Wrestler Profile

Swerve Strickland

Swerve Strickland made history as the first Black AEW World Champion — the crowning of a slow-built, self-made main-eventer. After runs in Lucha Underground, MLW and WWE's NXT as Isaiah Swerve Scott, he arrived in AEW in 2022 and methodically became its most compelling act.

His villainous ascent through the Mogul Embassy included the notorious blood-soaked Texas Death Match against Hangman Page — one of the most violent matches in AEW history — before crowds simply refused to boo him anymore. Whose house? The chant answered itself. He won the world title at Dynasty 2024 and defended it with cinematic flair.

A hip-hop artist with legitimate music industry credentials, Swerve brings crossover cool few wrestlers possess. WrestleRanks voters made him a fixture at the top of fan balloting throughout his championship run.

Promotions

Swerve Strickland is associated with AEW (2024–2026).

Championship history

• AEW World Championship (AEW) — Former champion · 1 reign
• AEW World Tag Team Championship (AEW) — Former champion · 1 reign · with Keith Lee
• AEW World Trios Championship (AEW) — Current champion · 1 reign · with Kofi Kingston & Austin Creed (The New Level) · Current AEW World Trios Champion; won the vacated-into-play titles in a Roulette Royale alongside The New Level (Kofi Kingston & Austin Creed) at All In London.

PWI rankings history

Swerve Strickland has been ranked in the PWI 500 6 times, first at No. 191 in 2020 and most recently at No. 7 in 2025. The highest placement is No. 2, reached in 2024.

Placements by year: 2020 (No. 191), 2021 (No. 185), 2022 (No. 82), 2023 (No. 112), 2024 (No. 2), 2025 (No. 7).

Compiled from the annual rankings published by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. See the 2025 edition.

Swerve Strickland in the WrestleRanks rankings

Swerve Strickland is tracked as a professional wrestler on WrestleRanks. WrestleRanks standings are decided one week at a time, from fan voting and editor input. Read more about how our rankings work, or see the live, interactive profile with weekly rank history and voting on the Swerve Strickland ranking page.

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