Earlier this year, former AEW World Heavyweight Champion Swerve Strickland had signed a new, multi-year deal with the Jacksonville-based promotion.
While being interviewed by Denise Salcedo following the AEW All In Texas Countdown Show, Swerve Strickland shared his thoughts on signing a new AEW contract. The former AEW World Heavyweight Champion shared that him signing a new contract was inevitable. But he wanted to earn the contract and not just be handed a new one.
“For me, it wasn’t about will it ever happen. It was just like, ‘It’s going to happen.’ I have to have the faith that it’s going to happen. Now, I have to justify why it’s happening with what I do as my work. Why does that happen? It took me making history for that contract to happen. It wasn’t just like an overnight thing. Or was just like, ‘Oh money is just handed to this person.’ No no. This was earned. Like I said, it goes to that American story. This hard work, consistency, like not everything was perfect, but I still persevered through that.
“Then it was like, what does AEW need, what does Tony Khan need for me to deliver for. And like, truly tapping into those things and being the guy to go to. And then, I’ll deliver exactly what you need and more. I think having that mindset to just be like I have to give my best. But also I have to give a little bit more an addition to.”
Swerve Strickland shared that Tony Khan is confident in him and offered a multi-year contract
Strickland also shared that he proved himself enough that Tony Khan was confident in offering him the new contract.
“There’s always has to be an addition to in this day and age in wrestling and media. There always has to be something a little bit more that you offer. Media days, I’ll be here, boom, in a suit, talking, making it look good. I need to take the belt put in a music video with Bun B and legends like that. I can do that. And in Tony Khan having the trust in me to do that the right way. And make sure everything’s T’s are crossed, eyes are dotted. So there’s no backfire on the company making it look bad.
“All those things to make sure like, ‘You know what? Swerve is good. We trust him enough to make the company look good. And not like besmirch their name or make anything look bad. So, it was that trust as well. And I think that’s where like, truly the contract was… Tony was like, ‘Nope, this is… I’m giving it to him. There’s no doubt in my mind, that this is the right investment.’ So, it’s more than just performing well in the ring. It’s like, everything. Everything that you got to do. Be the person that you are,” Swerve Strickland said.
Are you looking forward to seeing a lot more of Strickland in AEW?
