Former AEW Tag Group Champion Money Wheeler lastly acquired to maneuver on from one of many darkest components of his life earlier this yr when all fees in opposition to him have been dropped. Wheeler was arrested on August 18, 2023 in Orange County, Florida, was going through one cost of aggravated assault with a firearm following a highway rage incident, and was anticipated to face trial in Could 2024. Nonetheless, the prosecution determined to not transfer ahead with the case.
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Wheeler continued to wrestle all through this era, however there’s a minimum of just a few alternate universes wherein he did not. Wheeler and his FTR tag group accomplice Dax Harwood have been just lately visitors on “AEW Shut-Up” with Renee Paquette, the place Harwood revealed that Wheeler was prepared to provide the whole lot up due to his authorized troubles.
“I suppose perhaps every week after he advised me when it occurred, he mentioned … ‘I believe I’ll retire as a result of I do not need to topic you to any of these items that I am going by way of,'” Harwood mentioned. “He knew there was backlash on Twitter as a result of Twitter’s the cesspool of all social media. He mentioned ‘I am simply going to retire and you do not have to fret … I am simply going to depart wrestling.'”
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Harwood defined that Wheeler was more than pleased to go and reside in his cabin again in his hometown. After speaking the whole lot by way of collectively, nonetheless, the pair determined the FTR story would not finish in 2023.
FTR sticking collectively acquired Wheeler by way of his darkest interval
Understanding Wheeler’s thoughts was midway out the door on the time, Paquette requested FTR what it was like to come back to work on daily basis realizing it may be the final time they’d work collectively. Wheeler admitted that it wasn’t simple, however like different occasions in his life, wrestling was his secure house.
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“I did not like it,” Wheeler mentioned. “However on the identical time it was the one probability I actually needed to escape from that … I actually did not know which match can be the final one, so each time we’re going on the market, I am like ‘Alright, let’s exit right here.'”
Harwood says he was scared that FTR can be no extra and the whole lot they’d constructed for themselves would imply nothing, particularly after carving out their very own legacy following their WWE departure in 2020. He claims he needed to be a chilled voice for Wheeler, as he knew if the roles have been reversed, he would not have been capable of sleep at evening. Nonetheless, the second after they each knew the whole lot was going to be okay was their match with The Younger Bucks at AEW All In 2023, a match that would not have occurred had Wheeler not posted bail simply days earlier.
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“I used to be anticipating the followers to activate us, and so they did not, they embraced us and beloved us much more,” Harwood mentioned.
Wheeler concluded by saying he knew individuals backstage most likely talked about it, however as a result of he knew deep down that he was harmless, he by no means acquired too wired in regards to the state of affairs, regardless of realizing the ramifications if issues did not go his manner legally.
Please credit score “AEW Shut-Up” when utilizing quotes from this text, and provides a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
