Dax Harwood says injuries, exhaustion, and family time led to the decision
Summary
– FTR is taking time away after more than a decade of nonstop wrestling
– Dax Harwood said years of injuries and travel left the team physically and mentally exhausted
– The break comes while FTR’s long-term AEW future remains a topic of speculation
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler are finally choosing to slow down.
After 12 years of constant work, title matches, travel, injuries, and pressure, FTR is taking time away from wrestling. Harwood revealed the decision in a personal Instagram post, making it clear that this break is about health, family, and knowing when to step back.
The former AEW World Tag Team Champions have not been seen on television since losing the titles to Adam Copeland and Christian Cage in an “I Quit” match at Double or Nothing. Their absence created questions, but Harwood has now given fans a direct explanation.
“Since the summer of 2014, The Revival, FTR, Dawson & Dash, Dax & Cash, whatever you want to call us, we’ve had the pedal to the floor. Aside from my bicep tear in 2017, we’ve taken no time away from the job we’ve dreamed of having. Physically & mentally, we both became exhausted.”
That statement shows how long the team has been operating without a real pause. From their WWE run as The Revival to their rise as FTR in AEW, Harwood and Wheeler built their name on consistency, toughness, and a throwback style that made them one of the most respected teams in modern wrestling.
The cost of that schedule has clearly added up.
Harwood said he has worked through several injuries that many fans never knew about. He listed multiple lower back hematomas, another bicep tear, a labrum tear, and a shoulder that needs replacement.
“We were two of the very few talents that traveled and worked on both Collision & Dynamite. I’ve fought through 3 hematomas on my lower back, another bicep tear I decided not to have surgery on, labrum tear from my groin to my hip, a shoulder that needs replacement, and probably a laundry list of other things I’m too afraid to get checked out haha.”
That kind of damage makes the break feel less like a surprise and more like something overdue. FTR has spent years trying to live up to its reputation every time the team steps through the curtain.
Now, Harwood said the focus is shifting to life outside the ring.
“For the first time in 12 years, we’ve decided to step away and take some time for ourselves & for our families. I’m not sure when we’ll be back, what we’re going to do, how much longer we have, or if we even need to prove anything at all anymore.”
The final line may be the most important part. FTR has already built a resume that few teams of this era can match. Harwood and Wheeler have held major tag team titles, worked top programs, and carried themselves like a team trying to protect the value of tag team wrestling.
Their break also arrives at a time when their contract situation is getting attention. FTR is reportedly entering the option year of its AEW deals, and BodySlam.net reported that WWE has shown preliminary interest through mutual contacts.
Still, there is no sign right now that FTR is leaving AEW. Harwood’s message was not framed around free agency or a jump to another company. It was about stepping away before the grind takes even more from them.
That makes the next chapter unclear. FTR could return to AEW refreshed, explore other options later, or decide that they have less left to prove than fans might think.
For now, the message is simple. After 12 years of pushing through pain and pressure, FTR is finally giving itself permission to stop.
