Swerve Strickland fought for his AEW World Championship reign and says that he’s thankful for being given the opportunity to run with it. Strickland won the World Championship at AEW Dynasty, and he recently spoke with Chase McCabe on The Chase & Big Joe Show about AEW giving him the opportunity while noting that he had to fight and take risks to get there.
“[AEW] gave me the opportunities, for sure, but it’s still, I had to fight for it and claw for it and take risks,” Strickland said (per Fightful). For me, going for the top prize doesn’t come without taking bigger risks. I appreciate being given the opportunity and the chance, and also getting the platform to truly be expressive and creative at the same time with it. Being able to do how I want to do, the way I want to do it. That means a lot.”
He continued, “The fact that any performer, when they are getting time, is probably one of the best benefits of this job. Time, I can do a lot with a little. Imagine what little I can’t do with a lot. That’s what All Elite Wrestling has done for me. Being able to go out there and perform with a Will Ospreay, Claudio Castagnoli, Kyle Fletcher, The Elite. Facing off with Brian Cage, Christan, Samoa Joe. There guys are legends and future legends. Being able to do all that but still be me and keep my core of who I truly am and do it the way I want to do it. There wouldn’t be that without AEW. I’ll always have a high level of respect, love and appreciation for AEW for that.”
Strickland is part of Team AEW and will battle The Elite in Blood & Guts on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.
