Swerve Strickland sends a three-word message after AEW announces his union with former rival

AEW President Tony Khan recently announced an explosive six-man tag team match for Wednesday’s Dynamite. Swerve Strickland’s cryptic reaction to Khan's post has created a lot of buzz on social media.

Recently on X, Khan confirmed that World Champion Jon Moxley will team up with The Young Bucks to take on Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe, and Powerhouse Hobbs, a trio unofficially dubbed The Opps. This happened after Katsuyori Shibata of The Opps was sidelined due to an attack from The Death Riders.

Strickland, who is known to create impact with his words on social media, responded to the announcement, quoting Tony Khan's post with just three words.

“Friend and Foe,” Strickland wrote.

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The post has captured the attention of fans who will recall Strickland’s bitter feud with Samoa Joe over the World Title in 2024. The rivalry peaked when Swerve dethroned Joe at Dynasty.

This trios match on Wednesday will set the stage for Double or Nothing’s Anarchy in the Arena bout, where Swerve and Co. will attempt to take down Moxley’s Death Riders.

Swerve Strickland recently linked up with AEW star's partner

Former World Champion Swerve Strickland recently went live on Instagram with none other than Samantha Irvin, the wife of his AEW rival, Ricochet. The duo appeared to be collaborating on a music piece.

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Strickland, who has built a reputation as one of the company’s top stars, recently faced Ricochet in a high-profile match. The feud helped establish Ricochet as a major player in All Elite Wrestling.

Ricochet and Irvin tied the knot in March 2025 and have taken separate paths post their respective WWE tenures. The One and Only is active in the Tony Khan-led promotion, while Irvin is focusing on her music career.

Following her WWE exit, Irvin publicly denied wanting to join the Jacksonville-based promotion, citing a desire to move beyond announcing roles. However, her recent Instagram moment with Swerve has reignited speculation about a potential AEW future for the former WWE star.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Pratik Singh