During an interview with Chris Van Vliet, former AEW star Jake Hager alleged that there was a locker room meeting following CM Punk’s backstage controversies.
He noted that he thought Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (FTR) refused to attend.
Hager said, “After all the [CM] Punk sht that went down, the boys got together and we had a meeting—boys only, no office. Sting’s in there: Chris Jericho, Bryan, Mox, they’re all standing at the front kind of talking us through this sht. And lo and behold, who comes storming into the room? Daddy’s little billionaire, and he’s yelling at us because Dax and Cash Wheeler didn’t want to come in. They didn’t like the storyline, so they refused to come to TV that day.”
Harwood quickly refuted the story, taking to Twitter/X to clarify, “Cash and I were at the all-talent only meeting that was called by Bryan, Jericho, and Mox. Tony [Khan] never interrupted. Cash and I have NEVER refused to show up to work and, I’d dare say, if you look at our schedules since Collision started, we’re the most consistent talent that make BOTH shows EVERY WEEK. I’m not really sure where all this is coming from, but it’s mostly not true.”
Cash and I were at the all-talent only meeting that was called by Bryan, Jericho, and Mox.
Tony never interrupted.
Cash and I have NEVER refused to show up to work and, I’d to dare say, if you look at our schedules since Collision started, we’re the most consistent talent that… https://t.co/Hf9mPtyZfe
— Dax FTR (@DaxFTR) August 26, 2025
Wheeler then followed up by posting a screenshot of text messages between himself and Hager.
In the exchange, Hager admitted he had been mistaken:
Hager: “I apologize if you’re upset. I said I think it was you two… didn’t say it def was. But that meeting happened.”
Wheeler: “I know but to say ‘I think’ and then actually say our names makes us look like assholes and it wasn’t even us. We’re assholes, but we show up for work.”
Hager: “I apologize I shouldn’t have said your names especially when I didn’t know for sure.”
