Swerve Strickland says AEW pays better than WWE ‘by far’
After experiencing both, Swerve Strickland prefers the pay structure in AEW over the way WWE operates.
Strickland was interviewed on Baller Alert ahead of AEW Revolution and noted that his contract is set for the next 3-4 years. He likes how AEW and Tony Khan handle things by negotiating with wrestlers like they’re athletes. And he believes the pay is better in AEW than WWE because it’s “guaranteed.”
“AEW by far. By far,” Strickland responded when whether AEW or WWE pays better. “Because it’s guaranteed. [WWE has their] select few up top, like, top, top, top that are just untouchables. But a lot of those guys are starting to retire now. You know, [John] Cena just retired. AJ Styles just retired. Those are like the top, top earners. Taker can’t go no more. So that pyramid is starting to get really pointy and small at top.
“If I could compare the two, Tony Khan owns AEW. He’s also the part-owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Fulham soccer team in the U.K. He treats the roster like — not talent but athletes. You know how there’s players’ coaches?… He’s a players’ booker. He’s in tune with his talent and his roster and where to put those guys. Like, he utilizes us very well and it’s like a scheme on a football team. So me and him gel very, very, very well. Because he knows my strengths, he knows where I belong, he knows how to utilize all of his players in the right way. So therefore he knows how to pay them too and motivate them in certain ways.”
Strickland was released by WWE in 2021 and has since become one of the top stars in AEW, including making history as the first Black wrestler to ever hold the men’s AEW World Championship. This Sunday’s Revolution pay-per-view will see Strickland face off against Brody King.
During the Baller Alert appearance, Strickland named Shingo Takagi, Shawn Michaels, Adam Copeland, Rey Mysterio, and Chris Jericho as his five favorite wrestlers because of how they influenced his in-ring work. He also said he’s looking forward to seeing how emerging WWE stars Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Je’Von Evans grow as young wrestlers in the industry.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.