Swerve Strickland has declared that he played a major part in the rise of Adam Page back to the main event scene.
Although the final few months of 2021 were Page’s crowning moment with a victory over Kenny Omega at Full Gear to become the new World Champion, “Hangman” Page found himself lost in the shuffle after losing the title the following year. However, once Page crossed paths with Strickland in 2023, both men would see their rise up the card thanks to one of the most intense rivalries in the modern era.
With home invasions, arson and multiple graphic matches that were hard to watch at times, the two former World Champions became involved in a bitter blood feud that culminated, for now at least, in the unsanctioned steel cage match at All Out.
Strickland made his return to AEW WrestleDream for the first time since the loss and chose to remain with Prince Nana instead of siding with MVP. Speaking at the post-show press conference to provide an update on the Page rivalry, Strickland stated that although Page won their last encounter, it was unsanctioned, adding that Page wouldn’t be in the main event without him:
“Right now, I think a lot of things have been settled, but there is a small minute piece that still hasn’t been settled with him. He can have that victory. He can that unsanctioned victory over me. I have two legit victories over him. I’m always going to hold that over his head. Another thing was, over the last year, I was the best thing to happen to Hangman Page. If you look at All Out last year, he was on Zero Hour doing a battle royal. I brought him to the main event. Just like I did with Will Ospreay.”
Swerve Strickland Provides Update Following Brutal Attack
Due to the graphic attack that took place the last time Strickland competed, the former World Champion has been away from TV for over a month as a result of the attack. Also at the press conference, Swerve Strickland admitted that he was still not at 100% but knew that he had to return at WrestleDream.
H/t to Fightful.