AEW’s resident mogul and chaos conductor, Swerve Strickland, is showing resilience after last week’s brutal ambush by The Hurt Syndicate on Dynamite. Following his decisive win over Lio Rush, Strickland’s celebration was cut short when Bobby Lashley’s wrecking crew unleashed a devastating beatdown that left fans wondering if Strickland would make it to Full Gear.
Taking to X, Strickland shared an ominous X-ray of his shoulder with a caption warning about The Hurt Syndicate’s underhanded tactics. While the image didn’t scream “career-ending,” Strickland kept fans in the dark about the full extent of his injury. AEW hasn’t confirmed any downtime for the former AEW World Champion, leaving his match against Bobby Lashley this Saturday hanging in the balance like a ladder in a TLC match.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Strickland’s rivalry with Lashley’s faction has been heating up ever since Shelton Benjamin and MVP burst onto the AEW scene at WrestleDream, forming a powerhouse stable that has targeted Strickland relentlessly. Saturday’s showdown is supposed to be the culmination of weeks of animosity—but if Swerve is too banged up to compete, Lashley could find himself sitting on the sidelines, plotting instead of pummeling.
Despite the uncertainty, Strickland has been hyping the match like he’s already booked to win. Whether it’s supreme confidence or top-tier mind games, fans will have to tune into Dynamite this Wednesday for updates. Either way, one thing is clear: The Hurt Syndicate may have delivered the pain, but it’s Strickland who’s keeping everyone guessing.