25 Best Wrestling Moments Of 2024

7. Swerve Strickland Proves He’s The Man

Swerve Strickland Blood And Guts
AEW

Taken as a complete thing, the 2024 edition of Blood & Guts was, basically, an AEW Blood & Guts match: uneven and overlong, with a less-than-impeccable finish. 

The peaks were incredible, as ever, and Swerve Strickland was the highlight. He underscored his credentials as the World champion and the man by starring in AEW’s most ultra-violent show. 

‘Choreography’ is a dirty word in the pro wrestling lexicon because it conveys a sense of artificiality. It should be used with a more positive connotation. Swerve’s fight choreography in Blood & Guts - to use another word that is bastardised in wrestling - was actually cinematic. 

By laughing and no-selling a staple gun attack, before turning the weapon on every member of the Elite with a maniacal grin, Swerve resembled the lead in a martial-arts flick handily and thrillingly killing a horde of henchmen. Swerve is not a conflicted man doing exaggerated faces to tell stories. He is an action hero.

Wrestling is the theatre of the badass, at its very best, and Swerve portrayed himself as the coolest character in the entire industry that night. 

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!