Swerve Strickland has built a reputation as one of AEW’s toughest stars, but outside the ring, he’s not looking for fights. If anything, he’s trying to avoid them before they even have a chance to start.
Speaking on the Black in the Groom Room podcast, Swerve opened up about dealing with people who recognize him in public and sometimes try to provoke a confrontation. Rather than matching that energy, he says he’s learned that staying calm is the best way to protect both himself and the career he’s worked so hard to build.
“That’s like dissolving situations in a calm, respectful way rather than trying to, like, match it to the other person’s energy, or people invading your space or you’re invading back.”
Swerve said his approach is pretty simple. Be respectful, acknowledge the support, and keep moving before a situation has the chance to escalate.
“It’s all like just a respectful, ‘Thank you for the support.’ Keep it moving.”
He believes that mindset has helped him avoid unnecessary problems throughout his career, especially now that more people recognize him outside wrestling shows.
“Like doing those things is literally like what preserves you as the professional… like I said, deescalate situations and it doesn’t put you in places that you’re not meant to be in.”
Swerve admitted he’s become much more selective about the situations he puts himself in, saying respect is something he tries to lead with no matter who he’s dealing with.
“I definitely am… very pick and choosy of those kind of things. But I’m also… try to lead and leave with respect, in a sense.”
Plenty of wrestlers have stories about confrontations outside the ring. Swerve’s philosophy is a little different. Instead of giving people the reaction they’re looking for, he’d rather keep moving and make sure the only fights he has are the ones he’s getting paid for.
What do you think of Swerve Strickland’s approach to handling confrontations in public? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
