Swerve Strickland has ascended to the status of AEW World Champion, marking a wrestling journey that has traversed through CZW, Lucha Underground, WWE, and now AEW.
Reflecting on his path during an appearance on “One Nation Radio,” Strickland shared a poignant piece of advice imparted to him by the legendary Shawn Michaels during his tenure in WWE NXT.
“I’ll never forget [when] Shawn Michaels pulled me aside and told me, ‘Hey, Swerve. Sorry to break this to you, but … you’re going to have to be one of the guys that takes the long road to get to where you need to be. You’re like me,'” Strickland recounted.
“When we get there, it’s sweet. It’s a really good, sweet feeling, but we’re not the ones gifted to be … chosen [as a] first draft pick.”
The AEW World Champion emphasized his belief in a higher power guiding individuals like himself and Michaels through adversity to share their stories with the world. Drawing from a football analogy, Strickland likened himself and Michaels to sixth-round draft picks who eventually rise to become starters and win the Super Bowl.
“We’re the chosen ones to tell that kind of story and that takes a lot of discipline,” Strickland elaborated. “A lot of early mornings [and] late nights.
… Representing in a way that’s like — I just happen to be an African American man that’s working hard, but I feel like that story translates to every nationality. Man, woman, it doesn’t matter.”
Following his significant triumph, Strickland competed in a Title Eliminator match against Kyle Fletcher on last week’s “AEW Dynamite.”
Subsequently, he featured on “AEW Collision,” delivering a promo reflecting on his title victory before being confronted by Claudio Castagnoli of the Blackpool Combat Club.
This encounter led to a title match in the main event, with Strickland successfully defending his championship.
