Former WWE star says he will never wrestle Swerve Strickland; rules out joining AEW
A former WWE Superstar recently stated that the possibility of a match between him and former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland was negligible. AJ Francis, formerly known as Top Dolla, stated that though he and Strickland could make a lot of money, a feud between them might never come to fruition.
Strickland and Francis go a long way back, as they were a part of Hit Row in WWE. The stable was a rage in NXT but fizzled out when called up to the main roster. Though all its members were released in November 2021, they were hired a few months later in 2022, barring Swerve Strickland, who had joined AEW.
However, Hit Row's second stint didn't pan out as expected, and AJ Francis was let go in September 2023. Since then, he's been a part of Total Nonstop Wrestling.
In a recent interview with Straight Talk Wrestling, Francis was quizzed about a possible showdown with his former Hit Row stablemate. The 34-year-old star stated that though he and the former AEW World Champion could steal the show, he didn't believe a match would happen since he was enjoying his time in the Nashville-based company.
“Me versus Swerve would make so much money. Just the promos alone, the backstory, but I don’t think it’s ever gonna happen, and sadly, there’s a million reasons why I don’t think it’s ever gonna happen. Mainly because I love my time in TNA,'' he said.
The former WWE Superstar added:
I’m a big believer in… I was in a relationship with a woman that didn’t appreciate me and made the world think that I was one way, and now I’m in a relationship with a woman that worships the ground that I walk on and treats me right and lets people know how great I am, and that’s what I am with TNA, and that’s why I’m happy exactly where I’m at!'' [H/T: Fightful]
Swerve Strickland comments on reuniting with AJ Francis in AEW
In an interview with ComicBook.com last November, The New Flavor addressed the possibility of AJ Francis joining AEW and becoming a part of his then-stable Mogul Embassy.
Swerve Strickland explained that he was happy to see his former stablemate carve his own path in wrestling, dismissing any chances of a blockbuster reunion in the Jacksonville-based promotion.
"Good luck on anything he's trying to do, man. He needs to do his own thing and become his own man. I don't know about room [within the Mogul Embassy]. I'm still working on growing us and getting the individuals acquainted with the audience. Those guys still have a lot more to grow, and I'm happy with what we have. We're going to grow with those guys," he said.
Strickland is currently one of the biggest names in All Elite Wrestling, while Francis has proved his mettle by performing for TNA and various other promotions.