Parker Boudreaux has found a home in Japan with GLEAT, where the promotion’s president Hiroyuki Suzuki has called him “the greatest fighter out in the world right now,” a far cry from the brief stints in WWE and AEW where fans didn’t see much of what he could do in the ring.
Boudreaux, who performed as Harland in WWE NXT in 2021 and 2022 and was part of the Trustbusters and Mogul Affiliates stables in AEW before being released in April 2024, told WrestlingNews.co that he nearly cried when Suzuki told him that.
“The president of GLEAT, the company I am signed to in Japan, called me the greatest fighter out in the world right now,” Boudreaux said. “When he called me that, I nearly cried. All the hard work in the dojo and big matches throughout Japan paying off. They treat me like I am Taylor Swift out there.”
Boudreaux said he is currently on his fifth tour with GLEAT. He said he recently won two big matches and had a 20-minute draw. He said he will be going to Australia next month for a title match against Shanky before returning to Japan for his sixth official tour, where GLEAT is signing him as the only American on the roster.
The transformation from the raw prospect who was released from both WWE and AEW to the wrestler GLEAT has built a portion of its product around has been one of the more remarkable international reinventions in recent years. In WWE, Boudreaux debuted as Harland in December 2021 as the enforcer for Joe Gacy on NXT. He was released after just a few months. In AEW, he was affiliated with Ari Daivari and Slim J as part of the Trustbusters before aligning with Swerve Strickland in the Mogul Affiliates. He was injured in mid-2023 and released in April 2024.
Since leaving AEW, Boudreaux has been on a worldwide grind. He first debuted for GLEAT in October 2024 and has been a regular on their tours since, including competing at Korakuen Hall. He won the GLEAT Super Battle Royale in November 2025, outlasting veterans including Abdullah Kobayashi and Shuji Ishikawa. He teamed with CIMA as the “Boudreaux Brothers” to challenge for tag team titles at a GLEAT event at Korakuen Hall. He had a 25-minute match for the G-Rex Championship against Hayato Tamura in Osaka.
Outside of Japan, Boudreaux has worked for AAA in Mexico, won the CWE World Heavyweight Championship in India in a no-disqualification match, and captured the NOCW All World Heavyweight Championship in Memphis. He has said he has not lost a match in the United States in over two years.
Boudreaux said the difference between his time in WWE and AEW versus what he is doing now comes down to opportunity. “I feel like I never had a chance to show a 20-minute match in the ring, a 25-minute match,” Boudreaux has said. “A lot of people don’t think or maybe don’t know that I could wrestle for 25 minutes in Japan in Osaka. I’m very grateful to be going to Japan and really showing everyone that I could really go anywhere worldwide.”
Paul Heyman, who first began recruiting Boudreaux when he was 15 or 16 years old during his high school football career, still reviews his matches. Boudreaux has said he speaks with Heyman every other week and credits both Heyman and Jim Ross for getting him into the wrestling business. CIMA has also served as a key mentor during his time at the GLEAT dojo.
Before wrestling, Boudreaux was a highly recruited college football player. He played at Notre Dame before transferring to UCF, where he started at right guard and never gave up a single sack during his college career. He was named a MaxPreps First Team All-American in high school and led Bishop Moore Catholic High School to its first state title since 1970.
Parker Boudreaux has been training in the GLEAT dojo since 2024. He's much better than his days as Harland in WWE NXT. pic.twitter.com/qtKTVhhCKQ
— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) April 3, 2026
Japan’s favorite MONSTER.. #THEBFD
I AM THE TOP FOREIGNER of @GLEAT0701 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/LrxM7OlOKq
— PARKER BOUDREAUX (@TheParkerB_) March 25, 2026
