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Swerve Strickland made headlines on Sunday night following AEW's Dynasty pay-per-view, not just for his in-ring performance but for his heated remarks directed at WWE Hall of Famer Booker T.
The 34-year-old AEW star headlined the event in a bid to dethrone Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship. However, the outcome didn’t fall in his favor as interference from The Young Bucks cost him the match, keeping Moxley firmly on top.
Strickland Takes the Mic—and a Shot at Booker T
After the cameras stopped rolling, Strickland addressed the live crowd and took the opportunity to thank his supporters. But his speech quickly turned into a fiery message aimed at Booker T.
“When I talk about representation, I mean it every single f time I speak on it,” Strickland told the crowd. “In one year, this kid right here that you’ve supported for the last 12, 13 years, in one year, five main event pay-per-views for Swerve Strickland."
He continued, “I don’t just speak about representation, I go out there and prove the f thing. Thank you all for being here. Thank you all for the merchandise. Get home safely and one last thing, just for my amusement, f Booker T.”
The Origins of the Feud
This verbal jab stems from Strickland’s earlier comments where he hinted that Booker T was not given a fair shake by WWE in the early 2000s. Those remarks didn’t sit well with Booker, who clapped back during an interview with VladTV, defending his legacy and emphasizing his role in breaking racial barriers in professional wrestling.
“You may not hear about a lot of racial issues with Booker T because I handled racial issues hand first,” Booker said. “I opened doors, I broke down barriers for people like Swerve Strickland. Swerve Strickland would perhaps not even be here if it wasn’t for me.”
He added, “I have to apologize for nothing that I’ve done in this business because I’ve gone out there and I have literally represented in the ring and out of the ring from day one all the way to this day in 2025.”
War of Words Taking Form
With Strickland spilling more vitriol with little regard for diplomacy, there is no end to this war of words between wrestling icons of two different generations. Given the impassioned charges laid by Booker T in defense of his own career, a rebuttal on the part of Booker T must be expected.
The chance of fans getting to see something played out in the ring is remote, especially with Strickland being under AEW contract until 2029. Nevertheless, the back-and-forth is causing some buzz in the wrestling community.
Whether or not this rivalry ever leaves the mic, representation, legacy, and respect in wrestling are right back in the conversation.
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