Swerve Strickland Used His Connections Recently To Make Big AEW Moment Happen
Swerve Strickland is a pro wrestler, however, that isn't the only interest that he has, as he is also into the hip-hop world. Strickland joined AEW this past March, signing with the company after the non-compete clause that was attached to his WWE contract expired. Strickland had been released from WWE on the same day as fellow Hit Row members Ashante "Thee" Adonis and Top Dolla in November 2021, just a few weeks after Hit Row's main roster call-up from "NXT."
Since signing with WWE's current biggest competition, Strickland has been placed into a tag team with Keith Lee, who was also released from WWE last fall. Strickland and Lee did not get along onscreen in the beginning of their AEW partnership, as the two former "NXT" North American Champions both see themselves as alpha dogs. The pairing was able to put their differences aside and win the AEW World Tag Team Championship on the July 13 edition of "Dynamite," defeating Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs and then-champions The Young Bucks for the titles in a triple threat tag team match. The following week, the team dubbed Swerve In Our Glory hosted a championship celebration, complete with a special celebrity guest.
Swerve has outside connections most wrestlers don't have
"Having the connections I have in the music industry, like, going through like bookies promoters, producers and stuff like that, this guy he was like, 'Hey man ... I booked Kevin Gates, man, I'm a huge wrestling fan,'" Strickland said while on "AEW Unrestricted." "Kevin is too, but he hasn't watched in a while. Do you think there is a way we could like, get him in there, you know, just to do something, because he's never done anything like this?' I'm like, 'Watch me work. Absolutely.'"
"I just kept putting the bug in Tony Khan's ear just week after week. Not a long conversation, just thirty seconds, 'Aye, Kevin Gates.' 'Yeah, yeah' ... All the stars aligned ... Just to like, have that crossover appeal and me just to contribute like, five minutes of TV time for it to work like that, I'm really proud of that." Strickland and Lee had their Championship celebration on the July 20 edition of "Dynamite," with Tony Nese and Mark Sterling attempting to ruin it.
However, Nese and Sterling would not get what they wanted, as Nese was punched in the face by famous rapper Kevin Gates and Sterling had the celebratory cake thrown into his face by Strickland. It was a big moment for AEW, attracting lots of mainstream attention, all thanks it turns out to Strickland's outside connections.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "AEW Unrestricted" and provide an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription