Top AEW Star Wants To Dethrone MJF For The AEW World Title

AEW

Top star and former AEW World Tag Team Champion Swerve Strickland wants to dethrone MJF for the AEW World Title.

Throughout the second half of 2023, Swerve Strickland has skyrocketed in popularity and gained plenty of momentum after defeating Hangman Adam Page twice.

Strickland has also expressed his desire to become the first African American AEW World Champion on several occasions on TV and in interviews.

On the December 20 edition of AEW Dynamite, Swerve confronted MJF backstage and further teased a potential showdown between the two.

Speaking on ROAR Around The Ring, Swerve Strickland was asked whether he specifically wanted to face MJF or if he simply has his sights on the gold. He answered:

“It’d be very interesting to go up against MJF. He’s making history right now, the youngest champion, the longest-reigning champion who’s had an incredible year in the industry.”

“There’s a lot more history with MJF than a lot of guys that I have on the roster. That’s someone I used to travel on the road with back in the day, literally spent hours driving throughout the night with.”

“He used to be kind of like a young boy to me at the time. But now to see where he’s at in the industry, it’s something that I knew would happen with him eventually if he stuck to it, and of course, he’s blowing everything out of the water with what he’s doing.”

“So that is someone specifically I would love to take the championship off of because a lot of people are like, ‘Who’s next? Who’s the next in line?’”

“If I’m the one that’s next in line to go after him while he has that championship, I want to definitely be the one to take that off him because there’s a lot of personal animosity,”

Referencing his recent confrontation with MJF, Swerve said:

“As you saw on AEW Dynamite, that was our first interaction after almost a year and a half, almost two years after me being in the company. There’s a reason for that.”

“I feel like he was ducking me and dodging me. He’s been writing lists and all that stuff for a while. I’m like, well, you left my name off that list for a reason.”

“I’m kind of someone he knows not to cross, and that’s why I think that’d be a great opportunity for me to take the championship off of him specifically,”

Swerve Strickland is set to face Keith Lee in a first time singles match between the former AEW World Tag Team Champions on this Saturday’s AEW Worlds End pay-per-view.

Meanwhile, MJF will defend the AEW World Title against Samoa Joe in the main event. For the full lineup for the event, click here.

Transcription via Fightful

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• Swerve Strickland
• AEW World Championship
• mjf
• AEW

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