The Motor City Machine Guns have reclaimed the advantage in their escalating AEW rivalry with FTR.

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin defeated Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler in the third match of their best-of-five series on AEW Fright Night Dynamite, moving ahead by a 2-1 margin. With the series tied entering the bout, the result put Shelley and Sabin just one victory away from closing out the competition.

Shelley secured the deciding fall for his team when he trapped Harwood in a sit-down pin. The finish gave the Motor City Machine Guns their second win over FTR in the series and shifted the pressure squarely onto Harwood and Wheeler heading into the next meeting.

Motor City Machine Guns regain the edge

The third match carried significant stakes because neither team entered with room to establish a commanding lead. Shelley and Sabin had drawn first blood at AEW WrestleDream, defeating FTR to take a 1-0 series advantage. Harwood and Wheeler answered on the October 24 edition of AEW Collision, leveling the best-of-five showdown at one win apiece.

For more background on this topic, read AEW Collision Draws 449,000 Viewers for October 24 Episode.

That made Fright Night Dynamite the pivotal middle chapter of the series. A victory would not have ended the contest, but it would put one tandem in position to finish the rivalry in the fourth match. The Motor City Machine Guns accomplished exactly that, using Shelley’s pin on Harwood to emerge with a 2-1 lead.

In a best-of-five format, three wins are required to claim the series. Shelley and Sabin can now end it in the next match, while FTR must win the fourth contest to keep their hopes alive and force a decisive fifth encounter. The straightforward stakes provide an added layer of urgency whenever the two veteran teams next meet in an AEW ring.

The result also ensures that the next match will be the most consequential one so far. For the Motor City Machine Guns, it is a chance to complete a series win over one of the most established teams in modern tag team wrestling. For FTR, it is a must-win situation after they successfully erased the Guns’ initial series advantage only to surrender it again on Dynamite.

A tightly contested series through three matches

The series has now produced alternating momentum. The Machine Guns opened with the WrestleDream victory. FTR rebounded on Collision on October 24. Shelley and Sabin then responded on Fright Night Dynamite, showing that neither team has been able to build consecutive wins through the first three matches.

That pattern makes the fourth match especially intriguing. FTR have already demonstrated that they can recover from a loss in this series, having done so after WrestleDream. At the same time, the Motor City Machine Guns now have the benefit of knowing they need only one more victory. A win by Shelley and Sabin would make the third match’s sit-down pin the decisive moment that set up the series-clinching opportunity.

Harwood was on the losing end of the pinfall at Fright Night Dynamite, but the result applies to the full FTR unit in a series built around both tandems. Cash Wheeler and Harwood will need to regroup together if they are to extend the contest. Their October 24 Collision win remains proof that the series is far from one-sided, even as the standings currently favor their opponents.

For Shelley and Sabin, the victory reinforces the value of securing the first fall. While FTR restored parity after the opening match, the Guns have once again turned a tied series into a position of control. They do not need to worry about the possibility of falling behind in the standings before the next match; FTR do.

Shelley’s pinfall decides the third meeting

The decisive sequence saw Shelley trap Harwood in a sit-down pin, ending the match and giving the Motor City Machine Guns the win. In a rivalry between two teams with extensive experience and deep familiarity with high-pressure tag team competition, the conclusion emphasized the importance of capitalizing on any opening.

A series match does not need a championship stipulation to create major consequences. Every fall changes the larger picture, and Shelley’s successful pin did more than settle one night’s result. It moved the Machine Guns within reach of the overall victory and left FTR facing elimination in the next round.

The finish also creates a clear point of reflection for FTR. Harwood and Wheeler had entered the night with momentum from their Collision victory, having restored the series to even terms. Their inability to turn that win into a first series lead means the pressure will intensify before match four.

Meanwhile, Shelley and Sabin have earned the right to approach the next match with a closing opportunity in front of them. That does not make the task simple: FTR already proved they can beat the Machine Guns in this format. But a 2-1 advantage offers the Guns two potential chances to secure the third win if the series reaches its full five-match distance.

What comes next for FTR and the Guns

As of this writing, AEW has not announced when the fourth match between FTR and the Motor City Machine Guns will take place. The absence of a confirmed date leaves the immediate schedule unresolved, but the direction of the series is unmistakable.

The fourth match is now an elimination match for FTR in all but name. A loss would end the best-of-five series with Shelley and Sabin taking it 3-1. A win by Harwood and Wheeler would bring the score back to 2-2 and require a fifth, winner-take-all match to determine the ultimate victor.

For fans following the rivalry, the fourth contest will answer whether the Motor City Machine Guns can convert their second series lead into a final victory or whether FTR can once again respond when their backs are against the wall. Both previous teams have shown an ability to answer setbacks, which makes the upcoming match more than a simple formality despite the Guns’ advantage.

The series structure has also allowed each encounter to build directly on the last. WrestleDream gave Shelley and Sabin the early edge. Collision gave FTR the equalizer. Fright Night Dynamite put the Machine Guns back in front. With only one or two matches remaining, every development now carries the weight of a potential series-ending result.

Current best-of-five series standings

  • Match One, AEW WrestleDream: Motor City Machine Guns defeated FTR.
  • Match Two, October 24 AEW Collision: FTR defeated Motor City Machine Guns.
  • Match Three, AEW Fright Night Dynamite: Motor City Machine Guns defeated FTR after Alex Shelley pinned Dax Harwood with a sit-down pin.
  • Series score: Motor City Machine Guns lead FTR, 2-1.

The Motor City Machine Guns are now one win away from taking the best-of-five series. FTR, after splitting the first two bouts and falling short in the third, must win next time to prolong the contest. Until AEW confirms the fourth match, the key fact is the same: Shelley and Sabin have the lead, while Harwood and Wheeler have no margin for another defeat.

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.