AEW's Dax Harwood Recalls Heart-To-Heart With Partner, Putting Wrestling On A Pedestal

Dax Harwood has been described by some as one of the best tag team wrestlers of his era, something he and his tag team partner, Cash Wheeler, often call themselves in promos. However, according to Harwood on "Power Alphas," he realized that he put wrestling on an impossible pedestal. Harwood recalled suffering a severe anxiety attack in June 2021, and how this led him to realizing that he had been putting too much time and love into wrestling. "I was going to work angry and ... I was creating instead of trying to form bonds and friendships with people, and relationships with people, I think — I feel like — I was pushing people away and I got to the point where I feel like I was enjoying pushing people away, and that was scary to me."

Shortly after his anxiety attack, Wheeler suffered a serious injury in the ring, that affected the star's mentality as well. "He called me about a week after, and he was crying, he said 'I don't think I want to do this anymore. I think I want to quit wrestling. I'm going to tell Tony that I want to retire and never wrestle again.' He said 'I feel like I'm putting so much out there and no one, no one cares enough to give anything back to me.' And I was like oh man, we're taking this way too much to heart."

Following their conversation, Harwood and Wheeler decided that they were no longer going to let wrestling be their lives, especially Harwood, who realized it started to come before his family, friends, and God. "We had this long conversation where we said we can't do this anymore, let's just have fun."

Harwood then noted how he now feels better than he's ever felt, and that he and Wheeler even feel like they no longer care if fans believe they're the greatest tag team of all time or not. "But if you're going to have that conversation, you have to have us in there. And that makes me feel like I've done something because I always said wrestling has done so much for me."

Harwood also explained that his headspace in the industry and AEW are great. "The trajectory is going up, we had a little rocky patch there for a while with some things that happened, but I think the company now is closer than it's ever been. We have leadership, we have — everybody has a bond, we're all working together to make AEW the best promotion possible."

Despite this, he claims that the most important space he's seen improvement in is his family life, and that things between him and his wife, Maria, are better than ever. "Her and I are equals, this whole — that's what it is — this partnership, and although I'm the one bringing in the money, I wouldn't be bringing in the money if I didn't have her support and the things she does at home." Unfortunately, Harwood is currently out indefinitely due to injury, so until his recovery, FTR will have to take a backseat while he prepares for his return.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Power Alphas" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.