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AEW's focus looks to shift in 2024, with rising stars like Swerve Strickland stepping into the spotlight in the place of the absent Kenny Omega and MJF. It's not all newer faces, however, as former AEW World Champion 'Hangman' Adam Page recently returned to prominence.
Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page capped off an intensely personal feud at Full Gear 2023, with Swerve choking his opponent out in a brutal Texas Death Match. Swerve went on to compete in the Continental Classic tournament, but on the most recent episode of AEW Dynamite, he was confronted by the returning Hangman.
Fans have compared this rivalry to that of 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock during the fabled Attitude Era, indicating that Strickland and Page are destined to collide again in the future.
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Speaking on the latest episode of the Swerve City Podcast, the 33-year-old star praised his rival, calling Hangman a "freak of nature."
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"[Page] is another freak of nature that we don't give enough credit to," Strickland said in regard to their match at Full Gear. "He's just a hoss of a man, and he's agile as hell for how big he is, how smooth he is. He has a motor on him."
Swerve also commented on Adam Page's dynamic character, referring to both the sensitive, insecure persona he's shown in the past as well as the vengeful, violent side he displayed in their Texas Death Match:
"I felt like you got both sides of that in that match," Strickland continued. "Which is very hard to do when you're bleeding all over the place." [H/T Wrestling Inc]
The 33-year-old also credited Hangman for keeping them both safe during the ultraviolent match.
Swerve Strickland could be AEW's next World Champion
Swerve Strickland was released by WWE in November 2021 and made his AEW debut the next year in March. Since then, he has carefully built himself up as the leader of the Mogul Embassy.
While Strickland has impressed fans both in the ring and on the microphone, many consider his match against Hangman Page at Full Gear 2023 to be a true star-making performance. Swerve is now riding a wave of momentum and has stated several times that he intends to be All Elite Wrestling's first black World Champion.
That could indeed be the plan, as Dave Meltzer recently speculated on Wrestling Observer Radio that Swerve might be the first major opponent for current AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, with the target stage being the Revolution pay-per-view on March 3.
If this comes to fruition and Strickland wins the title, fans should expect him to walk into Wembley Stadium as AEW World Champion when All In rolls around this August.
Do you think Swerve Strickland should be the next AEW World Champion? Would you like to see him wrestle Hangman Page once more? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!
