The Kentucky Gentleman has wrestled everywhere that doesn’t have the initials “WWE” in the title. You name it. Ring of Honor, Evolve, Impact Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (where he is a two-time World Champion), among several others.

Which, speaking of PWG, that’s where he discovered the magic he had with his Best Friend, Trent Beretta.

The first time Trent and Chuckie T ever tagged together was during a random tag match during Night 2 of PWG’s Battle of Los Angeles in 2013 (not long after Trent left WWE, actually). Alongside Joey Ryan, they defeated the team of B-Boy, Willie Mack and future NXT Champion, Tommaso Ciampa.

It seems like the Best Friends noticed the natural chemistry they had as both wrestlers and characters, saw how fans gravitated towards them, and decided to make themselves a more consistent, recurring act. They even brought that chemistry to the Highspots Network for an exclusive show, where they interviewed guests within the industry.

Successes together included winning PWG’s Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament a year after forming their team, joining Okada’s Chaos, debuting in NJPW as part of their World Tag League Tournament, going “All In,” and now becoming members of the All Elite Wrestling roster. Not bad for two dudes who make a living popping dogs and talking hogs.

While they failed to progress in the AEW Tag Team Title Tournament, they continue to grow their fanbase and win over fans less familiar with their indie work. And this Wednesday, they will be facing arguably the greatest tag team on the planet in The Young Bucks in what should be a fun skirmish.

Funny thing about their match this Wednesday is that during their post-show interview after Double or Nothing, Chuck Taylor said he was glad that they didn’t have to wrestle The Young Bucks because the Bucks are “gonna be way more popular than us.” 

Well, this Wednesday, we’ll see just how popular both teams are against each other and see which one can pick up a win.