AEW star Swerve Strickland spoke with KOMO News about various topics, including what differentiates pro wrestling shows from other sporting events.
Strickland said, “It’s the passion, not only just in the performers, but in the fan base. Like, when you go in, you’re encapsulated with the atmosphere. I’ve had friends of mine that haven’t watched wrestling ever, who haven’t watched wrestling in years, who have been a fan of another product, many products for so long, and they come to our shows, I sit ’em front row, or I sit ’em, no matter where they sit, the fans, truly encapsulate what it would feel like to be in a pro wrestling environment. You feel a part of it. It’s not just like you’re just spectating and just watching something happen. You really feel like you are a part of it. A lot of them feel inspired.”
On the fans:
“They want to go out and do it on their own. Like, hey, don’t even invite me. I will go to whatever is out there, and it inspires them to bring other people, bring their kids along, bring their wives and husbands and family members, and it brings them in. I feel like that’s the beautiful thing, and then, you also get invested in the people in the ring. You’re seeing a lot of innovation going on. You know, a lot of times, like, in media, people are afraid to push those boundaries or push those certain buttons.”
On being encouraged to push buttons in AEW:
“Well, we’re encouraged to do that in All Elite Wrestling. I don’t get to where I’m at without that. You don’t get a lot of the new superstars of our era without that, pushing those buttons. I feel like for the longest time in our industry, especially in pro wrestling, we’ve been afraid to do that. With Tony Khan, he encourages it, you know? Certain boundaries we can’t go. But even still, you never know. That might change as well, and I encourage everybody in our roster and the industry of professional wrestling and media to do.”
You can check out Strickland’s comments in the video below.
(H/T to Fightful for transcribing the above quotes)
