Swerve Strickland on Possibly Becoming the First Black AEW World Champion, Carving His Own Path

– Ahead of tonight’s title challenge at AEW Dynasty, Swerve Strickland spoke to AEW Unrestricted about potentially becoming the first black AEW World Champion. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

Swerve Stricland on what it would mean for him to become the first black AEW World Champion: “It means a lot. In this day and age, in the year of 2024, it’s hard to accomplish something new. It’s industry-wide no matter what. Box office records are being broken like every month now it feels like across the industry, so it’s just trying to find your place of where you belong in the business and try to make a stamp on it, own something.”

On creating your own path: “It’s a little bit easier to just follow in another path that somebody has already carved. It’s a lot more challenging, a lot more risky, and a lot more damaging to try to create your own. It’s a lot of risk involved with that too.”

On the sacrifices he’s made in his career: “Having to take time away from my children to make sure I can move forward, to make sure [my wrestling career] takes off later on. It’s a lot of birthdays missed, a lot of weddings, missed a lot of funerals. I lost my grandmother early this year and I wasn’t able to be there for the funeral. So that was something that sticks in my mind all the time. So pushing forward, it makes me want to pay that back. Like I didn’t miss that for nothing.”

Swerve Strickland challenges Samoa Joe for the AEW World Title tonight at AEW Dynasty. The event is being held at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri. The event will be broadcast live on pay-per-view.

Swerve Strickland on Possibly Becoming the First Black AEW World Champion, Carving His Own Path

Swerve Strickland on Possibly Becoming the First Black AEW World Champion, Carving His Own Path

Swerve Strickland on Possibly Becoming the First Black AEW World Champion, Carving His Own Path

Swerve Strickland on Possibly Becoming the First Black AEW World Champion, Carving His Own Path

Swerve Strickland on Possibly Becoming the First Black AEW World Champion, Carving His Own Path