The nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) Lactobacillus wasatchensis can cause late gassy defect when it grows to high numbers during Cheddar cheese storage. A potential strategy for preventing such growth is incorporation of specific lactic acid bacteria strains (termed bio-protective LAB) into the cheese during manufacture, which may specifically inhibit growth of Lb. wasatchensis. Determination of inhibition by common NSLAB lactobacilli and potential bio-protective LAB (BPLAB) strains against Lb. wasatchensis was done using the spot test along with the agar flip method. MRS agar supplemented with 1.5% ribose (MRS-R) was inoculated with each NSLAB or bio-protective LAB using the spread plate method and incubated anaerobically at 25°C for 48 or 72 h. Inoculated agar was then flipped over and either Lb. wasatchensis WDC04 or CGL04 swabbed on the newly exposed surface with anaerobic incubation at 25°C for up to 72 h. None of the BPLAB strains produced any more inhibition after 48 h than the general competitive inhibition caused by the NSLAB cultures Lactobacillus brevis or Lactobacillus fermentum LF7469. When incubation time was extended to 72 h before challenge, BPLAB P200 showed the largest inhibition zones for both Lb. wasatchensis WDC04 and CGL04. The next inhibitory BPLAB was LB-3 with the NSLAB, Lb. fermentum LF7469, also producing a large inhibition zone. To test for bacteriocin production by the BPLAB, a paper disc assay test was performed using cell free extracts. Results confirmed several BPLAB strains produced a bacteriocin, showing a very small zone of inhibition for Lb. wasatchensis around the paper disc. Examining the antagonism between bio-protective cultures and NSLABs for Lb. wasatchensis strains allows for selection of lactic acid bacteria strains that could inhibit this problematic bacterium during cheese ripening.