Interview: Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (FTR)
Professional wrestling has long had a storied and historic presence in North Carolina and surrounding Appalachia. From the first official match on record in Greensboro in 1923, to the days of Jim Crockett Promotions (which eventually became the recently deceased Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling), to being the birthplace and stomping grounds of several talented wrestlers, the high stakes world of bumps, suplexes, and finishers is in our blood as much as NASCAR and moonshine.
May 13 saw the return of this legacy as All Elite Wrestling (AEW) came back to Harrah's Cherokee Center — Asheville for a live television broadcast of its weekly Dynamite program. Two of the wrestlers involved in the billed main event — a 10-man tag that was as hectic and frenetic as you'd imagine — have for a long time called Asheville home. They are Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler — aka FTR, current and now three-time AEW World Tag Team Champions.
Beginning their careers on the mat around 20 years ago, Harwood and Wheeler both became aware of each other through the grapevine of the underground world of independent promotions (smaller companies often tied to a geographical region). 2012 would prove to be a foundational year for the two as Harwood — wrestling along the eastern side of NC near Burlington, Durham, and Raleigh — soon learned of his eventual partner’s talent through word of mouth in and around the circuits tied to the mountainous region of our side of the state.
Under the guidance and tutelage of Dusty Rhodes, whom Harwood cites as being "instrumental" in the founding of their partnership, the two quickly gained traction as an old-school duo whose adage of "no flips, just fists" harkens back to the golden era of The Legion Of Doom, The Midnight Express, The Hart Foundation, and other “mat-first” styles of tag-team wrestling.
Asked about the influx of a more death-defying, stunt-driven model of showmanship currently seen between the ropes, Harwood jokingly claims he prefers his traditional methodology "because he's not athletic enough" to partake in the more risky top-turnbuckle maneuverings.
All jokes aside, FTR's "meat and potatoes" traditional approach to wrestling is as foundational as it is needed among the repeated, albeit impressive, acrobatics that's become so ingrained in the business these days. They are, to stretch a sports metaphor, the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons of yesteryear in a world of Steph Curry, three-point-only basketball. And it’s therefore no surprise that both Harwood and Wheeler cite Bret Hart — perhaps the most talented technical wrestler of the past 40 years — as a huge influence and inspiration.
The return of AEW Dynamite to Asheville arrived nearly a year and a half after its previous event — which occurred a little over three months to the day after Tropical Storm Helene hit. Fight for the Fallen, a charity event put on by AEW and its president Tony Khan, came here on Jan. 1, 2025 for their first ever live simulcast broadcast occurring concurrently on both TBS and HBO MAX. It was additionally the first live sports event Asheville had seen since the flooding.
Originally wanting either Los Angeles or New York City for the seminal and inaugural television event, Khan decided to focus on the Asheville area to help, as Harwood puts it, "build the spirits" of the region. FTR, Khan, and AEW helped raise over $100,000 for local charities BeLoved Asheville and MANNA Food Bank. Additionally, Wheeler initiated a GoFundMe that eventually raised over $75,000 for families in need.
Wheeler says that "they needed that night just as much as everyone in the community" and that it was a "totally surreal, out-of-body experience" to be involved in an event the population rallied behind.
"It was hard driving through that [and experiencing that destruction] everyday," Wheeler adds, noting the loss of such community standbys as Summit Coffee in the River Arts District.
But now, a year and a half later, FTR wants to reinforce the notion that Asheville, the RAD, and downtown are back, beginning to thrive again, and ready for some top-rope action. Both Harwood and Wheeler feel that it was crucial to come back and help with the further cementing of downtown Asheville as a place ready and willing for big events. Tickets, as Harwood boasts, were sold to individuals in 13 surrounding states — so, clearly, the high energy world of professional wrestling crossed with Asheville is as intoxicating of a duo as the current tag champs.
Rolling into Harrah's Wednesday night, the vibes were electric as fans from Black Mountain, Candler, and Johnson City all crammed in early to hit up the merch line and procure concessions before the television taping kicked off. FTR, who've recently shuffled into a role as heels (bad guys for you non-wrestling term accumulated individuals) still received a healthy round of applause and cheers as our local living legends despite their dastardly antics in and out of the ring. Although losing the opening bout, Harwood and Wheeler had to have been pleased regardless as the crowd stayed energetic, boisterous, and rowdy throughout the night.
Every time Justin Roberts, the "Dapper Yapper" MC announcer, signaled we were going back live on the air, the fans rose up and chanted the "A-E-W" mantra that surely came across impressively and vocal on the TBS/HBO live broadcast. By the time the night and taping ended, Khan came out to graciously tip his hat to the crowd and Asheville in general for being such a rocking and involved house.
"This will not be the last time we're hosting a television taping in Asheville any time soon," Khan assured the audience as one final roar swirled about the arena.
Wrestling had finally returned to Asheville and business was, and will continue to be, booming.
(Photo courtesy of AEW)
