Steve Carrier on March 22, 2026
Swerve Strickland isn’t just talking about championships and main events anymore — he’s making it clear that he sees himself as one of the driving forces behind some of AEW’s biggest storylines and character developments.
During a conversation with WhatCulture Wrestling, Swerve was asked about creative freedom in AEW and how much control he has when it comes to shaping his direction. Instead of giving a generic answer, he leaned into the idea that real influence comes from delivering ideas the company didn’t even realize it needed — and he pointed directly to several major storylines as proof. He explained that his role has grown over time because of the results he’s delivered, but also because of the creative risks he’s taken that paid off in a big way.
“Oh yeah for sure like it's become with equity like you know I put in the work I give the I put I put in the work and I get the results that's uh I'm looking for but also what AEW is like looking for. But it's also about the giving up the things that they didn't know is what they were looking for.”
Swerve then pointed to one rivalry in particular — his long-running feud with Hangman Adam Page — as something he believes became a major piece of AEW programming even though it wasn’t something people initially saw coming.
“You know, that's one of the true like tricks to having that kind of creative influence on the product is like you give them something that AEW didn't know that's what they needed. Like they didn't know they needed a Hangman, Adam Page, Swerve feud. They didn't know that. But at the time it was like they're glad they got it and they've used it for the last two years.”
That wasn’t the only example he gave. Swerve continued naming other talents and storylines he believes benefited from his involvement, including helping bring out new sides of performers and elevating teams into stronger positions on television.
“They didn't know that they needed to see that side of Ricochet, you know, they didn't nobody in the wrestling world knew what he was capable of in that realm, you know. But now they do and it's created his evolution upon his arrival in AEW.”
He also pointed to the rise of The Acclaimed and the development of younger talent as further proof of his creative contributions behind the scenes and on screen.
“Nobody knew they needed the Acclaimed as tag team champions until me and Keith Lee brought that out of them. You know, all these little creative influences and things. It was all straight from my mind and really like coming up with ways to like not just like bring new television but bring new characters and evolve and like bring them up under the card.”
Swerve closed out the thought by emphasizing that he sees creativity as part of his identity as a performer — not just delivering matches, but helping shape the direction of the people around him.
“Like nobody know they needed AEW didn't know they needed a Nick Wayne until I did what I did with them. You know, it's time and time and then time and time again I keep like finding ways to make nuance out of people and then not just like put on great matches.”
Swerve Strickland has already carved out a spot near the top of AEW’s roster, but these comments show he believes his value goes beyond wins and losses. By openly claiming responsibility for shaping feuds, building characters, and helping elevate talent, he’s positioning himself as someone who wants influence both inside the ring and behind the curtain. With his momentum continuing to build and major matches still ahead, it’s clear he isn’t shy about taking credit for the ideas he believes helped move the company forward.
What do you think about Swerve Strickland saying AEW didn’t know it needed some of these storylines until he helped create them? Do you agree with his take, or do you think others deserve more credit? Drop your thoughts and feedback below and join the conversation.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
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