At a time when AEW desperately needed fresh faces on tap, they capitalized on the hot momentum of Swerve Strickland at the onset of 2024 and allowed him to shine as a main-event fixture.
His booking has been a bit all over the place since his reign as AEW World champion came to end at All In 2024, but he remains extremely over with the audience and a compelling character on AEW programming. Most notably, his two-year storyline with Adam Page was paid off perfectly, and he has since shifted his focus to other adversaries and goals.
Per BodySlam.net, Strickland is out indefinitely after undergoing knee surgery following Forbidden Door in August, but his presence in the promotion alone is a massive positive. When he’s ready to return, he could once again be a perennial player in the top title picture.
Jey Uso will never be mistaken for being as well-rounded of a performer that Strickland is, but he’s had just as organic of a rise this last year and is equally popular if not more so.
Uso can work with almost anyone on the roster and still be as beloved. His crowd reactions never waver, and as a result, he’s in the main-event mix at all times. His Royal Rumble win and subsequent reign as World Heavyweight champion are proof that sometimes simple sells, even if he’s nowhere near as dynamic as other Superstars.
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