He is a veteran of the ring for fifteen years. Michael Cuellari better known as QT Marshall is quietly and on the surface an unassuming individual that is now a part of All Elite Wrestling. Fans became more familiar with ‘Mike’ or ‘QT’ through his appearances on The Young Bucks ‘Being the Elite’. When he first appeared with AEW that his name was mispronounced calling it Marshall instead of MarSHELL. However, it was while filming the documentary The Wrestler: A QT Marshall Story that things move things along for him professionally. The documentary came about while he was in the midst of a tryout for the WWE. At the 2017, San Diego Comic-Con Film Festival it won Best Documentary.
A former trainee of Team 3D in Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley and Team Vision Dojo, and the Monster Factory, Marshall has emerged as a significant on-screen and backstage role in AEW. However, it wasn’t until 2012 when Marshall joined Ring of Honor. His thirst and passion for the industry took place years before he even stepped into the ring. Prior to competing in 2004, Marshall was enlightened by ‘Dangerous Dawn Marie’.
For the better part of five years, Marshall’s in-ring achievements are rarely documented. He first gained exposure working Ring of Honor. In an opportunity to gain an ROH contract, QT defeated two-thirds of The Kingdom in Matt Taven and Vinny Marseglia as part of the Four Corner Survival Match. During this time he was often paired with the ‘undefeated’ RD Evans.
Whether it was in the role of manager or confidant QT Marshall took on various roles.
After a hiatus from Ring of Honor, he returns in a storyline that saw he hired Shane Taylor to attack Josh Woods. While not a big storyline he was engaged in a story that saw him face retribution for what he had done to Woods. Marshall was also part of the Future of Honor tournament and collection of talent.
Marshall had a few appearances in the WWE’s NXT brand. His first match was in 2013 under the name Michael Q. Laurie. At the time he stepped into the ring with Aiden English. His second match was under the Michael Cuellari name. This match was in 2014 was a tag team match against The Ascension. The following year he lost to the now King of the Ring, Baron Corbin. His final appearance was under another name. This time around combined his actual first name with now his commonly used wrestling last name. As Michael Marshall he took part in a tag team match against Smackdown tag team, Heavy Machinery.
He discusses how the tryout for WWE didn’t work out even after having a couple of matches in extra work.
In the meantime, they (WWE) decided not to give me the tryout whatever the reason was. The movie has some of that stuff about that its all jumbled. It was the greatest thing to never happen to me…I know The Rock talked about that with the NFL and not making it. That was the greatest thing not to happen to him. This was the greatest thing to never happen to me. For one, I had a broken neck and I didn’t tell anyone about it. That isn’t even in the movie. Just because I had it fixed and I didn’t care about that. But there is no way I would have done well in that tryout.
When Danny Cage brought in Gerald Brisco, they were making us do stuff there…
I couldn’t do a pushup because my right arm just didn’t work. Because of my neck problem. I didn’t know it was a broken neck and I thought I tore my rotator cuff. I was watching a Chris Benoit documentary and he was talking about Mr. Wonderful’s arm deteriorating due to atrophy. Sure enough, I made my wife measure my arm and it was an inch and a half smaller. I got health insurance, set up a doctor. He said how long haven’t you been wrestling? I said I have a match Saturday. It was my last match…well it didn’t end up being my last match. – Marshall on the WWE tryout that was offered and then taken off the table and why it wouldn’t have worked out.
He is an associate producer with the company. Marshall admits that it was never the intention of having him being an in-ring performer with AEW. At the time, Marshall was also working on training with others. The transition from it being part-time to being full-time didn’t take too long. With aspirations of being the Bruce Pritchard of the AEW brass, QT is driven. The in-ring relationship and continuity formed led by Brandi Rhodes with Dustin Rhodes and Marshall as a collaborative has been seamless.
Since joining All Elite Wrestling, Marshall’s role as mentioned earlier was as an Associate Producer.
When he did begin to appear as an in-ring talent, Marshall first appeared on AEW Dark and then Dynamite. It wasn’t until his match with Cody against the nearly debuting Butcher and The Blade (with The Bunny) did his perception to the AEW fans change. While they didn’t have issue with him they now had reason to care more about him. Whether it was because of empathy or whatnot, Marshall was working hard and was surrounded by like-minded individuals.
His alliance with the Rhodes family refects it. Whether it was in fighting on behalf of Cody or fighting alongside Dustin, Marshall has endeared himself to fans. He continues to gel in his team alongside Dustin. While under the tutelage of Brandi, QT and Dustin have been referred to as The Natural Nightmares.
I’ve been on the ride down, but I’ve been on the ride up…I now think that way and it could be done. – QT Marshall
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