10 New Directions For AEW After Full Gear 2023
5. Swerve Strickland In The World Title Picture
Make this happen, Tony Khan.
That was a gusty performance opposite Hangman Page from Swerve Strickland. Both men showed a lot of balls to work through a few sickening spots/bumps, but Swerve was the undoubted stand out. He's primed and ready to finally crack the main event picture in AEW and challenge for the World Title.
In truth, Strickland has been ready to do that for a while. WrestleDream was a breakout showing for him, but All Elite higher-ups obviously knew there was another chapter of warfare vs. Hangman to come before moving on. Full Gear closed the book on that feud, and Swerve won the whole thing.
He'd be a great opponent for MJF once Friedman burns through another bout vs. Samoa Joe at Worlds End. Admittedly, that Joe match could happen on TV instead. If it does, then AEW could do way worse than booking Strickland in the headline slot against Max in New York next month.
Swerve's mean streak makes him ideal.