FTR reveal why Dusty Rhodes loved them as a tag team
AEW Tag Team Champions FTR were recently guests on The Push Podcast. During their appearance, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler opened up about the influence Dusty Rhodes had on their career.
Dax Harwood opened up about why Dusty Rhodes liked them so much as a tag team, saying that Dusty liked the fact they both had Southern accents and weren't the biggest of guys:
For us, he wanted us to be a team. And I think he enjoyed that we were two Carolina boys. I think he enjoyed the fact that we both had Southern accents, and we had our style of work. And I also think he liked the fact that we weren’t the biggest guys in the room. When you’re 5’10 and you’re surrounded by 6’3″ and 6’5″ guys, you’re often overlooked figuratively and literally. But he told us never to leave each other’s side, whether we were in promo class, at the shows together, or in the Performance Center, ‘Never leave each other’s side. Be seen together all the time, so that people can see what I sees, just on the surface.’
Dax Harwood on what Dusty Rhodes taught FTR
Dax Harwood also opened up about the lessons he and Cash learned from the late pro wrestling legend. Harwood said that Dusty encouraged them to be conversational because he felt it would help with their promos:
And then as far as things he taught us, he just taught us how to be conversational when we’re speaking and when we’re talking. Obviously that translates over into your promos. And no one’s ever gonna be Dusty Rhodes. But he knew that being able to converse and being conversational with your audience and with your peers, and who you’re working with, is what makes you money because you’re on their level now. You’re not trying to cut a ‘Well let me tell you something, brother’ promo, you’re talking to them. H/T: 411Mania
FTR were released by WWE earlier this year and made their AEW debut in May. FTR went on to defeat Kenny Omega and Hangman Page at All Out to win the AEW Tag-Team Championships.