Swerve Strickland Turns Heel and Destroys Kenny Omega in Brutal AEW Dynamite Closing Angle

Swerve Strickland didn’t just win the main event on AEW Dynamite — he changed the entire tone of the company in the process.

On the February 18, 2026 episode of AEW Dynamite live from Sacramento, Kenny Omega and Swerve Strickland closed the show in a hard-hitting singles match that felt worthy of pay-per-view. The two went back and forth in a physical war filled with snap dragon suplexes, V-Triggers, House Calls, and near falls that had the crowd chanting “fight forever.” After chaos involving a knocked-out referee and multiple counters, Strickland finally put Omega away with Big Pressure to score a decisive victory.

But that wasn’t the real story. Instead of celebrating, Strickland immediately went back on the attack. He shoved the referee out of the ring and grabbed a chain from Prince Nana. With zero hesitation, he wrapped it around Omega’s throat and hung him over the top rope.

The crowd’s energy shifted instantly. Strickland then dragged Omega to ringside, cleared off the announce desk, and grabbed the steel ring steps. In a final act of brutality, he hoisted Omega up and delivered a devastating Vertebreaker through the announce table.

Before the show went off the air, Strickland looked into the camera and declared that he needed this. There was no remorse. No hesitation. Just calculated violence. The attack felt like a clear turning point. While Strickland has always carried an edge, this wasn’t competitive aggression — it was a statement. The former world champion didn’t just want to beat Kenny Omega. He wanted to dismantle him.

AEW may have just witnessed a full-blown heel turn in its main event scene, and if that’s the case, the championship picture just became far more dangerous.

Was this the moment Swerve Strickland fully embraced the dark side — and what does this mean for Kenny Omega moving forward? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let us know where you think this rivalry goes next.