[10.0] "Swerve is with out a doubt one of the most complete wrestlers in the world. He can put on some great matches, he's over, he cuts a good promo, and he's very charismatic. He did feel a bit stale at times in 2025 but that hasn't been the case as of lately. I hope he turns heel because he's a great one."
[10.0] "I always find it hilarious when people try pushing the narrative that Swerve isn't a good wrestler to try and justify their hate for him for whatever reasons lmao. You don't need to love someone to acknowledge they are good. Neither does you not liking them for whatever reason make them bad. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and if you dislike the guy for whatever reasons, you do you king. I couldn't care less. But don't push your narrative on everyone. Swerve is simply one of the best wrestlers going today, he jas the accolades and matches to show that, he can be questionable on the mic but have lately been noticably improving and has arguably the best character in modern pro wrestling. He can work hardcore matches (he infact was part of 2 of arguably the top 10 best ever hardcore matches, vs Dante Fox in Lucha Underground and vs Hangman in AEW), he can work single non stipulations matches (once again has arguably the best match ever, atleast imo against Bryan Danielson at All In), can work tag matches (ONCE AGAIN, has a couple of bangers, with my personal favorite being him and Ospreay vs The Young Bucks, imo the best tag match in recent memory for me atleast) and can work other multi man matches aswell with countless examples). He is only 34, can play a incredible face, yet being the perfect heel aswell when prompted (once again watch his match against Bryan Danielson at All In if you need convincing of his effectiveness in playing a heel) has a very good title reign with his AEW World title run behind him, and is only getting better by the day. I expect a couple of more bangers and alot of awesome moments in Swerve's future. He is generational and don't let people who have some bias push their narratives or opinions on you. Check him out yourself and then decide. But I can almost guarantee you will be agreeing with my opinion once you do. 10/10"
[9.0] "Whose house? That is highly one of the most interesting guys to rate, honestly. He was just an common flippy guy at the indies, became a good wrestler at NXT and them he made himself the star he is right now at AEW. That is probably one of the few mistakes the WWE must truly regret, they did not saw the star power on that guy that everyone else did. He was literally hired for AEW and Tony Khan made sure that he would have his special moment to be presented at the Revolution. Anyways, he made a hell of a feud with Hanger, great bouts with most part of the crowd, has one of the most memorable matches of my entire life with Bryan Danielson, and means a lot for me he be the first male black world champion for AEW history. Hopes that gold will be back to him sooner."
[9.0] "Swerve is one of my favourite active wrestlers right now. Sometimes he can be a bit corny with some of the stuff he does in promos, but he's so good in the ring it really doesn't take away from him all that much."
[6.0] "Seven months ago my Swerve Strickland rating was actually a ten but for the past six months has been disappointing. He definitely underperformed for most of his matches recently so he lost his in ring work which is the only good attribute about him but he's still young"
[8.0] "An excellent bell to bell worker with fluid in-ring movement, with a sound grasp of the fundamentals & an understanding of how to extract as much drama & realism out of the subtle shit as he can. Great on mic & what luck, he has a funny, enjoyable manager figure in Prince Nana, too. He has the charisma to contend in the high spots he's been inserted into & he seems to be taking to his larger build upon return faster than most. I don't have enough good stuff to say about this badass."
[8.0] "Swerve is good, don't get me wrong, but half of the time he'll either have a good match or a bad match, recently since he's returned, he's had mostly meh matches than good matches. His feud with Adam Page was legendary and one of AEWs best, he's OK on the mic."
[9.0] "Swerve Strickland is so fucking cool. Absolutely outstanding in pretty much every way. I'm honestly glad WWE fumbled him because it means we got his incredible AEW feud with Hangman Page and the absolute apotheosis of Bryan Danielson's career on top of a very high standard of both in-ring work and character work in general. He's endlessly charismatic and looks awesome, especially when he was a heel and was basically a supervillain. He does botch in the ring a bit, especially lately as he's been getting used to packing on more muscle mass, so he's not quite a ten for me, but I can absolutely see him getting that perfect score from me in a couple years if he can keep up the excellent work. Please don't ever separate him from Prince Nana either."
[10.0] "An absolute beast, i missed him a lot in this period and the second he got back you could feel how everything got a whole lot bloodier around AEW, my literal only complain with him is the new theme song that while being a really good song, it isn't as good an entrance as the original one"
[10.0] "When Swerve came into AEW, I was expecting him to have some great feuds in the upper-midcard but this dude proved me wrong and became one of the biggest stars in the entire company. The entire feud with Hangman was just storytelling gold and I loved his run as the AEW Champion too. Cannot wait to see what else he does."
[10.0] "Great wrestler, great mic skills, great look, great rapper. You name it, Swerve can probably do it. He gave us one hell of a title reign in 2024 and one hell of a rivalry with Adam Page, which to this day I still believe is AEW's greatest rivalry of all time. With Prince Nana as a sort of goofy foil to his dangerous character, I enjoy whenever Swerve appears on my screen. I'm hyped to watch him wrestle Josh Alexander live later today in Cardiff!"
[6.0] "While he's undoubtedly a good worker his character work has bordered on cringe over the last year and he's developed some bad habits which really hurt my enjoyment of him. He still occasionally has a great match but i'm definitely lower on him than i was a year ago."
"(9.5) A gorgeous performer who is somehow a throwback and ultra modern. His look is tremendous and versatile. He can get away with a lot that others couldn't. He's earned that. He will also bump his ass off for you. However, he is not gonna baby you - you either keep up or get outclassed. Game for seemingly anything. Seems to love and be loved by his co-workers. It almost seems like he knows he's in his absolute prime right now and he's going to push himself as far as humanly possible. It's cliche to say his feud with Hangman was/is an all-timer but this cliche is well earned. He's just hitting his mid-30's, he's got a lot of time left and it wouldn't surprise me if he finishes his career as a top 100 of all time."
"Don't try to change the subject N***a quick to get roughed in public Last I heard you got cut from Publix Morning news they got the store republic Switch the scene reppin' the Black republic He had a chick but she was acting ugly Had a kid but they were back to thugging Pass the bib but n***a wasn't running (running)"
[9.0] "Swerve really is the complete package, the look, the talk, likeability, unique chant as well as excellent speed, power and athleticism. He's around a 9 for all of in ring talent, charisma and promos. Not much else needed here, If AEW had any sense, he'd be a permanent top guy for a long, long time as he's good enough to carry the company."
[10.0] "One of the best wrestlers still active. He has endless charisma and athleticism. He met his full potential in AEW which is great to see. He's also a quality human being. He's everything you could possibly want in a top star."
[9.0] "He's on the AEW mount rushmore at this point. Swerve has been one of the most compelling and over acts in wrestling for the last 3 years. He works well as both a babyface and heel, he can be sadistic but his character has valid motivations. His feud with hangman is the best of AEW and he's been in many of AEW's best matches of all time. (vs. Hangman Full Gear 2023, vs. Bryan Danielson All In 2024)"
[9.0] "Swerve has so much potential. He has all the tools that a promoter would want in a wrestler: he is a great speaker, his in ring talent is up there, he is able to elicit the reaction he wants from the fans whether be heel or face. His first reign as the AEW World Champion was one of the best championship reigns in AEW history despite it being only four months. That's how good the guy is."
[9.0] "One of AEW's best. I thought he was a standout on Lucha Underground. I thought he was a diamond in the rough in NXT. And I think he's a top star in AEW. Great wrestler, dynamic personality. He's just a hair away from being a 10 rating for me."
[10.0] "Giving him a ten because I gotta support black wrestlers. Onto the real review: Stephon Swerve Strickland is one of the best wrestlers alive today. A fantastic all-rounder, just a great worker in general. His popularity and charisma truly only surpassed by Will Ospreay (whose house btw? ), and is one half of the greatest rivalry in all of wrestling, AEW's first blood feud I was truly invested in. He's simply one of the best today and I need his next World Championship reign to last 365+ days. Don't Swerve when you drive kids."
[10.0] "The face of AEW, the sky is the limit with him and his feud with Adam Page will be one of the greatest ever AEW feuds. He is such a crucial part of the company. He can deliver in the ring and on the mic especially seen with his work with Prince Nana. UPDATE: If him not winning the world title at Dynasty, and the response that goes with that, does not show you how important he is to wrestling right now then I'm not sure what else could possibly show you that."
[10.0] "Use to hate him during his time in NXT. Either as a face or as a heel, I found him incredibly boring. With Hit Row I didn't like him, but at least he was noticeable. I thought his hiring with AEW was a bad idea. Gladly, I was terribly wrong. One of the best wrestlers today, undeniable."
[10.0] "Easily the coolest wrestler alive right now, i can not sing his praises enough. they have to find a way to make this man the world champion of all elite wrestling as soon as humanly possible. you only have one chance to catch lightning in a bottle like this."
[9.0] "He went from a lower mid-carder in WWE to the main event scene with the World Championship in AEW. He has great charisma and awesome on the microphone. Not to mention his in-ring abilities were awesome. He has gone a long way on the indies and it's amazing to see how far he has come over the years."
[10.0] "Swerve è un grandissimo atleta e rientra tra i miei preferiti wrestler in assoluto! Oltre ad avere un ottima gimmick, lo reputo un gran Heel e come lottato ha uno stile molto particolare! é tecnico, acrobatico , atletico ed in AEW sta facendo grandi cose..anche ad NXT lo seguivo molto ed addirittura lo ricordo in Lucha Underground come KILLSHOT !"
[10.0] "Swerve is probably the most recent wrestler to solidify themselves as an undeniable "10" - his catalogue of matches is still being built up, but he's had a few of the most legendary matches of the decade in the 2020's. He's dynamite on the mic, he has great character work, he gets incredible reactions from the crowd, and his matches are worth the price of admission alone."
[10.0] "I'm glad that Swerve Strickland is getting this current push and treatment, it's what he deserves, a fantastic and innovative wrestler who's also a whole package"
[9.0] "WHO'S HOUSE? ! SWERVE HOUSE! From becoming Killshot in Lucha Underground to dancing to Ain't Nobody by Chaka Khan as his entrance to Hit Row to becoming a dominant world champion is an incredible story! He's always betted on himself and elevated his career in the best way possible with an incredible move-set & agility that can utilize in any match or opponent he's against. He's aura demands your attention which shows how much fans & the crowd loves him! His recognition has benefited him allowing opportunities in other promotion notably AEW to fully shine and showcase those ability and will definitely leave a mark on the wrestling landscape!"
[9.0] "Imagine having the character and body of work that Killshot had during Lucha Underground and then you leave all that behind and work from the ground up all the way back up to the top again. Incredible."
[10.0] "If this was a few years ago, I would probably go as low as a 7 or 6. Shane Strickland on the independent scene and in WWE was somebody who really just made me go "oh yeah, that guy." Even when I watched his World Title run in MLW, which was quite good, I never really thought of him as a superstar or main eventer. But then he came to AEW, and I'll admit I was worried and skeptical of him being lost in the shuffle. But Strickland very quickly rose the ranks and for my money, has become the next possible main stream superstar in wrestling. Swerve has just the look and swagger of a main event, main stream superstar known the world over. My money for the best World Championship run in AEW since Moxley's first reign, since both characters really made you feel like the title was the most important things to them. Hopefully now Swerve can continue on his trajectory and keep being a major player for AEW."
[10.0] "Einer der Ganz großen. Hat sich im letzen Jahr zu einem der ganz großen entwickelt. Ist eine 10/10 am Mikrofon, sehr gut im Ring und hat eine Aura um sich wie kaum ein zweiter. Für mich ein klarer Main Event Star."
[9.0] "Look - 9, In Ring - 8, Mic - 8. I remember being incredibly disappointed when he debuted in AEW. It felt like yet another guy who would be jobbing on rampage in a few months. But Swerve went the extra mile and put in time at the gym and turned himself into a look. And his in ring improved. What I saw as a flashy guy started to have matches that felt like they had good substance as well. He sounds like the most confident guy in the room on the mic and his talking always comes across as genuine, not acting."
[8.0] "Swerve Strickland is immensely talented and his rise to prominence in AEW has truly been something to see. I truly believe WWE dropped the ball on him and AEW did a fantastic job in allowing him to reinvent himself and become one of today's brightest young talents."
[8.0] "Swerve Strickland's rise to prominence over the last year has been so amazing to see because he's been one of my favorites for a long time. He is very talented in-ring, he has a undeniable superstar presence to him, he has a great character and is a great storyteller. He's a solid face, but is so much better as a heel, and he's carried AEW well during his World Championship reign which has been super enjoyable thus far."
[8.0] "He's come a long way and has elevated himself to the point that he's believable as a top of the card heavyweight. While he still has lapses, his moveset is good and he executes it well. He's also pretty fearless and is willing to do insane hardcore things in the ring. On other aspects of his game, I think Swerve is a great example of a guy who has loads of charisma, just watch any entrance from him in AEW, or any indy promotion. The way he carries himself is undeniable. He's a great character and can craft compelling stories, like the one with Adam Page which has been a highlight of AEW. However, I find him to be pretty shit on the mic. I don't feel he means what he says and has trouble in long promo segments. That however goes to show that mic skill isn't the only thing important to charisma and character, because even with those limitations he's gotten over everywhere."
[9.0] "The story of Swerve Strickland is a fascinating one. The man put himself through hell to make it to the level hes in right now. One of the most dangerous and brutal heels AEW has ever seen, Swerve brings an intensity in and out of the ring that is hard to match sometimes. He is the first black AEW world champion and it was well deserved. His run as AEW champ has been one of the best Ive seen so far, and he has done an amazing job as the face of the company. His blood feud with Hangman Adam Page is one of my favorite feuds in the history of AEW, and that says a lot because as of this writing, its still one of the hottest angles in all of wrestling. His match against Ospreay will go down as one of the best matches of his career and one of the best to go down in a AEW ring. Swerve has all the tools to be a top guy in this industry. He has that cool factor. Can hold his own on the mic against the best of them. And most importantly, he can really go in the ring. As his rise continues, I see more accolades and more classic matches on the horizon. Only one question remains: Whos House? SWERVEs HOUSE."
[9.0] "The best thing that happened to Swerve was being released from WWE. He got the chance to show the world just how good he is, and what it is he can bring to the table when given the ball. I've been a fan of his since Lucha Underground, since then I have followed his career. Seeing him get the love he is now is stuff that really brings a smile to my face."
[9.0] "Swerve is a top athlete: Charismatic, good at microphone, great in ring, decent look, fantastic theme. I didn't watch his work in WWE cause I stopped in 2020 and his prime period in AEW was acceptable but nothing more. Now I must give Tony the honor of believing in Swerve and developping a vision of him as future champion. Since last year I've never expected he's gonna be world champion; the harsh rivalry against Hangman was the springboard of his run to the top. Their first match is one of my favourite of 2023."
[9.0] "Als ich für Shane diese ganzen Lobkommentare laß dachte ich nur hier wird übertrieben auch wenn ich wusste das er gut ist. Aber ich irrte mich. Shane bzw. Killshot ist mehr als nur gut, er ist sehr gut, Wahnsinns beweglich und zeigt flüssige und saubere Moves. Dazu ein sehr charismatischer Wrestler. Will ich ihn bei PWG sehen? Hell Yes vielleicht kommt er ja bei diesjährigen Bola. Auch einer für ROH. Aber auf jeden Fall einer für die Indies. Edit: 26. 10. 2016 Ok, BOLA wurde nichts dafür wXw war auch was schönes und auch sonst sieht man ihn bei vielen Ligen. Edit: 22. 02. 2017 Schön, jetzt kommt auch er zu PWG und dann gegen einen der auch absoluter PWG Neuling ist Dezmond Xavier, große Vorfreude auf das Singles Match bei PWG Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock N' Roll). Edit 20. 09. 2017 Sehr interessant er verbrachte ein Teil seiner Kindheit in Frankfurt da sein Vater dort als Militär war. Sicher bei der Rhein-Main Air Base. Ob Shane auch etwas Deutsch sprich weiß ich aber nicht. Edit 7. 11. 2017 Muss auch posten er hat sich von einen eher langweiligen 08/15 Indy Wrestler zu einen tollen Charakter entwickelt. Auch ein Grund seine Haarpracht und dann dieses Swerve Einstellung und seine Outfits, toll. Edit 25.07.2024 hat sich die Jahre weiterentwickelt. Ist aktuell bei AEW unfassbar Over. Man sollte ihn noch länger in dieser Rolle behalten. Its Swerve House."
[10.0] "Swerve Strickland is one of the most talented wrestlers in the world today. Great high flyer, and he's good at technical wrestling. He has that aura of a great wrestler. He's great on the mic too, full package."
[10.0] "Swerve has risen over the years from a guy to a super impressive hand to a main eventer to now a World champion with AEW. He as become probably the coolest wrestler in the world. When I saw him live we went to a Buc-ees after the show there were mobs of people yelling WHOSE HOUSE SWERVES HOUSE across the store. He really has amazing star power and proves that AEW is where the best wrestle. All eyes are on Swerve at Wembley."
[10.0] "One of the best wrestlers in the world at the moment. Someone with all the tools and an incredible amount of ability who is constantly improving."
[10.0] "Swerve saved his career by breaking away from Hit Row and plying his trade in AEW. In no time at all, he defeated big names and made a beeline straight for the top guy in Samoa Joe and then won the World Title, and just recently proved that he's the true owner of the House against Killswitch on Dynamite. Now, he's the biggest star on the roster and fans want to see him more and more. In Hit Row, he was the background hype man, but in AEW, he's the main attraction. I can't wait to see how much better he gets."
[10.0] "Swerve is a very athletic and highly skilled wrestler. He is very exciting to watch and can make brutal spots look effortless. I wouldn't fault him for how he's being booked in AEW because it's not his fault, but he delivers in the ring. On top of that, he can actually shoot a promo."
[8.0] "Swerve is the real deal, the guy is amazing, he can work as a face and as a heel, is very good on the microphone and at building storylines, and it's very versatile too when it comes to the squared circle, he's a guy with hardcore roots, but could easily fit into the television model. Swerve was the only thing good about Hit Row, after he left the stable collapsed and became one of the worst things ever, and now he's a deserving main eventer in AEW, their first black world champion, with all the merits."
[9.0] "I remember him signing and being revealed on the main show of Revolution of 2022. I had heard of Hit Row getting released, but I wasn't following the product to closely other than AEW. I remember thinking this may be a bit much, but boy was I wrong. He's made himself a star especially during the Hangman feud."
[9.0] "[9.0] It takes a very special kind of man to kayfabe break into a face's house, cut a promo over that face's newborn, and still be far and away the most over person in the company. Swerve is him, from being a mainstay of the west coast indies and Lucha Underground to one of the MVPs of late black-and-gold NXT, and now to one of the most organically over faces in wrestling with AEW. Very good jack of all trades."
[9.0] "Incredibly proud of him. He was a standout in the final days of HHH's NXT and then dumped off the wayside by Vince with (S)hit Row. In AEW, he's hit a new echelon and may be the first guy to ever break into a babyface's house, terrorize said babyface's baby and be cheered! It's his time and when the time comes for either the Ospreay or MJF feud, lock in. A low-to-mid 9, but he has earned everything's he's gotten these past few months."
"Einer meiner Favoriten aus den letzten Jahren. Ich fande Strickland früher schon super und als Killshot bei LU überragend. Seine WWE Zeit war etwas holprig, wobei er gg Ende wirklich sich und auch seinen Charakter gefunden hat. Sein dortiges Aus, war AEWs Gewinn. Ich gehe stark davon aus, dass er 2024 noch den World Championship gewinnt (vll im April bereits beim nächsten PPV). Er wird aber definitiv noch lange im Mainpicture bei AEW bleiben. Ganz starker Wrestler!"
"One of my absolute favorite wrestlers, Swerve is a star and him being pushed to the top of AEW is no coincidence. Absolutely love how smooth he is to watch, all of his moves just transition perfectly into each other, and he is also killer in promos too. Huge talent."
[8.0] "Really liked him back in his NXT days, was surprised to see him leave WWE to be honest. In hindsight, was absolutely the right move for him. One of the very, very, very few guys who went from WWE to AEW and actually was better off for it. Guy has made himself a star, only giving him an 8 now because I feel like he has room for improvement and he's 100% capable of that so I'll be back in the future to add more to this raiting. As of right now, high 8 and capable of being a 9 if he can keep on track."
[10.0] "Swerve has evolved to the point of being completely believable for giving us great fights and good times since he has been in AEW. I personally like him and he deserves this score for now."
[10.0] "I've followed Swerve's career ever since Lucha Underground, all the way through Defy (where "Swerve's House" started), NXT, and AEW. Here's the thing about Swerve: I won't say he's the #1 best at any one singular thing, with the exception of natural charisma. BUT he's possibly the best jack-of-all-trades in wrestling. He's the complete package. Even if he's not the #1 GOAT of technical, striking, high-flying, deathmatch, brawling, etc., he does ALL of those very well, which puts him above most great wrestlers who are a 10/10 in just one category. That's one of the biggest qualities every company needs in a top star: versatility. The man could be the ace of any company, can be slotted into any feud, he's always the coolest guy in the room, and he's going to be an absolute crossover megastar."
[10.0] "What to say about Swerve? Too much talent in one person, extremely good in a ring and possessing incredible charisma. He hypnotizes me as soon as he appears on screen and sublimates every thing he does. I hope his time as world champion will eventually arrive because this wrestler is gold."
[10.0] "swerve strickland is fucking awesome what can I say. He is one of the coolest wrestlers in the world, the only other ones about as cool as him are Samoa Joe and El desperado. He is also a good storyteller, great in ring and a good promo. Edit for 2024. Jesus Christ this guy is good. Really fucking good. He is the wrestler I am most invested in this year and last year."
"[9] Swerve has more potential than any other wrestler out right now. His character work has been next level, and he can go in the ring just as good as any other worker alive today. Far and away my favorite performer at the moment. I believe to give him a 10, we need to see him stay at this level once he's at the top and is a world champion. Once that happens, and I hope it does very soon, I will be so excited to bump him up to a 10."
[10.0] "Swerve's rise in 2023 was awesome and I think in 2024 he'll be world champ. He's always had flash in the ring but he's finally got to play a top guy on the mic recently and it's effortless for him."
[10.0] "Best wrestler in AEW as of right now, also my current favorite wrestler. Struggling to see how he hasn't won a singles title with the company yet. Hopefully a world or at least mid card title run is around the corner for swerve, TK cant mess this up."
[10.0] "He has truly done so much good work in so many different places, but AEW is really his place to shine. The feud with Page is amazing. A future AEW world champion if they know what they're doing."
[10.0] "Swerve hat im Jahr 2023 den endgültigen Schritt zum Topstar gemacht und ist in meinen Augen aktuell einer der hottesten acts im gesamten Wrestling. Im Ring war er schon immer stark aber in den letzten 8-10 Monaten hat er sich nun zum total package entwickelt. Zu Recht extrem over und er weiß mittlerweile genau wie er diesen Buzz durch seinen Charakter transportieren muss. Ausstrahlung, Look hier stimmt mittlerweile alles und am Mic hat er nun auch den letzten Schliff bekommen. Wenn AEW es richtig anstellt hat man hier für die nächsten Jahre einen absoluten Eckpfeiler, er muss 2024 definitiv World Champion werden. Sky is the Limit, daher erhöhe ich mit großer Freude auf eine für mich völlig verdiente 10."
[10.0] "All I can say is that he's one of the hottest acts. His career from Lucha Underground and MLW is undeniable on how amazing, creative and willing to put his body or the line for the business. I am very excited for his 2024 and hopefully management doesn't drop the ball with him."
[10.0] "AEWs top guy as of writing this. Swerve has been my favorite part about AEW since breaking away from Swerve in our Glory, although Tony waited a while to book the man like the star hes shown time and time again that he is, the Hangman feud has elevated Swerve to white hot levels of stardom that can truly only grow once he gets the shot he so rightfully deserves. An incredible worker, promo, look and everything else. Swerve is THE guy in AEW."
[10.0] "The man somehow took another step in his development to become the most interesting man in the 2nd biggest company in america. When I made the rating in 2018 he had just gotten to EVOLVE and instantly beat Riddle for the belt in what turned out to be a very interesting program and key part of his career. Now look at this guy lol. Always incredible in ring but the improvement in his character and mic work over the years has been a treat to witness. It would be a massive mistake for AEW to not try to push him to the moon and put the belt on him ASAP. He's on the run of his life rn"
[8.0] "Good. Swerve is a great wrestler. He has a great presence. Looks cool. Needs the right opponent and storyline. Him and Adam worked great together recently. Really helped get him over for the memorex mainstream. Great to see hope he sticks about for a long time to come."
[10.0] "Vince screwed up, point blank that match at full gear shows the extremes Swerve is willing to go to - hopefully creative doesnt F this up (again)"
[10.0] "One of the biggest success stories based on just having talent and keeping at it to come out of that volatile early-10s indie scene. Shane Strickland despite coming from the lesser-known Northwest US Indies made a splash in both the east coast-based CZW and Chicago-based AAW, he travelled to Europe, he worked under a mask in Lucha Underground, he scored an NXT deal, and eventually made it to AEW where he's now finally poised to be the main event guy he showed he could be all the way back in his CZW days. Despite this even under AEW contract he has still supported his local scene by working DEFY. The evolution of his in-ring and character work has evolved immensely, and he's made multiple factions that look bad on paper work as their ringleader (Hit Row & Mogul Embassy). He's athletic, he's hard-hitting, he can work on the mat, he can cut a promo, he can tell a story with just his facial expressions, and if you look at his two highest-rated matches on this site you can see that that CZW background made him one hell of a Deathmatch worker when the feud calls for it. After everything he's done he seems poised to become AEW World Champion in a matter of months, while still in his prime. I'll admit I didn't quite see him being on this level back in the early 10s, nor did I realize just how good he was for a while between then and now, but I think it's pretty clear at this point that there's nothing Swerve can't do."
[10.0] "He is the new ace of AEW, and my god does he deserve it. He is the complete package as a wrestler: excellent in ring, packaged to perfection with the Mogul Embassy and Nana, and incredible on the microphone. Aura is thrown around a lot recently in the wrestling discourse, but Swerve is the epitome of a wrestler with aura, and thus anything other than a 10 would be selling him short in my eyes."
"I've had my eyes on Strickland since right before he went to NXT. I always saw something different in him, a beast within a shell. The 2023 AEW run has exposed the star I saw in him in 2018 and far surpassed my expectations. This man is more than World Champion material and has now performed in one of the best Texas deathmatches ever along with "Hangman" Adam Page. When he becomes world champion, he's going to put the entire industry on notice if he hasn't already. Thank you, Swerve."
"I think that swerves has the opportunity to be something big at AEW. He has improved a lot a lot and has been having awesome witches. I feel with the right booking and perhaps a change of pattern on how African Americans get booked we can see another side to swerve. Def a future champ"
"So innovative in the ring, so talented on the mic.But Swerve has also shown that he's a reliable guy who can have useful creative input but also run with what he's given without attitude problems. That's the kind of guy you can build a promotion around. If he's not a future world champion, someone has done something dreadfully wrong."
[9.0] "Such an under rated talent. He has stellar TV matches every time he's in the ring. Can't wait for a solo PPV match on AEW turf to really show what he's about. Knows how to cultivate a crowd and make you invest in him. Really hope he gets a solo title run sooner rather than later, mainly if Darby wins the TNT title and have them (maybe) hot potato it like Darby and Joe did earlier this year."
[8.0] "Swerve is very great.. he should definitely be champion in the near future for AEW. Can pull off a great match with anybody and has loads of charisma. One of the best heel acts on AEW TV as of now and is currently rejuvenating the Mogul Embassy stable with the addition of AR Fox."
[8.0] "Potentieller Top Star bei AEW. Er ist ein Gesamtpaket: ne Tonne Charisma, stark am Mikro und im Ring. Bei AEW hat er schon einiges davon zeigen können, hängt aber irgendwie etwas fest."
[9.0] "Swerve is one of the most reliable wrestlers in pro wrestling today. Whether in Lucha Underground, WWE or AEW he is always given good matches every time he is in the ring. He has a style that can wrestle with anyone. He oozes charisma and is good on the mic. His WWE release seems to be more about the rest of Hit Row than him."
[8.0] "He developed a lot over Lucha Underground but still left the promotion pretty bland. You certainly can't say that anymore. His style sets him apart from a lot of his peers and he can go with just about anyone. A shame he's burdened with the Embassy Muppets at the moment."
[10.0] "How was this guy not a world champion in both WWE and AEW? He has everything it takes to be entertaining in the ring. His last stable is kind of useless and nothing worth watching, but his in-ring work is still there at least"
[8.0] "Swerve getting released from the WWE was the best thing possible for his career. Since joining AEW, he's elevated his character work exponentially and his in-ring work improves every time I see him in action. His promo work is excellent and he most definitely has the makings of a main event caliber heel. I'm giving him a "low" score because he still has a lot to do but I see him as a future AEW world champion if they keep booking him this strong."
[8.0] "Swerve is quite good. He has a unique, interesting offense that, to be fair, sometimes is a little too cute for its own good. He has obvious charisma as well. He does need the opportunity to take the next step into the main event, but I think it'll happen for him later if not sooner."
[9.0] "[10.0] if he kills everyone in his faction next dynamite. Vicious offense, great limb worker, star feel, entertaining at every point. Was really looking forward to the heel run after the SIOG split but this faction stinks. Great promos when given something to work with. Future world champ with more inspired booking."
[8.0] "Swerve is everything you can look for in a wrestler, phenomenal in the ring, charismatic to the absolute moon, great promo guy, able to play many roles, underdog face? you got it, douchebag rapper heel? there you go, army veteran face? indeed he can, insane, untrustworthy "face" that's going to turn heel any second now? he's doing that great right now, so many great matches, if you like wrestling, you should see what Swerve is doing, he will make you a fan"
"Dripping with talent and charisma, Swerve Strickland has travelled across the world. Could put on a good match or feud with anyone, but takes special circumstances to put on a truly special match or feud."
[8.0] "Swerve is a great junior heavyweight that can fill out a roster really well and can make himself a highlight on any show. He's a pretty okay talker and has confidence, but I feel he's missing that one great promo from truly becoming great. EDIT: he's here"
[8.0] "Swerve's in ring talent plus his charisma is one good feud from being top tier. If they finally let Lee vs Swerve develop, that might be enough."
[8.0] "Swerve is one of my favorite talents on AEW, but I just can't put my finger on what exactly he's missing to get him to the main event level. Maybe he could flesh out his character a bit more and expand on that, or show a heel version if himself like we saw in NXT, because as a face his cockiness kind of falls flat. We saw in the Casino Battle Royale the amount of boos he was able to get when he turned on Lee and Darby, I think a heel Swerve could be entertaining."
"My first introduction to Strickland as a wrestler has been against Ricky Starks, and holy shit, that dude has amazing move flow, and so much innovation. Honestly, that match elevated both Starks and Strickland in my mind. Strickland oozes charisma, and I am looking forward to see what he can do going forward, especially if he gets some heel angles."
[7.0] "Isaiah 'Swerve' Scott, currently the North American Champion and apart of Hit Row as of writing this rating, plays a good job as a heel much better than his face, he has solid microphone skills and his wrestling is very all rounder but tints of high-flying capabilities. Personally, I can only see him being a mid carder at maximum for the limited gimmick that he can produce. Other than that he is a solid wrestler with an alright NXT background, nothing outstanding but also nothing basic."
[9.0] "This dude has got the word star written all over him. Not only is he perhaps the single most charismatic guy on the NXT roster, but he's also one of the most spectacular athletes down on the yellow brand."
[8.0] "An ultra talented wrestler with a more than admirable charisma and in-ring ability, he has proven that he can do a good job with wrestlers of all kinds and their quality already in WWE or in the independents especially in his fight against Dante Fox in Lucha Underground."
[7.0] "I really believe that guy is very good and I think he has big things to show us. I didn't saw him in Lucha Underground so it's obviously playing with my rating but I can say he is a really solid worker and he can deliver very interesting contests."
[9.0] "I was a big fan of Killshot back in Lucha Underground, but I loved him more as Shane Strickland, especially everything that happened from 2017 to the day he signed to WWE, he was huge in the Indies & a very good wrestler, he has great charisma too, and from the impressions of his use in NXT, he could be big in WWE."
[8.0] "Swerve could use a little work on the psychology portion of wrestling but it seems like that is coming around in him now and I think working in NXT more will help further. He? s got an amazing skill set and has had some of the most fun matches on the Indy scene that I have watched. The guy has major star written on him and I think he will at the very least have a very extended mid card run in the E and continue to deliver us classics."
[8.0] "Basically the guy who rated him a 5 is an idiot. Trashing someone? s score because you? re trying to look smart when you obviously don? t know a thing about wrestling is bizarre at best. He is smaller than most but makes up for it in athleticism. Rating someone low because they? re not the size you think they should be and ignoring their skill is just something else."
[8.0] "What a wrestler, talent and one of the best underrated high flyers in the world. I have only watch his match in CZW and he sell like a boss! He is strong for his size, he is very acrobatic and have great physique!"
[9.0] "Seine Darstellung des Killshot/Jermaine Strickland bei Lucha Underground war einfach perfekt! Ein besonderes Highlight war natürlich bei Ultima Lucha III das "Hell of War"-Match gegen Dante Fox, aber auch darüber hinaus war er eine der tragenden Säulen der 3. und 4. Staffel von Lucha Underground, wenn man auf Match-Qualität wert legt. In den Indies bleibt dann ein guter Wrestler, aber so richtig will er abseits von Lucha Underground bei mir nicht zünden, daher "nur" 9 Punkte."
[8.0] "Shane Strickland has all the makings of a superstar. He carries himself as such and is very good in the ring. Since 2017, he has made a name for himself and is one of the top talents on the independent scene. It'll be sooner not later that he'll be on a much bigger stage."
[10.0] "2018 is the year that Shane Strickland become the top guy in the independent wrestling scene. With guy like Ricochet, Keith Lee is sign with WWE, Shane step up his game and turn himself as the must seen performer in indie. He is charismatic, athletic and confident with his skill."
[7.0] "Strickland ist wirklich der King of Swerve. Im Ring ist er zwar hauptsächlich ein Spotmonkey, kann aber wirklich durch sehr elegante Manöver und Aktionen punkten. Dazu wirklich sympathisch. Auch bei LU als Killshot mehr als ordentlich und vertritt eine Bad-Ass Seite. Runde das Ganze dann auf solide 7 Punkte auf."
[8.0] "Shane Strickland is the next CZW World Champion ladies and gentlemen... King Swerve deserves it more than anybody I can think of.... You wanna talk about a guy killing it in every single match he's been having? A guy who oozes charisma and any crowd can get behind? A guy who is versatile and can work any style of match out in front of him? Shane Strickland is that.... CZW is about to hit it's destination... Swerve City.."
[7.0] "Shane Strickland gefällt mir in den US Indies doch deutlich besser als Killshot bei Lucha Underground. Vielleicht ändert sich das im Laufe der zweiten Staffel von LU ja noch."
[9.0] "Amazing highflyer. This man is an incredible wrestler and he has a potential. As Killshot in LU, he has put more eyes on him now and his popularity is growing. In-Ring he has a star quality and hits his moves with grear intensity. I love his moves and the i love his facial expressions each time he hits his move"
[9.0] "Unglaublich unterbewerteter Wrestler. Er ist, gerade bei Progress Shows, immer ein Wrestler den ich beim Card lesen null wahrnehme, aber dann hat er meistens das beste Match der Show. Unglaublich guter Flippy Wrestler welcher aber genauso gut Technische oder Hard Hitting Matches bestreiten kann."
[8.0] "Killshot aka Shane Strickland has used LU to put more eyes on him at the indie level, and many wrestling fans have token note of the fact that Shane/Killshot is talented in every sense of the word, and is poised to take his star to a whole new level if LU are willing to push him during season 3. All in all Shane/Shot is an amazing wrestler who is gaining more and more attention every day."
[8.0] "Lucha Underground has allowed Shane to finally show nationally what he can do, been following his work since his early CZW appearances and is a really good high flyer, not bad in his ground based skills and can cut a good promo too, can see a bright future for him now that he is getting TV exposure from Lucha Underground and regularly showing why he is such an impressive talent."
[8.0] "Riesen-Talent der US Indy Szene. Charismatisch ohne Ende. Tolles High-Flying und selbst in Harcore Matches kann er glänzen. Man kann nur hoffen er macht was aus seinem Potenzial."
[8.0] "Ein sehr gradliniger Worker, der nur leider mit sich selbst noch nicht weiss wo er hin soll! High-Flyer, absolut nur die Boden-Technik ist noch nicht ganz ausgereift! Charisma ist genug vorhanden, wäre aber trotzdem noch steigerungsfähig, ansonsten Top!"
