Swerve Strickland reveals the one AEW win he ‘needs to get back’ after Forbidden Door
Heading into Forbidden Door 2024, Swerve Strickland had arguably the toughest task of his professional wrestling career in a one-on-one match with the undefeated AEW International Champion, Will Ospreay.
Win the match, and Strickland would remain the AEW World Champion and maintain all of the perks that come with it, from the guaranteed TV time to a guaranteed spot at the top of the Wembley Stadium All In card, a match that Ospreay wants to wrestle in more than anything else.
And if he lost? Well, then Strickland would have to watch his pal the “Billy Goat” live out his dream, all the while going down as having one of the shortest AEW World Champions reigns of all time behind just Jon Moxley (2) and CM Punk (1 and 2).
Fortunately, Strickland did come out on top, proving that he was willing to do more than his challenger to secure the gold at the end of the night and entered the post-show media scrum with the belt still around his waist and a whole world of would-be challengers who want to stand opposite him in the main event at Wembley. But who would Strickland like to wrestle later this summer in the biggest AEW main event of the year? Well, reporters did their best to find that answer out after Forbidden Door, and Strickland let it be known that there is one performer who is very much on top of his very small list of desired foes: Bryan Danielson.
“I think he’s at the position to gun for me now, especially after tonight, but I still want that win back so bad; that’s something that still irks me to this day, that loss from Bryan,” Swerve Strickland told reporters at the Forbidden Door media scrum.
“Because he’s someone I idolize and look up to, especially coming from the Pacific Northwest. We both share the Seattle, Tacoma ‘native’ background and from his career for the last 10, 15 years, I’ve been watching and studying that man. And getting in the ring with him, feeling how special he is? That’s a win that I need to mark off of my list, and I don’t have a long list, really; it’s very small. But definitely, Bryan Danielson’s at the top of it.”
Now, for fans out of the know, Strickland has wrestled the “American Dragon” once before in AEW, losing a TNT Championship number one contender’s match in Independence, Missouri, last October on the way to a title match with Christian Cage on Collision that ultimately went the “Patriarch’s” way. With only so many matches left in Danielson’s full-time career, it’s safe to say Strickland will go out of his way to secure the BBC member a bout for the AEW World Championship one way or another, be that in the main event of All In or as the main event of WrestleDream in Tacoma this fall in what could very well be the “American Dragon’s” swan song.
Swerve Strickland is ready to take his next great challenge, AEW.
Elsewhere during the Forbidden Door media scrum, Swerve Strickland was asked to reflect on his main event match against Will Ospreay and how he plans to handle the challenges ahead of him in AEW.
While Strickland loves Ospreay and is proud of their match, he’s also ready for whatever AEW brings his the table next, as he’s sure someone will step up before All In, maybe even this week on Dynamite.
“It’s humbling, but at the same time, it’s like me proving to everybody that I was right again. It’s one of those things I’ve got to constantly go out there and fight for every day. This man [Tony Khan] once said, being part of AEW is constantly, you’re always fighting, always defending. And I relate to that so much because I’ve been doing all my whole career. People think I’m good to a certain level, or the expectations on me are always getting lower and lower until I break through, and they gotta create another ceiling,” Swerve Strickland told reporters via 411 Mania.
“And so like, I think me and Will, we had a chip on our shoulder to constantly prove why this place is special. And we are so competitive in every aspect of this game. And that’s why I’ve always respected him; I still respected him all the way up into this match. I have my methods, I get into people’s heads. And that’s kind of like my boxer mentality: I want to get in your head, and I’ll poke at every part of you until I get you where I need you to be. And that’s what got me the win tonight. But definitely, I feel like I silenced a lot of critics. And I’m going to have to do more because there’s going to be more questions. Probably tomorrow, and then by Dynamite on Wednesday, and by All In in Wembley.”
With the Owen Hart Cup guaranteeing someone a main event title match for the AEW Championship at All In in August, it’s safe to say someone will step up for Strickland’s World Championship at the promotion’s next Pay-Per-View. But with almost two months to build up to All In left to go, don’t be surprised if someone else tries to take a shot at his belt, as there’s plenty of time to book a mini-feud before the big event in England.
The post Swerve Strickland reveals the one AEW win he ‘needs to get back’ after Forbidden Door appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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