Shane Strickland (Isaiah “Swerve” Scott) Recalls Feeling He’d Let His Family Down After WWE Release
Recently released WWE Superstar Shane Strickland (formerly known as Isaiah “Swerve” Scott) shared his thoughts on his WWE release and feeling that he’d let his family down.
During his time in NXT as Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Shane Strickland saw plenty of success. Not only was he a featured part of the popular faction Hit Row, he also won the NXT North American Championship after defeating Bronson Reed in June of 2021.
In an exciting move for Strickland and his stablemates, Hit Row were called up to SmackDown during the WWE Draft. However, they were shockingly released shortly thereafter.
Speaking on his first Swerve City Podcast since leaving the WWE, Strickland detailed the difficult feelings he faced after his WWE release, particularly feeling that he had let his family down.
“When the release happened I was upset. It was more of an embarrassment to my family because I felt like I was like, I let them down because I talked up so much about how everything was going to be okay, everything is going to be I’m going to exceed the expectations. We’re doing something that’s never been done, yadda yadda yadda.
It felt like it was like now it was thrown back in my face.”
However, Shane Strickland is now able to recognize everything he accomplished in WWE and look back fondly on the experience.
“But once again, I look around and I’m appreciative of all that I’ve accomplished. Everything that I’ve done in the WWE, I’m proud of.
“I was able to — I learned to rap three years ago and I was able to do it on the USA Network, live, with my friends in the audience watching. I was able to do it live. One take like, no cuts, live on the USA Network, in front of hundreds of thousands of people watching at home, in front of my friends and family that were there and live in attendance.”
Shane Strickland is particularly proud that he was able to share his accomplishments with his compatriots in Hit Row, and that they were able to rise to a prominent position on NXT TV despite not being together as a group or even knowing each other before forming their faction.
“I was able to pull myself out of obscurity into becoming something that was just like it was needed. It was like wanted, an act, a group that just had to be on the next level, we did that, and we did it in five months of being together and knowing each other.
“That’s something I can always be proud of and I can leave my mark with it and be proud and move on.
While he was still contracted to NXT as Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Shane Strickland spoke to Inside the Ropes’ Kenny McIntosh about winning the NXT North American Championship, Triple H’s influence on Hit Row, and more!
Top Dolla, another member of the Hit Row faction alongside Shane Strickland, has also been outspoken since his release from WWE. Mick Foley recently criticized WWE for Hit Row’s release, calling Top Dolla a “potential crossover star.”
h/t Fightful for the transcriptions in this article