Swerve Strickland details his ‘instinctual’ approach going into big matches & storylines
In a new interview, Swerve Strickland discussed his approach to matches and feuds in AEW, how that approach differs from his WWE tenure, and key aspects in what led to his reinvention and overall physical change.
Talking to Simon Miller (seen below), Strickland was asked about his approach going into AEW matches especially with his high stakes, bloody matches against Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin and his All In Texas match against The Young Bucks with Will Ospreay in his corner.
“I would definitely say it’s always instinctual. The opponent always changes up my approach to certain things. It changes up my approach to how I’m going to look, how I’m going to do the promos going in, the lead-ups, the TV, the match itself. It’s not even just about the ability, it’s about the motive. Why am I going these routes with these different opponents?” stated Strickland.
Strickland will rematch Kenny Omega this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite in a match where Strickland’s number one contender status is up against Omega’s executive vice president role.
“The Young Bucks: we had something on the line as far as the EVP status, and me and Will Ospreay not being able to challenge for the title for a year. The time, the year before, that All In with Bryan Danielson’s career on the line, my World Championship. So, those stakes always change how I’m going to approach a match and fans feel that every kick out is, could be the last they’ll ever see of this person, or see him in that light. So, that changes a lot of the intensity that I bring.”
“It changes the mindset of the opponent, and I always like to showcase those things to the fans. The fans see that Swerve is thinking and of something, he’s planning something, and Danielson is a different approach to the Bucks, which the Bucks is a different approach to Sting and Darby (Allin), I think that’s the fun of pro wrestling.”
Strickland also talked about his in-ring presentation, his physical transition as an athlete, and how fans expect more from wrestlers.
“As far as the evolution, it was like I never looked to do bigger and better. I just looked to do different and more unique. Because you can get into your head very big time as a performer, as an athlete about, ‘Oh, we got to do better. We got to do bigger. We got to do bigger and better than last time.’ Sometimes you’ll stunt the growth of the creative process and the performance itself. Fans will sniff out that you’re trying to outperform something. But if you just stay true and authentic, it has to come from (my heart) for me. If it’s not coming from here, then it shows.”
Strickland signed with WWE in 2019 and competed on NXT until 2021. This was where he formed Hit Row with Top Dolla, B-Fab and Ashante ‘Thee’ Adonis. The stable moved to the SmackDown brand in October 2021 but shortly afterward, all were released by WWE with B-Fab and Adonis eventually re-signing.
In March 2022, Strickland debuted on AEW and a couple of years later, he won the AEW World Championship.
Rosanne Raphael is a wrestling writer with over three and a half years of experience covering all things related to the industry. From a kindergarten teacher to PR Associate to turning her lifelong passion for the industry into a career, Rosanne is currently writing for F4W Online where she focuses on wrestling news, analysis, and storytelling.
Rosanne previously contributed to Sportskeeda as an Assistant Content Manager.
When not consumed by wrestling, Rosanne is a musician and an aspiring artist.