Images via: Kushida-Wiki, Dax-Sports Lumo, Shelley, Wrestle Inn
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (FTR) have been enjoying quite the run in AEW. They are currently ROH, AAA and IWGP tag champions simultaneously. To say that Harwood and Wheeler take the sport of professional wrestling seriously—very seriously—would be too much of an understatement. They live and breathe the business and it shows in their work.
Just take one look at how Harwood broke down at a recent indie show when Bret Hart wasn’t only in attendance, but he managed them for the night…he broke down right in front of the legendary Hart…no shame, and that was refreshing to see.
Speaking of emotion, it was Harwood who recently stated that the older school of pro wrestlers…the older generation, was better at putting emotion in their performances. He made the following statements while speaking with Culture State:
“There weren’t really any big moves. All it was, was selling… The big suplex to the floor which did hurt like hell, we sold, all of us, all of us sold for like two minutes … The thing that makes them remember is their feeling, you know? How they felt…
That’s what’s missing in wrestling, is the emotion. My wife will watch when I’m on. She has no idea what a 450 feels like, or a Shooting Star Press, or even a Snapmare, you know? She doesn’t know what those feel like, but she knows what sadness feels like, and frustration, and happiness …
So when you can make people feel that then you’ve got them, and that’s when it becomes a classic.”
Speaking specifically about a recent match the two had with the Briscoes, he stated that they all four did a great job of selling…putting the emotion back into the game…and I definitely agree. They are all four pretty old school in terms of their performances…both physically and emotionally.
Kushida Calls Out Alex Shelley
Kushida and Shelley were of course tag team partners and successful ones at that. They were of course known as the Time Splitters. It was during their time together that they won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships.
via WWE /YouTube
Now Kushida called out his old partner, addressing him as: “my dearest professor, my best friend, my all-time best partner.”
via NJPW /YouTube
And who can forget the tandem together in NXT…it was in 2020 that they teamed during the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic…yes a one-off, but a memorable moment for sure. Well, neither of them are in NXT anymore (even though Shelley’s time there was much, much shorter though significant still) and the decision has led to matches like this…a dream match for any pro wrestling fan.
NJPW Music City Mayhem is where the match is supposed to happen and on Saturday July 30th at 3 PM EST.
