"It's probably done now" - Jim Cornette believes AEW has dropped the ball with former WWE Champion
When AEW launched four years ago, they set upon themselves the task of creating new stars that can rival WWE's already established names. While Tony Khan's company has been somewhat successful in that regard, Jim Cornette believes the young promotion dropped the ball with a potential world-class talent.
The star in question is none other than Swerve Strickland, who joined AEW in 2022 after a brief spell in WWE under the name Isaiah Scott. In NXT, he claimed the North American Championship and looked to have a bright future in the company.
On the most recent edition of Dynamite, Strickland unsuccessfully challenged Orange Cassidy for the International Championship. Jim Cornette broke down the match on his podcast and said that Swerve was being misused in the promotion:
"Pockets [Orange Cassidy] is in the first match and this week they're sacrificing Swerve, Swerve Strickland. Who - he's got something, there somewhere. It's probably done now." [00:12 - 00:27]
"Swerve could have been something [...] because he's not rotten, but it's all over now." [02:22 - 02:25]
Rate Orange Cassidy vs Swerve Strickland on a scale of 1-5. 🌟
#AEWDynamite #AEW https://t.co/zjK9TJbBtI
After Strickland's defeat, his Mogul Embassy stablemates made their way to the ring to gang up on the fatigued Cassidy. However, they were quickly thwarted by Sting and Darby Allin.
"This was 20 minutes until the match was over and then here comes Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, [Toa Liona] and the rest of Nana's guys, and they come in and get some sh*tty-looking heat." [02:28 - 02:43]
According to Cornette, Sting and Darby Allin fending off the faction did little to help Strickland's standing in the promotion. However, at 32 years of age, there is still plenty of time for Swerve to make a more prominent mark in AEW.
Orange Cassidy's incredible AEW record
Orange Cassidy entered this week's Dynamite with an incredible 23-match winning streak. However, his constant insistence to defend his International Championship on a regular basis has certainly taken a toll on him.
With each passing week, Freshly Squeezed looks more and more fatigued. At this rate, it is just a matter of time before his body gives out on him and he loses his title.
His reign is probably coming up soon, so I wanted to tweet my appreciation for Orange Cassidy’s workrate this past year.
He’s entirely changed the narrative on who he is as a wrestler - he’s not just a comedy attraction anymore. He’s a solidified week-in week-out pro wrestler. https://t.co/I0ZDW53F9H
Until then, the fan favorite will likely continue to welcome all challengers, despite the increased risk involved.