Swerve Strickland addressed the fans after AEW Dynasty went off the air and closed out with an expletive shot at Booker T.
Looking to repeat the success of the previous year, Strickland challenged Jon Moxley for the World Championship in the main event of the show. With chairs, ladders, a Swerve Stomp through the announce table and interference from the Death Riders neutralised, it looked like Strickland was on course to begin a second reign as World Champion. However, the lights went out in the closing moments of the match and saw The Young Bucks make their return when the lights came back on. After Matt and Nick Jackson hit the BTE Trigger on Strickland, Jon Moxley was able to capitalise and once again walk out as champion.
While many felt that once again the ending of an AEW pay-per-view had a disappointing ending, Strickland cut a promo after the show to send the fans home happy. Speaking about representation and his success in the past 12 months, Strickland thanked the fans for their support:
“When I talk about representation I mean it every single f*cking time I speak on it. In 1 year, this kid right here that you supported in the past 12, 13 years, 1 year, 5 main event pay-per-views. I don’t just speak about representation, I go out there and I prove the f*cking thing. You people right here chanting ‘Whose house?’ Every single day, every single arena, every stadium. I don’t care how big it is I always want to hear you chant ‘Whose house?”
Ending his address to the fans, Strickland stated:
“One last thing, simply for my amusement, F*ck Booker T!”
Swerve Strickland Lets Feelings Be Known On Booker T
Strickland and Booker T had gone back and forth on previous podcast appearances in the lead-up to Dynasty. While appearing on VladTV, Strickland stated that Booker T was not treated fairly while in WWE when he appeared in a segment that saw Vince McMahon use a racial slur on TV. In response, Booker T expressed how disappointed he was with the AEW star’s comments:
“You may not hear about a lot of racial issues with Booker T because I handled racial issues handfirst. I opened doors, I broke down barriers for people like Swerve Strickland. Swerve Strickland would perhaps not even be here if it wasn’t for me. I have to apologize for nothing that I’ve done in this business because I’ve gone out there and I have literally represented in the ring and out of the ring from day one all the way to this day in 2025.”
With the main event of AEW Dynasty generating fan backlash, Tony Khan has responded.