Swerve Strickland makes bold prediction on who will become AEW World Champion in his absence
Swerve Strickland saw his AEW World Championship reign come to an end in just 126 days. While currently on hiatus, the fan-favorite is making it known he remains focused on championship gold. Strickland just made a curious prediction on what he sees happening with his return, another top star, and the World Championship.
The New Flavor had a rough end to the summer in AEW. He dropped the World Championship to Bryan Danielson at All In, then thirteen days later he was destroyed by Adam Page in the Unsanctioned Lights Out Steel Cage Match at All Out. Strickland has been away since but was vocal about internal WWE reports and other matters in recent days.
Swerve's rivalry with Hangman Page has not ended, and he has not given up on the World Championship. Speaking to The Breakfast Club, the former WWE Superstar predicted a scenario that would see him regain the title and get payback on Hangman at the same time. Strickland was asked which he wanted more: the World Championship or revenge.
"That's a good question. Maybe one day, it might be one in the same because Hangman is on a streak right now, he’s on a warpath. In a lot of ways, him pressing me has made him better. I brought out something great in him that, eventually, with my absence, he'll probably be a World Champion again. Maybe at that time I’ll get both: my get-back, and the World Championship. But that’s the effect of what Swerve brings to this roster of All Elite Wrestling... I make your guy better, and in turn, he makes me better," Swerve Strickland said. [From 22:23 to 22:59]
Acknowledging the good question Strickland said that he had brought out something special in Page and there was a good chance that he could get a shot at both the title and his revenge at the same time, should his All Out vanquisher get hold of the World Championship during Strickland's hiatus. The former World Champion also noted that he and Page always brought out the best in each other inside the ring.
"It's almost like we're slinky-ing each other... he pulls me up to the main event, and I become this main eventer, I make history... first black AEW World Champion, first black World Champion to main event Wembley Stadium, ever, in the history of that building, and then boom... cage match, I can't do nothing with him, he takes me out, my body's wrecked, he becomes better, I bring him back to the main event scene. So, it's like we’re killing each other, but at the same time, we’re bettering each other, and the product," Swerve Strickland added. [From 23:00 to 23:28]
You can check out his comments in the video below:
Swerve's AEW return may have been pushed up, according to a recent report. Hangman returned to the ring on the inaugural Collision: Grand Slam special this past Saturday, defeating Jeff Jarrett in a Lumberjack Strap Match.
AEW nixed major World Championship plans
All Elite Wrestling will return to pay-per-view on Saturday, October 12. The second annual WrestleDream event will air live from the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington.
Jon Moxley vs. World Champion, Bryan Danielson, is now official for WrestleDream after Moxley defeated Darby Allin at Grand Slam to capture Allin's guaranteed world title shot. The Wrestling Observer reported that original plans had Allin winning the World Championship from Danielson at WrestleDream, but plans were undoubtedly changed.
Allin is an AEW original, and he's from Washington, as is Danielson. This match and title change would have made for major moments in AEW history, but it remains to be seen why the plan was nixed. The Observer added that Moxley vs. Danielson is very clearly the "money match" for AEW right now.