Konnan says top AEW star should have rejected Tony Khan's new offer and joined WWE - "They probably would've made him a big star"

A top AEW star recently renewed his contract with the Jacksonville-based company. However, wrestling veteran Konnan has stated that the star should've rejected Tony Khan's offer and joined WWE instead. The star in question is Swerve Strickland.

Since arriving in AEW in 2022, The King of Swerve has been pushed to the moon. After pursuing the AEW World Championship for a long time, Swerve defeated Samoa Joe to capture the title at the Dynasty PPV earlier this year. He eventually dropped the championship to Bryan Danielson at All In last month.

According to media reports, the 33-year-old has signed a new five-year deal with Tony Khan's company. Meanwhile, during a recent episode of the Keepin' It 100 OFFICIAL podcast, Konnan stated that Swerve should've signed with WWE instead of re-signing with AEW.

The 60-year-old claimed that Tony Khan must have offered a lucrative contract to Strickland because the Stamford-based company allegedly approached The New Flavor recently.

"Tony literally gets mad when certain wrestlers leave, okay. And so what they're [WWE] doing now is making him overpay all these wrestlers so he can keep them. Yea, it's true. I mean, what has Swerve really done to garner any extra attention or draw any extra fans? But if he [Tony Khan] wants to keep them because, from what I understand, they [WWE] talked to Swerve, and they talked to Daniel Garcia, and that was enough for him to go, 'Hey, these are my guys. I'm gonna overpay them!''' he said.

Konnan also detailed Strickland's potential thought process behind re-signing with AEW. However, the WCW veteran claimed that he would have jumped ship to the Sports Entertainment juggernaut if he were in Swerve's place.

"Why Swerve would stay there unless he's thinking, 'Let me get paid for the next five years and be a very rich man. And in five years, you know, if they don't bury me, which they probably won't, I'll still be viable, and I could go over there!' I would've gone there right now because they [WWE] probably would've made him a big star," he added. [2:45-3:42]

---

Tony Khan makes a major comment ahead of All Out 2024

Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page have been embroiled in a bitter rivalry for over a year now. In this week's episode of Dynamite, Page burned down the childhood home of his arch-nemesis.

Later, Tony Khan took to his X account and announced that the upcoming encounter between Strickland and Page at All Out 2024 would be an unsanctioned Lights Out Steel Cage Match. Khan also announced that his company shouldn't be held responsible for the events at the upcoming PPV.

"Lights Out Steel Cage Match Hangman Page vs. @swerveconfident AEW can't be held responsible for what happens in Chicago at All Out when Hangman Page fights Swerve Strickland in an unsanctioned Lights Out Steel Cage Match this Saturday!" Khan wrote.

It will be interesting to see how the story between Page and Strickland unfolds at All Out this Saturday.