In a recent interview with The Athletic, AEW President Tony Khan discussed the rise of Swerve Strickland following his AEW debut in March 2022.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below::
On Swerve Strickland: “After his first match against Tony Neese on AEW Rampage, Chris Jericho walked back to me and said, ‘This guy is really amazing. Where did you find him?’ I’ve been watching him for years. I wanted to bring him into AEW when we first launched, but he had just been signed by WWE.”
On how Strickland is a wildcard: “Swerve is a wildcard. We saw that Swerve is a breakout star. He won the tag team championship in his first year and went on to have a massive 2023 while being showcased as a singles star. The idea was to showcase Swerve in feature positions with the intent and belief that crowds all over the world would buy into him. I believed he’d become very popular.”
Strickland will battle Samoa Joe and Hangman Page in a Triple Threat Match for the AEW World Championship this Sunday at AEW Revolution 2024.
Swerve Strickland: The Rising Star of AEW
Since his debut in March 2022, Swerve Strickland has been making waves in the world of professional wrestling. With his unique style and undeniable talent, he has quickly become a fan favorite in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). In a recent interview with The Athletic, AEW President Tony Khan discussed the rise of Swerve Strickland and his journey to becoming a breakout star.
Khan revealed that he had been following Strickland’s career for years and had always wanted to bring him into AEW. However, at the time of AEW’s launch, Strickland had just been signed by WWE. It wasn’t until 2022 that the opportunity finally arose, and Strickland made his AEW debut.
Strickland’s first match against Tony Neese on AEW Rampage caught the attention of wrestling legend Chris Jericho. Jericho was impressed by Strickland’s skills and immediately recognized his potential. He approached Khan and said, “This guy is really amazing. Where did you find him?” This endorsement from Jericho further solidified Strickland’s status as a rising star.
One of the things that sets Strickland apart is his wildcard nature. Khan described him as a breakout star and emphasized his ability to surprise and captivate audiences. In his first year with AEW, Strickland won the tag team championship and had a remarkable 2023 as a singles star. Khan had always believed that crowds all over the world would buy into Strickland’s charisma and talent, and it seems that his prediction has come true.
The culmination of Strickland’s rise to stardom will be witnessed at AEW Revolution 2024. He is set to compete in a Triple Threat Match for the AEW World Championship against Samoa Joe and Hangman Page. This high-stakes match is a testament to Strickland’s abilities and the faith that AEW has in him.
As fans eagerly anticipate this showdown, it is clear that Strickland’s journey is far from over. With his impressive skills, magnetic personality, and the support of AEW, he is poised to continue his ascent in the world of professional wrestling. Whether he emerges as the AEW World Champion or not, one thing is certain – Swerve Strickland is a force to be reckoned with and a name that will be remembered in the industry for years to come.