A significant WWE no-call.
When Paul “Triple H” Levesque took over artistic in 2022 and started rehiring lots of the performers he helped to domesticate throughout his time operating NXT, some felt as if it was solely a matter of time earlier than Swerve Strickland rejoined the remainder of his Hit Row members in WWE.
On paper, it made sense, proper? Strickland was booked very nicely in NXT, and with the opposite three members of the faction, B-Fab, Ashante “Thee” Adonis, and Prime Dolla all signed again to SmackDown, a reunion of the Swerve Scott character felt like a cherry on high of WWE’s new artistic determination, particularly since followers have been lukewarm on his reserving on the time.
Happily for AEW, it seems like Strickland by no means critically thought of strolling by means of that “forbidden door” as soon as extra, as he defined in an look on the Easy Vega podcast.
“That comes from expertise. I had a distinct expertise than these guys had. I’ve identified find out how to construct myself from the bottom up on the independents. I knew find out how to hustle, get right here, get to there, placed on performances and matches, after which go, ‘How do I get that?’ Then monetize that into this and make this into one thing. All the pieces, all through my profession, and to at the present time, I apply; one factor results in one other and to a different. That’s form of the way you see these little issues in my entrance and my music, my wrestling, my look, the sound, all that was weaving collectively from going from right here to right here to hustling. That’s one thing these guys nonetheless must be taught,” Swerve Strickland shared on the Easy Vega podcast by way of Wrestling Headlines.
“It’s powerful in that group, WWE, it’s actually powerful creatively if you don’t have your arms in your artistic, and it’s left to the powers that be to maneuver you the way they see match, and that’s not simple for anyone. For me, I used to be in a spot the place I knew I wanted to be. I wanted to be in AEW. Once I obtained the cellphone name to return, I didn’t even reply it. It was, ‘Nope.’”
Wouldn’t it have made sense for Strickland to contemplate going to WWE and end what he began with Hit Row? Positive, loads of ex-WWE guys have proven an curiosity in returning to WWE after they hit the open market as soon as extra, with Andrade formally making that swap on the 2024 Royal Rumble. Nonetheless, if Strickland was purchased again into WWE’s system, followers would have by no means gotten the pleasure of seeing Prince Nana dance to “Huge Stress” or watching the sudden Demise match specialist turn into arguably the most well liked act in AEW as he prepares to problem “Hangman” Adam Web page and Samoa Joe at Revolution. Ultimately, it is secure to say Strickland made the appropriate determination, wager on himself, and gained.
Swerve Strickland believes AEW’s ethical is “wonderful.”
One of many greatest tales of 2023 in AEW was the promotion’s perceived morale downside, with leaks coming from inside the promotion at a startling frequency when in comparison with the early years of its operation and CM Punk famously stepping into his second and last backstage battle on the greatest present of the 12 months, All In.
Requested concerning the promotion’s perceived morale downside on Easy Vega, Strickland let or not it’s identified that he does not see what some have reported as he feels that her coworkers genuinely get pleasure from being a part of AEW, with most points relating to the conventional ups and downs of being a working skilled wrestler.
“Morale has been wonderful. I have never seen any points. I have never seen points when morale was mentioned to be down. I had fun, the individuals I labored with had a good time,” Swerve Strickland mentioned by way of Fightful. “Title a piece place that does not have individuals having points with what is going on on at their job of their place. Individuals need to get higher and transfer up the cardboard. Individuals need to get extra TV time and to be the champion. Individuals need a match with him or a match along with her. That is in every single place.”
In skilled wrestling, like in life, it is easy to be in good spirits when issues are going nicely. When a star is being booked nicely, being given high quality display time, and being fed unbelievable competitors that pulls consideration to their in-ring work from contained in the IWC and from a mainstream viewers, it is onerous to think about them feeding traces to reporters about how poorly their promotion is being run. Possibly Strickland feels good about AEW proper now as a result of he is having a second, however based mostly on his response to WWE’s outreach when he was firmly within the mid-card, it is secure to say he has a aptitude for independence that matches completely in Tony Khan’s firm.
