Swerve Strickland has addressed his heel turn during the February 18, 2026 main event of AEW Dynamite, explaining why the moment made sense creatively—particularly with Kenny Omega as his opponent.
Speaking with BleedingCool.com, Strickland said the timing and opponent were key to making the turn impactful.
“It was needed, and it was needed with the right person at the right time with Kenny Omega. There’s no more of a lightning rod of attention in AEW to get than Kenny Omega. Everybody’s always interested in what Kenny is doing when he’s on screen, when he’s active, and he’s very much healthy and at his best. There’s no more of a top performer in the industry than Kenny Omega.”
Strickland emphasized that the length and intensity of the match helped amplify the moment.
“So going over 25 minutes with him in the main event, taking him out at the end the way that I did, it sparked a lot of noise throughout the industry. It sparked a lot of noise throughout AEW.”
He also hinted at how the turn could influence his direction moving forward, including his dynamic with Prince Nana.
“That also woke up Nana in a lot of ways. In a lot of different ways, I’m able to navigate and move through AEW the way that I want to. The way I’m meant to, I would say.”
