FTR's 2022, An Amazing Year in Wrestling

FTR: Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler is my all time favorite tag team, going all the way back to their Tag Team Revival days in NXT & WWE.  Every AEW live event I attend I hope that FTR have a match so I can witness them wrestle live again and again.

In my opinion, FTR's 2022 was an amazing year to be a fan of them and tag team wrestling as a whole.

Coming into 2022 FTR were the AAA World Tag Team Champions having defeated The Lucha Brothers on October 16, 2021 on a special AEW Saturday Night Dynamite in Miami, Florida.  On December 11, 2021 at Ring of Honor Final Battle the Briscoe Brothers defeated ROH World Tag Team Champions: The Kingdom: Mike Bennett & Matt Taven to win the championships.  After the match while the Briscoe's celebrated FTR made their ROH debut and ran in brawling with Dem Boys.  This appearance by FTR was months before Tony Khan purchased ROH.

Kicking off 2022 they made an indie appearance for Big Time Wrestling in a dream match on January 22 at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium in Spartanburg, South Carolina⁠ taking on Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson The Rock n' Roll Express!  They picked up the win in just over 15 minutes in a classic tag team wrestling match.

  

On March 13th they traveled to Lucha Libre AAA for Gira Aniversario XXX at Poliforum Zamna in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico to successfully defend the AAA Tag Team Championships against Hermanos Lee: Dragon Lee & Dralistico.

April 1st we would get the first match in a trilogy of matches that would go on to become instant classics and matches that we will talk about in years to come.  At Supercard of Honor FTR would battled and defeat the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions Mark & Jay Briscoe in 27 minutes to become double champions. 

Five days later on April 6th in Boston at the Agganis Arena FTR would defend both of the AAA and ROH Tag Team Championships against the Young Bucks in FTR vs. Young Bucks II.  I was in attendance on this night, and this match was a TREMENDOUS wrestling match.  Much to my delight FTR retained their championships in just over 20 minutes.

April 27, in Philadelphia, PA Dax and Cash would wrestle each other in a qualifying match for the 2022 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament in their first ever one on one match.  In 15 minutes Dax would pick up the win.

These are not the only matches they competed in during 2022, I'm simply going over what I feel are the best matches of the run.  Through out year they would have six man tag team matches with partners such as CM Punk and Danhausen.  

June 10th FTR would return Big Time Wrestling, this time in Webster, Massachusetts at the Webster Town Hall where they would be managed by Bret "The Hitman" Hart and defeated Brock Anderson with "Enforcer" Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman Jr.

I was also in attendance at this show and was excited to see FTR be managed by one of their idols Bret Hart for the first time.  I got cards signed by FTR & Arn Anderson and got some great photos.

The next day on June 11th FTR would travel to Beckley, West Virginia for All Star Wrestling to wrestle and defeat The American Wolves; Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards in juts over 19 minutes in another dream match.  On this night FTR was managed by another idol of theirs in "Loverboy" Dennis Condrey.

June 26th in Chicago at AEW Forbidden Door, FTR would defend their ROH Tag Team Championships in a triple threat match with Roppongi Vice: Rocky Romero & Trent and the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: United Empire: Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan.  FTR would walk out as the new IWGP champions making them triple champions.  The AAA titles were not on the line, because NJPW has a working relationship with AAA's rival CMLL.

On July 23rd FTR returned to Ring of Honor PPV in Lowell, Mass at the Tsongas Center for Death Before Dishonor, and I was sitting front row for this match!  Either the morning of the pre-sale of the night before they announce FTR vs. The Briscoes II in a 2 out of 3 falls match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship.  My front row seat was right next to the commentators.

This match is without a doubt the greatest tag team match I have ever seen and perhaps the best wrestling match I have ever seen live.  In nearly 45 minutes FTR retained 2 falls to 1 in a hard hitting and bloody encounter that was battled in and out of the ring.  After the match Dax went around the ring the hugged everyone in the front row wearing an FTR shirt, there were only a few of us but I got a big hug from Dax and a thank you for the support.

On July 27th AEW was in Worcester, Mass which we also attended, initially FTR was advertised to be part of the pre-show meet and greet back when these were announced day of the event.  Back in October 2021 for only $75 I purchased a meet and greet with FTR & Tully Blanchard!

  

We couldn't believe they would be part of it so soon after their very hard hitting match, and I was going to buy this one as well, however they cancelled it just before it went on sale, replaced with Jurassic Express.

October 1st FTR would travel to London England and successfully defended the IWGP championships at NJPW Royal Quest II defeating Aussie Open: Kyle Fletch & Mark Davis in just over 31 minutes.  Rated 5 stars by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

October 7th in Washington DC they would successfully defend the ROH Championships against Gates of Agony: Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona at AEW Battle of the Belts IV.  

November 5th in Osaka, Japan at NJPW Battle Autumn 2022 FTR would retain the IWGP Tag Team Championships against United Empire: Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan.

November 9th they were back in Boston for AEW Dynamite at the Agganis Arena.  On this night the IWGP, ROH, & AAA Tag Team Champions: FTR: Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler and AEW Tag Team Champions: The Acclaimed: Max Caster & Anthony Bowens defeated Swerve in Our Glory: Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee and The Gunns: Austin & Colten Gunn with Morrissey.  I included this show because I was also at this event and it was be the 4th time I saw them wrestle live in 2022.

November 27th at Big Time Wrestling at the Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina FTR would team with Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat in a six man tag defeating Jay Lethal, Nick Aldis, & Brock Anderson with "Enforcer" Arn Anderson in Steamboats retirement match.

By this time FTR had competed in over 40 matches for AEW, New Japan, AAA, and numerous indies across the United States, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Canada.  They had successfully defended the ROH Tag Team Championships 6 times, the AAA Tag Team Titles 4 times and the IWGP Championships twice.  They were pushing too hard.

On December 7th in Cedar Park, Texas on AEW Dynamite they would challenge the Acclaim for the AEW World Tag Team Championship and came up short in 16 minutes. 

Three days later on December 10th they would face the Briscoes Brothers in the final match of the trilogy in a hard hitting and stiff double dog collar match at Ring of Honor Final Battle in Arlington, Texas.  Dem Boyz with capture the titles in just over 22 minutes for a record 13th title reign.

December 28th FTR would travel back to Mexico for Lucha Libre AAA Gira Aniversario XXX in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.  They would lose the AAA World Tag Team championships to Hermanos Lee: Dragon Lee & Dralistico.

Spilling into 2023 FTR would travel to Japan to compete on the annual January 4th show at the Tokyo Dome, Wrestle Kingdom 17.  Bishamon: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI would defeated FTR for the for the IWGP Tag Team Championships ending a hell of a run.

438 days AAA World Tag Team Champions: October 16, 2021 - December 28, 2022

253 days ROH World Tag Team Champions: April 1, 2022 - December 10, 2022

192 days IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: June 26, 2022 - January 4, 2023

2022 Awards

Fightful Awards

Men's Tag Team of the Year: FTR

Men's In-Ring Wrestler of the Year: Dax Harwood

Tag Team Match of the Year: FTR vs. Briscoe Brothers Death Before Dishonor July 23, 2022

PWI Tag Team of the Year: FTR

Voices of Wrestling Matches of the Year: FTR vs. Briscoe Brothers Trilogy

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Tag Team of the Year: FTR

Feud of the Year: FTR vs. Briscoe Brothers

5 Stars: FTR vs. Briscoe Brothers April 1, 2022 ROH Supercard of Honor XV

5 Stars: FTR vs. Briscoe Brothers July 23, 2022 2 out of 3 Falls ROH Death Before Dishonor

5 Stars: FTR vs. Aussie Open October 1, 2022 NJPW Royal Quest II

5.5 Stars: FTR vs. Briscoe Brothers December 10, 2022 Double Dog Collar ROH Final Battle

I was on Instagram one day and randomly found this FTR vs. Briscoes VHS that I just had to buy!  I've watched it a few times and it's awesome.

 

If you saw above Dax was voted the male wrestler of the year by Fightful.  On top of the stellar tag team match run they had, Dax had singles matches against: CM Punk, Adam Cole, Will Osprey, Rocky Romero, Jay Lethal, Claudio Castagnoli, Mike Bailey, Brian Danielson, and the previously mentioned Cash Wheeler.

I dare anyone to saw any other tag team, had a better 2022 than FTR, I don't think anyone can.

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Until next time!

My First Live Wrestling Show

This is repost from June 4, 2015.  On this day 37 years ago I attended my first ever live wrestling event.  Since that time I have attended 386 more!

I have always been a wrestling fan, I can’t remember not watching wrestling and that’s thanks to my Dad who was also a fan.  I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I am a much bigger fan than he ever was, but I still have him to thank for my love of wrestling.

It was my Dad who took me and my Cousin Chrissy to my first ever World Wrestling Federation show on June 4, 1989 at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine.   Now I don’t remember all the fine details but I will tell you what I do remember.

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Actual tickets stubs that were ripped on opposite sides and I lined them up to reform a single ticket

We bought the tickets at the back of a department store from Ticketron, I believe it was Sears, my Dad didn’t tell me what we were doing and when I heard him order them I got so excited.  During Superstars they would always have a segment talking about WWF On Tour and whenever they mentioned Maine, which was more often back then, I would beg to go and finally he relented.

My brother was jealous that I was getting to go to the show and he wasn’t so our stepfather took him and they sat in a different section on the floor.

At the souvenir stand my Cousin Chrissy and I both got a poster and a t-shirt, she got the Hulk Hogan Teddy Bear T-Shirt and I believe she got a Mrs. Elizabeth poster but she can’t recall.  I got an Ultimate Warrior poster and a No Holds Barred t-shirt that I still have.   My brother got the Hulk Rules rip off shirt.

This is the same poster that I got that day

What was peculiar about the No Hold Barred shirt was the fact that Hulk Hogan signed it, in fact he signed all of them, but some reason mine was signed twice one on above the other.  A couple other kids walking by pointed it out as they also had No Holds Barred shirts that were signed, but only once!

My son Canaan wearing my No Holds Barred T-Shirt I got at this show

The double autograph

Canaan wearing my brothers Hulk Rules shirt from this show, the bandana is mine from another time

My dad has taken photos, however I had never seen them and he lost them.  I recently asked Phil Laine if he had any photos of the show as he goes to every wrestling show practically.  Of course he was front row and he had doubles and gave be the second set.  He mostly has photos of the Hogan match but there were a few others. 

The Results:

Paul Roma defeated Boris Zhukov

Tim Horner defeated Barry Horowitz

The Warlord defeated Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart

Dino Bravo pinned Hercules special guest referee “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin

“American Dream” Dusty Rhodes (sub for Jake “The Snake” Roberts) defeated “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase

Bret “Hitman” Hart fought Mr. Perfect to a 20 minute time limit draw

Tag Team Champions: Demolition: Ax & Smash defeated Twin Towers: Big Boss Man & Akeem the African Dream

“Macho Man” Randy Savage with “Sensational” Sherri Martel defeated World Champion: Hulk Hogan via count-out

I remember being disappointed that Jake wasn’t there as he was one of the guys that I was looking forward to the most, but Dusty Rhodes was an amazing substitute.   My dad used to rent all the tapes and I had seen Dusty Rhodes in classic battles with Tully Blanchard and Ric Flair, he hadn’t even debuted in the WWF on TV yet so it was so excited to see a wrestler the NWA unexpectedly.

So cool to see Demolition in person!  I still remember the Bret Hart vs. Perfect match being one of the best matches I have ever seen.  Even at almost 10 years old I was able to appreciate it for how magnificent it was.

When Hulk Hogan came out the crowd was the loudest and everyone was standing and jumping.  Hogan was the only guy I couldn’t see until he was elevated on the ring apron.  At that time I was a huge Hogan fan so when he lost I was really disappointed.  I realized that he was still the Champion, but he still lost.  

Phil's Photo's:

Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Mr. Perfect

Dino Bravo vs. Hercules with special referee "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin

Demolition vs. Twin Towers

"Sensational" Sherri & "Macho Man" Randy Savage

Hogan hulking up

Famous pose sending the fans home happy

What was your first WWF/WWE show?

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Later Readers!