Swerve Strickland Fires Back At Booker T With ‘Bad Habits’ Trademark Tease

Booker T took another shot at Swerve Strickland this week — but it didn’t take long for Swerve to respond.

During the February 17, 2026 episode of the Hall of Fame podcast, Booker referenced Strickland while discussing Je’Von Evans and generational influence in wrestling. In the middle of the conversation, he slipped in a pointed remark.

“I heard Swerve Strickland talk about Je’Von Evans, and Evans probably grew up watching guys like him—and that’s true. So you’ve got to figure out how to get rid of those bad habits.”

The line wasn’t lost on listeners, especially given the tension between the two dating back to AEW Dynasty 2025, when Strickland grabbed a microphone and told a Philadelphia crowd, “F** Booker T.” Booker previously addressed that moment on his podcast, criticizing Strickland for making it personal and suggesting it overshadowed the pay-per-view itself.

“I’m going to give Swerve Strickland a little bit of advice, just a little bit. That advice would be: don’t be talking about something other than the pay-per-view at the end of the night. That’s the main event and the last thing people are going to remember. The last thing people are going to remember is me—my name being said. I’m sure Tony Khan don’t appreciate the news, the headline not being what happened at Dynasty with all the matches. They’re talking about Booker T. That was a bad move.”

“Would I ever say anything positive about him, ever again? Probably not. Would I ever put him over as far as being a good worker and perhaps transform this business? I probably won’t do that again. I’ve learned my lesson.”

But the real development came after Ringside News shared Booker’s latest comments online. Swerve Strickland quote-tweeted the post and delivered a short, calculated response that instantly shifted the conversation.

(Trademarks "BAD HABITS")

That’s it. No rant. No paragraph. Just four words — and a potential business move. The phrasing suggests Strickland may be looking to legally claim “Bad Habits,” possibly turning Booker’s jab into merchandise, a catchphrase, or even a storyline hook. It’s a classic wrestling pivot: take the insult and monetize it.

Whether this turns into a full-blown back-and-forth or stays a social media chess match remains to be seen. But one thing is clear — Swerve didn’t let the comment slide, and he may have just turned Booker T’s dig into his next brand asset.

Do you think Swerve Strickland trademarking “Bad Habits” is a smart move, or is this feud getting personal? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.