Swerve Strickland spoke following AEW Dynasty about his World Title win and competing in World Title matches at back to back PPVs. Strickland spoke about his win over Samoa Joe at the post-Dynasty media scrum, and you can see highlights below:
On becoming the first Black AEW World Champion: “Ton of hard work went into this. Nothing was guaranteed at all. Nothing was handed out to me; I had to do a lot of inner searching to figure out what I needed to change up and what I needed to improve, and have a lot of humility. To be honest with myself and say, ‘Hey, you’re not great at here, you’re not the best in here.’ And figure it out and just like, work at it. No excuses, ’cause in my culture, where I come from we’re not awarded excuses. Excuses get us nowhere or killed, and I’m gonna stay alive. I’m gonna keep pushing.
“I have so many things to fight for, so many people to fight fore and that’s what drives me every day. I get up early, I stay late. I make the extra drives and I stay in the weight room. I stay disciplined, I do the things that a lot of other people don’t want to do. Get on the plane two days earlier than I gotta be there, because that’s what’s required in this. And I want that to be the standard for being a champion. Like, we’re not rewarded [with] rest. We’ve gotta be restless, because where AEW is and where we’re going, I want the fans to see how hard we’re working. I want the people who aren’t fans to see how hard we’re working to try and join us and be fans, and join this company, because this is special.”
On competing in World Title matches at back to back PPVs: “Two back-to-back amazing PPVs, Revolution and Dynasty tonight, and I was back-to-back championship matches in both of them. That’s never been done in this company as an African-American man. I don’t think it’s been done in any company really this big. Don’t quote me on that. Y’all want the sources, go find them. Tell me, tell the world, I don’t give a damn. But we’re doing something special here, and I’m just proud to be the face of the franchise, because this is a Dynasty we’re building.”
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit AEW with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.
