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AEW is set for a loaded episode of Wednesday Night Dynamite this week and will feature the much-anticipated third bout between bitter rivals Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland. The latter recently discussed his time in All Elite Wrestling after he was released from WWE.
Swerve Strickland performed for WWE from 2019 to 2021 as Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, with the vast majority of his time spent on the NXT brand. Strickland was a founder of the popular Hit Row stable but was released from his contract in November 2021. He signed with the Jacksonville-based promotion the following year and debuted at the Revolution 2022 pay-per-view.
Swerve has seen his popularity skyrocket in recent months, and he's now set to contend with Hangman Page to determine the challenger for Samoa Joe's World Championship at Revolution next month. The 33-year-old recently addressed his release from WWE on the Smooth Vega Podcast:
"The day I got let go, I was angry as hell. It was like 'no, I'm mad' and it's a chip on your shoulder mentality. Like, good luck finding another me. They're going to make money with or without me, that's cool, but they're not going to have another me ever again, and that's what I kind of want to create and build with an AEW."
Swerve has spoken before about wanting to do what only he can, and he expressed pride in being able to succeed with his unique abilities in All Elite Wrestling:
"AEW is going to be able to flourish and reap the fruits of my labor. As we have a Swerve, that's something nobody else in the industry can say that." [H/T Drainmaker on X]
AEW's Swerve Strickland claims he didn't even answer the phone when WWE called to get him back
Swerve Strickland has been open about his desire to be All Elite Wrestling's first black World Champion, and he seems to be just two steps away from achieving that goal.
The 33-year-old attributes his success to Tony Khan allowing him to be himself. As opposed to his time in WWE, when he was limited by the company's structure and creative machine, he's been able to flourish due to his own creativity in the Jacksonville-based promotion.
In the same appearance on the Smooth Vega Podcast, Swerve revealed that he didn't even pick up the phone when WWE called, presumably to bring him back into the fold:
"For me, I was in a place where I knew I needed to be. I needed to be in AEW. When I got the phone call to go back, I didn't even answer it. It was, 'Nope,'" said Strickland.
Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page received massive acclaim for their brutal Texas Deathmatch at last year's Full Gear pay-per-view. The two will clash once again tonight on Dynamite with a shot at the AEW World Championship on the line.
Do you think Swerve Strickland will be the next AEW World Champion? Give us your predictions in the comments section below!
