Swerve Strickland says that the F-bomb on Will Ospreay on the June 17 edition of AEW Dynamite was not random. It was a warning shot.
While speaking on the Battleground podcast, Swerve addressed the heated AEW Dynamite segment where he told Ospreay he was not stepping aside so he could walk into Wembley Stadium and win the AEW World Title. Swerve said the moment was meant to show everyone he was dead serious about Forbidden Door.
“It’s both. It’s showing the world what you’re getting. It’s showing the world like, Oh no, I’m, I’m serious.”
Some fans thought the crowd was too quiet during the promo, but Swerve says that is not what happened at all. In his mind, the audience was locked in, leaning forward, and actually listening instead of just making noise.
“And like there was like kind of like criticism about the crowd being quiet. I was like, they’re not quiet. They’re listening. And that’s where you want the audience. They want you how we want them. Like leaned in a little forward closer, hanging on every word from that.”
Swerve Strickland said dropping the F-bomb was like a teacher slamming a ruler on the desk. It was meant to snap everyone awake and make it clear the promo had shifted into something more serious.
“I knew like at that moment they were going to like, oh, we got to pay attention now. It’s like there’s like the teacher in the classroom smack in the desk with the ruler, like wake up. I’m giving a lesson and everybody’s like, OK, I’m awake now.”
He also said the whole room changed after that. The former AEW World Champion remembered hearing a heckler early in the promo, but once things got intense, the crowd went silent for a different reason.
“And you’re kind of stunned. And it’s that wake up call to be like, I’m not kidding around. I’m serious. You’re going to feel these words and they’re listening intently. And like, because I remember at the beginning of the of the promo, there’s like a Heckler. There’s like somebody like jaw jacket like in the audience and stuff. After that it was like nothing like, oh, oh, OK, this is big boy talk now. Shut up and listen because this is for this is for the Championship.”
For Swerve, this is not just about beating Ospreay. It is about getting back to Wembley Stadium and main-eventing there for the second time, while Ospreay is chasing that spot for the first time.
“This is for everything to go to the main event of Wembley Stadium for me again for the second time, for Will the first time. And this is how much it means to me and this how important it is.”
Bottom line, Swerve Strickland says the profanity was not cheap shock value. It was his way of making sure everyone understood this is championship business, and he is not moving out of Will Ospreay’s way.
Do you think Swerve Strickland’s F-bomb made the promo better? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
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