FTR head into a pivotal AEW Collision with an early deficit in their Best of Five series against the Motor City Machine Guns, but Dax Harwood is not approaching the situation as a cause for panic. Instead, Harwood is looking at the October 24 episode as an opportunity for FTR to answer back with what he described as a home-field advantage.

Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler will face Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin in the second match of the series on the October 24 edition of AEW Collision. The matchup follows the opening contest at AEW WrestleDream, where the Motor City Machine Guns took the initial lead. With FTR down 1-0, the second meeting carries immediate importance: a win would level the series, while another defeat would put Shelley and Sabin one victory away from closing it out.

Harwood acknowledged that no team wants to be chasing a series from the start. At the same time, he expressed confidence that returning to a familiar environment can give FTR the emotional lift needed to even the score.

“Well, obviously, any sports team can tell you that being down 0-1 is not how you want to start a series,” Harwood said. “But the good thing is we’re coming home. You know, hometown advantage for the hometown boys, FTR. I feel pretty confident going into this match.”

For more background on this topic, read Divine Dominion vs. Wrathlander Added To AEW Collision, Jay White Set To Speak.

The framing is fitting for a rivalry built around elite tag-team credentials. FTR and the Motor City Machine Guns are two of the most accomplished and respected combinations of their generation, with both teams having long histories of high-level performances and an identity centered on tag-team wrestling. Their Best of Five format raises the pressure beyond a one-night encounter, requiring a team to make adjustments, endure momentum swings, and avoid the kind of mistakes that can become increasingly costly over multiple matches.

For FTR, the task on Collision is simple in concept but demanding in execution. They need to prevent Shelley and Sabin from turning the 1-0 lead into a commanding 2-0 advantage. In a Best of Five series, a team that falls behind by two matches has little room remaining for error. FTR would then need to win three consecutive bouts to survive, while the Motor City Machine Guns would have multiple opportunities to end the rivalry.

By contrast, an FTR victory on October 24 would restore the series to an even footing. That result would also reinforce the central premise of the matchup: that neither of these legendary teams can be counted out after one setback. Harwood made clear that he believes FTR are ready to deliver that response.

“Motor City Machine Guns, one of the greatest tag teams of all time, along with, obviously, FTR, the greatest tag team of all time,” Harwood said. “So I’m feeling confident. I’m feeling confident that FTR will pull out a victory. I’m feeling confident with my, again, having the home field advantage, and I look forward to tomorrow night.”

FTR Facing an Immediate Series Turning Point

The second match may not technically decide the Best of Five series, but it has the potential to define its direction. The Motor City Machine Guns already have the benefit of an early win from WrestleDream. Shelley and Sabin can enter Collision knowing that the pressure is largely on their opponents, while FTR must show that the first result was not the beginning of a larger pattern.

That is why Harwood’s emphasis on the atmosphere surrounding the bout matters. Home-field advantage in professional wrestling is not a statistic in the traditional sports sense, but crowd energy, familiarity, and momentum can still affect the emotional temperature of a major match. Harwood expects those factors to be in FTR’s favor when he and Wheeler step into the ring for Match 2.

His comments also reflect the confidence that has long been central to FTR’s presentation. The team does not view itself as merely another opponent for Shelley and Sabin. Harwood placed FTR alongside the Motor City Machine Guns in the conversation about the very best tag teams ever, while also firmly stating FTR’s own claim to the top spot. That mutual stature makes the series especially significant, as it is not simply a contest between two established duos but a direct argument over legacy.

Both sides have reason to believe they can win. The Motor City Machine Guns earned the first result and now have tangible evidence that they can defeat FTR in this setting. FTR, meanwhile, have the chance to recalibrate after WrestleDream and put their own stamp on the series before it gets away from them.

Respect and Competition Drive the FTR-Motor City Machine Guns Rivalry

Harwood’s praise for Shelley and Sabin did not lessen his belief in FTR’s chances. Rather, it underlined the caliber of opposition in front of him and Cash Wheeler. Calling the Motor City Machine Guns one of the greatest teams of all time is a notable show of respect, especially coming from a wrestler who has consistently positioned tag-team wrestling as the centerpiece of his career.

At the same time, Harwood did not present the series as a sentimental celebration of two veteran teams. The first match has already produced a result, and the second will create a larger divide between the teams or erase the opening gap altogether. The respect is real, but so is the urgency.

For Shelley and Sabin, the objective is to maintain the advantage they established at WrestleDream. A 2-0 lead would put them in a powerful position and force FTR into a must-win mindset for every remaining match. For Harwood and Wheeler, the objective is to make the series a new contest by leaving Collision at 1-1.

The format also gives each meeting added weight. In a standard single match, a loss can bring disappointment, but a team may quickly move toward a new rivalry or a different goal. Here, every result becomes part of a continuing record. The teams will have to live with the consequences of each finish, carry those results into the next chapter, and adapt to opponents they will see repeatedly.

Harwood’s confidence suggests FTR are focused on that longer battle rather than allowing the WrestleDream defeat to define them. The series is only one match old, and he believes the next setting offers the right moment for a turnaround.

What Is at Stake on AEW Collision

The October 24 edition of AEW Collision will therefore provide much more than another showcase match between decorated tag teams. It will determine whether the Motor City Machine Guns expand their lead or whether FTR restore balance to the Best of Five.

If FTR win, the series becomes a best-of-three race, with neither side holding a margin for error. If the Motor City Machine Guns win, they will move within one victory of the overall series triumph. Those straightforward stakes make Match 2 a crucial checkpoint for both teams.

Harwood is embracing the pressure rather than avoiding it. He knows FTR did not get the start they wanted, but he also sees a clear route back into the series. His belief in the home-field atmosphere, his confidence in Wheeler, and his high regard for FTR’s own place in tag-team history have all shaped his outlook heading into Collision.

FTR may be down after WrestleDream, but Harwood’s message is that they are far from finished. The Motor City Machine Guns own the early advantage. On October 24, FTR will attempt to make sure it remains only an early advantage—and not the decisive one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.