FTR’s Dax Hardwood and Money Wheeler are firing back at former AEW talent Jake Hager after he insinuated on a podcast that the tag team refused to attend an AEW taping. On a recent episode of “Insight with Chris Van Vliet,” Hager voiced his frustrations about many elements of AEW and its president, Tony Khan, something he hasn’t been shy about doing before. Hager brought FTR into the conversation when he was talking a couple of talent meeting held after issues with CM Punk happened in the corporate, though Hager didn’t specify when exactly that was.
“…the boys got together and we had a gathering and this was the boys only, no office. Sting’s in there, [Paul Wight], [Chris] Jericho, Bryan [Danielson], Mox, they’re all standing on the front type of like talking us through this s***,” Hager explained. “Lo and behold, who comes into the room, storming in, daddy’s little billionaire, and he’s like, yelling at us, because I feel it was Dax [Harwood] and Money [Wheeler] didn’t wish to are available. They didn’t just like the storyline, in order that they refused to return to TV that day.”
Hardwood and Wheeler immediately took to social media to make clear after Hager’s comments went public. Hardwood posted on X (formerly Twitter) that each men were on the talent-only meeting and said it was called by Danielson. Along with clarifying that Khan never interrupted, Hardwood said that they each were on the show.
“Money and I actually have NEVER refused to point out as much as work and, I’d to dare say, when you have a look at our schedules since Collision began, we’re essentially the most consistent talent that make BOTH shows EVERY WEEK,” he wrote.
Wheeler Provides Update
Wheeler posted a screenshot of a text message conversation with Hager. Within the message thread, Wheeler sent the initial story to the previous AEW talent, to which the person on the opposite end, labeled as “Jake” in Wheeler’s phone, apologized within the reply.
“I said I feel it was you two… didn’t say it def [sic] was. But that meeting happened,” the reply read. Wheeler responded that Hager saying “I feel” after which actually saying their names “made them appear like a*******” and it wasn’t them.
“We’re a*******, but we show up for work,” Wheeler told Hager, who apologized once more.
Hager left AEW back in May 2024 when his contract expired. The report on the time was that the choice for Hager to not re-sign with the corporate was mutual. Since then, Hager has retired from wrestling entirely, which he revealed in August 2025. Prior to now, he’s been vocal about his dislike of Khan, which he further explained on the episode of “Insight.”
https://t.co/duHoGmnZf9 pic.twitter.com/uvAYSfEoW1
— Daniel “Money” Wheeler (@CashWheelerFTR) August 26, 2025
In the event you use any quotes from this text, please credit “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” and supply a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.