Swerve Strickland Admits He Is Still Not 100%, Explains Importance Of Returning At AEW WrestleDream

Written by Craig Ballantyne • Published Oct 13, 2024 07:33 EDT
Swerve Strickland posing on ring apron at AEW WrestleDream

AEW WrestleDream has become an important event in Swerve Strickland’s career.

At All Out, Adam Page defeated Swerve Strickland in a brutal Steel Cage match after controversially injecting the former World Champion in the mouth with a hypodermic syringe. Following the incident, Strickland disappeared from TV, with Prince Nana telling fans he was not cleared to compete.

During Strickland’s absence, MVP made his shock debut at Grand Slam, where he laid the blame for Swerve’s recent losses at Nana’s feet and offered to become the star’s manager. At WrestleDream, Strickland addressed MVP’s offer, saying that while he had seen him taking wrestlers to the top of the mountain, Prince Nana was his family and he wouldn’t turn his back on him. He then told MVP to shove his business card up his ass.

On the post-show press conference, Swerve admitted he wasn’t quite 100% yet but he’s getting a “clean bill of health.” He also noted that WrestleDream was the perfect place to come back as it was there that his ascent to the top of began in 2023.

“I’m still not 100%, but I am getting a clean bill of health to keep moving forward. No better way to do that than come back to WrestleDream, where honestly this whole push really started. Last year’s WrestleDream was really the rocket ship to get me to the main event and World Championship.”

Swerve Strickland Has No Interest In Returning To WWE

Swerve Strickland has addressed the possibility of returning to WWE. The star says All Elite Wrestling has provided him with opportunities he would never have had in WWE and he “waves the flag proudly.”

Also at the press conference, Swerve Strickland took a lot of credit for his part in the Adam Page rivalry.

H/T to Fightful for the above transcription.