Swerve Strickland
Staying on the topic of Page and his allies, Strickland could greatly benefit from regaining the gold. His first reign, ending at All In 2024, finished all too soon. Losing at the expense of that iconic feel-good moment for Bryan Danielson stung. Regardless, Strickland screams “star” by his in-ring style, persona, image, and promo alone.
Additionally, he and MJF haven’t faced each other in singles competition in AEW yet. That could and should change. Having teased it during MJF’s 2023 reign, it’s a hotly anticipated match. Given that both men are far from who they were that year, this is all the more interesting. MJF has mixed it up against competitors of varying styles, but none quite as unique as Strickland.
Furthermore, as champ, the opportunities for fresh opponents are salivating. I want Strickland versus Fletcher, versus Takeshita, versus Briscoe, versus Cassidy. Throw all the matches at me. Strickland is a bona fide superstar, and he’s loyal to AEW to boot—take note.
