“Bryan Danielson’s legacy is ever-growing, but I want to be the one to seal it. This is where it ends for him and begins with me.”

Swerve Strickland finally has the spotlight.

Fourteen years into his career, Strickland is ensuring that his performances capture the attention of the wrestling world in AEW.

“There is no one like me, and there was no one before who was like me,” said Strickland. “I’m different. And the truth is I’m just getting started.”

Strickland is nine days removed from a spectacular match against Hangman Page at the WrestleDream pay-per-view. It marked his most significant victory to date in his year-and-a-half AEW run, and the momentum carries into tonight’s Dynamite in a match against the great Bryan Danielson.

This week’s Dynamite is “Title Tuesday”, with the winner of the Danielson-Strickland bout receiving a shot at the TNT championship. Yet for Strickland, the stakes in this match are even more meaningful. The show is centered around this match, largely because of Danielson. But Strickland hungers for a different focus to come into frame once he is finished wrestling his famed opponent.

“The beauty of this is that there are big expectations for quality, but people are going to be surprised at the match we put on,” said Strickland. “Bryan is one of the greatest of our generation, and one of the greatest of all-time. I’m one of the biggest up-and-coming talents–and looking to be all-time. I’m one of the most unique performers. I hope to spawn new talents to follow my template. I’m laying that groundwork now.

“Bryan Danielson’s legacy is ever-growing, but I want to be the one to seal it. This is where it ends for him and begins with me.”

Strickland’s story is incomplete without discussing his time in WWE. The highlight of his time in the company came as the leader of Hit Row for six months, which coincided with his run as NXT North American champion. It was clear that WWE had uncovered its next superstar, further enhanced by the cutting-edge faction beside him. Yet the immensely talented B-Fab was released in November of 2021, and only two weeks later, so was Strickland.

The release was unexpected. It sharply pierced his pride, though the pain did not last long. Strickland was too focused on building his future to lament what happened in the past.

“I thought I was on top of the world–then, twenty-four later, I wasn’t,” said Strickland. “I had to tell my family that. That wasn’t easy. I needed time so I was not angry at myself or embarrassed, which I was for a 48-hour spell. I had to give myself a couple days to absorb it, feel it, understand it–see all the different corners and dimensions. Then I got to work.”

For the past three decades, Strickland has relished overcoming whatever challenges are thrown in his direction. That is the resourceful approach he seized when he became the industry’s newest free agent. Unencumbered by a WWE contract, Strickland turned his frustration into fuel.

“I’ve always been able to reflect the negative energy back into positives,” said Strickland. “After the release, I looked for new windows to open. I flew to Los Angeles and spent 14 days there, and I reconnected with contacts.

“I had the time to get on the ground and meet people. That’s where I met [artist] Flash Garments, and we got in the studio and we made ‘Big Pressure’. Without the WWE release, I don’t make ‘Big Pressure’. I don’t go to the Grammys. I don’t meet Prophet, an incredible producer. I don’t have this epiphany to create Mogul. That’s when all of that was created.”

Wrestling’s best-kept secret was revealed at WrestleDream. It was not the surprise debut of Adam Copeland, but rather Strickland’s compelling showing in his match against Hangman Page. Strickland’s disciplined attention to detail and the manner in which he presents himself in a captivating manner were both undeniably visible throughout the 20-minute bout.

A new opportunity now presents itself, as Strickland can shine an even brighter light on his Mogul Embassy when he locks up with Danielson. He is intimately aware of what is in front of him–and what is at stake–as he steps into the ring for this match on Dynamite.

“I’m after the best this industry has to offer,” said Strickland. “I don’t want to accept anything less. For me, as an African American man, we can’t accept less. We have to strive to be exceptional in everything we do. I’ve got to go ten times harder because of that, and I want the absolute best because I deserve that–and I deserve that so our culture can see that. Being good enough is never good enough. I have to exceed others’ expectations. I want to make the biggest impact I can. I believe I can do that.

“People are starting to believe in what I can do. Over the last week, I’ve heard, ‘That is your moment.’ Woah–slow down. I’m going to have more moments. Maybe this was your first time seeing me. I’m only 34 years old. You’re seeing Christian having his resurgence in his late 40s. Sting is performing at 63, and he’s still going hard. Adam Copeland coming over, he’s having a resurgence. Chris Jericho is doing prime work. People are just seeing me. Wait until you see what comes next.”

As an actor, artist, and pro wrestler–and with his own YouTube channel and podcast–Strickland is thriving as an entrepreneur. He is also pursuing the dream that truly awakened his soul at the age of 18–becoming a pro wrestler.

More than merely becoming a pro, Strickland is now a seasoned veteran seeking to make a lasting impression on the industry. His next step toward accomplishing that objective occurs later tonight on Dynamite.

“I don’t focus on the pressure,” said Strickland. “I don’t even look at it as pressure. I look at it as my life. When it comes to doing music, a podcast, being a father of two girls about to be in high school, and being on the road, that’s not pressure to me. That’s what Swerve does.

“If I’m going to balance something, I want to juggle the absolute highest prizes you can have.”

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BY JUSTIN BARRASSO
Justin Barrasso has been writing for Sports Illustrated since 2014. While his primary focus is pro wrestling and MMA, he has also covered MLB, NBA, and the NFL. He can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.