The Revival Run Into Legal Trouble Over Tag Team Name

Back in early April Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder of The Revival were officially granted their releases from the WWE. The pair have since taken on new names as Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler and, based on the trademarks the pair had filed and the "Fear The Revolt" teaser they posted, many assumed that their new tag team name was The Revolt. The pair clarified that wasn't the case on Sunday, but only after a separate pair of wrestlers filed a cease and desist order against the two. Independent wrestlers Caleb Konley and Zane Riley, who have wrestled as The Revolt for several years for various North Carolina-based promotions, sent the order back on May 10 according to documents obtained by PWInsider.

"The Revolt are well-known in the independent professional wrestling circuit and are the current PWX World Tag Team Champions," a portion of the letter read. "Mr. Burnett and Mr. Riley sell a range of Revolt-branded merchandise including t-shirts, hats, and DVDs, as shown in Exhibit B. The Revolt has been their passion for years and they have literally put their blood and sweat into building The Revolt brand and connecting with their fans."

"[Konley and Riley] tried to reach out as friends but were rebuffed. Dax and Cash may enjoy playing heels, but this is not the ring," it later added. "They cannot steal their former friends' intellectual property without consequence. Their conduct is not only unlawful, it is truly shameless that they would willfully steal a name from those that worked so hard to build it up."

Harwood responded to the story via Twitter by saying the pair had never claimed The Revolt was their new name.

From now on?! We were only EVER going to go by FTR. FTR is and always will be our name. All you had to do was ask, instead of assuming.

— Dax FTR (@DaxHarwood) May 17, 2020

fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt fear the revolt. pic.twitter.com/nVaZJKpb5m

— CASH (@CashWheelerFTR) May 17, 2020

A response to the order was delivered by FTR's legal representation, Michael E. Dockins, who claimed that Harwood and Wheeler tried to contact the pair to work out some sort of deal regarding the trademark and even work together on independent shows.

"[FTR] would have discussed and been willing to work an angle with them on an independent show or two of their choosing. However they did not proceed in a manner benefiting friends and such accommodations are now off the table. At best, only uncertain results and legal fees are ahead. ... If your clients are willing to discuss a reasonable and mutually-beneficial resolution, and one that includes a public apology to our clients, we will take it back to them for consideration."

"FTR" has stood for a handful of things over the yeas from "F— The Revival!" to "Forever The Revival" and now "Fear The Revolt