Cash Wheeler still hasn’t forgotten what WWE had with FTR and Randy Orton, or how fast it got tossed aside.
While speaking with LNG Productions, Wheeler was asked about a dream six-man scenario with AJ Styles and The Good Brothers against FTR and a third partner. Cash did not overthink it. His pick was Randy Orton, and that sent him right into one of the biggest what-if stories from FTR’s WWE run. Cash said Orton was the one that still bothers him because they had something there.
“Randy, like that’s the one I missed the most as far as like what could have been.”
This was not just FTR wanting to stand next to a top guy either. Wheeler said Orton was pushing for it too. Then Cash got to the real gut punch. WWE split them up in the draft, and Wheeler said that was the moment FTR knew exactly where they stood.
“I thought that we really could do something cool with him and Randy was a big proponent of pushing for it.”
“I think that was the final straw for us when we knew we wanted to ask for our release was when they put I want to say they drafted us to SmackDown and Randy to Raw at that point.”
Cash said the timing made it worse because they still believed there was a chance to do something with Orton. Once WWE separated them, that told FTR everything they needed to know.
“That was in the midst of I think he had just lost to Kofi or something along those lines, but we still thought we were going to get a chance to do stuff together. And we knew if they killed that that they didn’t really have any expectations or plans for us.”
Wheeler said that move made FTR realize they were not going to break through the way they wanted in WWE. Cash made it very clear he has no regrets about leaving WWE. Not one.
“When they drafted us to separate shows, we’re like, ‘All right, yeah, I think that the writing’s on the wall here as far as like what our ceiling is ever going to be.’”
“I have never regretted that decision ever, even for a second. But I do hate that we didn’t get to do more with Randy because even today he’s still such a good friend and we still stay in contact and he’s such a funny guy anyway. So I wish that we could have done more but he would be the dream third partner in that one.”
FTR went on to build a major legacy outside WWE, but Cash Wheeler still sees the Randy Orton pairing as the one that got away. WWE had something sitting right there, and according to Cash, splitting them up helped convince FTR it was time to leave.
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What do you think about WWE splitting FTR away from Randy Orton? Could that alliance have been a major deal if WWE actually followed through? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
