Report: FTR approaching AEW option year, WWE has ‘preliminary’ interest
Some contract news has emerged on FTR in the wake of AEW Double or Nothing.
Bodyslam.net reports that Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler, who signed four-year deals with AEW in 2023, are now approaching their option year. The report states that FTR believe in their own value and think they should be financially compensated among AEW’s top-tier acts. Along with that, Bodyslam mentions WWE having “at least preliminary interest” in FTR, which has been communicated to the tag team through mutual contacts.
“Sources close to the situation describe FTR as believing their value and consistency over the last several years should place them among AEW’s top-tier acts financially,” the report said. “There has also reportedly been at least preliminary interest from WWE communicated through mutual contacts as the situation continues to draw attention internally.
“At present, there is no indication a departure is imminent, though FTR’s future beyond the current option year remains unclear.”
After being granted their releases from WWE in 2020, FTR made their AEW debuts shortly after and have held the AEW Tag Team titles three times. Their third reign with the belts ended last night when Adam Copeland & Christian Cage defeated Harwood & Wheeler at Double or Nothing.
FTR said a few years back that they thought they’d be done as full-time wrestlers at the end of this four-year deal with AEW.
WWE tag team division rebuild —
WWE is reportedly interested in rebuilding its tag team division, though it’s believed that most of that will be done internally rather than signing outside teams. The division recently had high-profile departures with New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) and Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) being released.
FTR were known as The Revival during their WWE run, where they felt like the company did not do enough to prioritize the tag team division. Bodyslam’s report did not indicate if FTR have any interest in going back to WWE. Their previous run took place while Vince McMahon was still in charge of the company.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.