FTR’s 2023 Free Agency Is A Preview Of A Huge 2024 Signing Spree In WWE And AEW

WWE and AEW are set for a wild free agency period in 2024, but things could start to get interesting much earlier—Spring 2023, to be exact.

Popular AEW tag team, and former AEW tag team champions, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler of FTR will reportedly become free agents in April of 2023. In a recent interview with Fightful (h/t Wrestling Inc), Harwood noted he “believes” FTR’s contract expires in April 2023.

“We’ve thought about, what if we just take a year off TV?” said Harwood.

“You might not see us mainstream, but it’s so we can rest our bodies, and two, so we can do things that make us happy and bring us joy.”

Though FTR competing on the indies for a year is a real possibility, Harwood’s comments also feel like the beginning of a negotiation ploy with the hardened veteran signaling to the wrestling world that FTR is open for business.

FTR’s 2023 Free Agency, Possibility of Leaving AEW

FTR’s free agency situation is an interesting one. FTR has one of the first key contracts due ahead of what will be a star-studded free agency period in 2024. Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Alexa Bliss, Brock Lesnar, The Street Profits, The New Day and, of course, MJF are expected to headline a strong class of 2024. Should FTR sign with WWE in 2023, they’ll get the jump on many other potential defections. With fewer free agent mouths to feed next year, FTR would become immediate priorities. Similar to Cody Rhodes, the first top star to leave AEW for WWE, WWE would almost be forced to push FTR as a means to signal to pending AEW free agents that the grass is greener in Stamford.

At the same time, FTR would also be wise to wait things out and see just how much of an increase WWE will receive during its forthcoming TV rights negotiations. Led by stud negotiator and co-CEO Nick Khan, WWE landed multiple billion-dollar deals with FOX and NBCUniversal, including a $1 billion deal for the WWE Network to air exclusively on Peacock.

Khan remains bullish that WWE will come up once again in 2024.

“We are as confident as ever in the WWE product as we head into the next round of media rights negotiations,” Khan said during WWE’s 3Q 2022 earnings call. Khan recently signed an extension with WWE worth a reported $1.35 million per year in base salary.

“The marketplace is hungry and willing to pay a premium for live content, and as Steph detailed at the top of this call, we’re seeing increased viewership across all of our content. Taken together, the robust marketplace and our strong ratings, we believe we’re well positioned as we begin our U.S. media rights talks next year.”

FTR In The Triple H Era

FTR were favorites of Triple H as the Revival, particularly in NXT where they became one of the best tag teams in the promotion. FTR is currently one of the most popular acts in AEW, and as a cherry on top for a revenge-minded Triple H, FTR signing with WWE would hurt AEW.

AEW will be negotiating its own television rights deal in 2024, however with Warner Bros. Discovery making billions of dollars in budget cuts, their outlook doesn’t look as rosy as WWE’s.

More TV money in the midst of what could be a signing spree in pro wrestling means inflated contracts for wrestlers. If FTR times this correctly, they stand to secure an enormous bag from either company.