Report: Update On WWE Reaching Out To Swerve Strickland
Swerve Strickland wasn't interested
Sep 27, 2022
Following the regime change in WWE that saw Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and Nick Khan replace Vince McMahon at the head of the company, multiple AEW talents were contacted by WWE about potentially returning to the organisation.
The extent of WWE's approaches is unknown but reports have indicated the company contacted Swerve Strickland, FTR, Malakai Black, and an AEW name who had been with the company since the beginning.
In an update, Fightful Select confirmed that WWE reached out to Swerve Strickland but he was not interested in returning to the company at the time and simply referred them to his attorney. Swerve was said to have been contacted as part of WWE's plans to bring back Hit Row. The faction returned to SmackDown in August.
One talent that WWE did not reach out to was Strickland's Swerve In Our Glory tag team partner Keith Lee. Lee previously spent several years with the company and is a former NXT and North American champion.
Strickland has been vocal about his frustration in WWE during his three years with the company, noting his first three months in AEW helped him forget about his time in NXT.