Swerve Strickland etched his name in AEW’s history at their Dynasty pay-per-view in April when he defeated Samoa Joe to become AEW’s first African-American World Champion. This landmark victory not only delighted pro wrestling fans but also signaled the rise of a new young talent.
However, questions have since been raised about the handling of his reign, particularly the caliber of his opponents. And now, in response, the former WWE talent has addressed his critics during an interview with Adrian Hernandez, drawing an interesting analogy between his time as a champion and a satisfying meal.
“I want you to want more now and then get fed as the nine-course meal. You get more as it goes. Rather than you just get the steak at the beginning and then, ahh, I’m too full, this is too much. Now you want a salad. Now you’re wanting bread as that goes on, that’s how things go. Like I always say, compare television. Television people think works like the rate of a faucet. And it doesn’t; it works like an IV drip. It’s more of the pacing. Eventually, you will get your full glass, but it’s not instant. “
Swerve Strickland33-year-old Strickland signed with AEW in 2022 after being unexpectedly released by WWE due to budget cuts the prior year. Yet, once Triple H took control of WWE’s creative team, it was claimed that someone in his department reached out to Strickland to allegedly tamper with his AEW contract, with WWE seeing the decision to cut him as a mistake. Still, Strickland obviously stayed with AEW, and his loyalty has since been rewarded with a significant push.
