Swerve Strickland had the internet fired up after claiming that AEW helped boost the careers of top WWE stars like Cody Rhodes and CM Punk. But after fans flooded social media disagreeing with him, Strickland wasted no time firing back.
The backlash started after Stricklands comments on the Bootleg Kev podcast went viral. He originally stated, Cody had more value because of what AEW was able to do, same with Punk, same with Moxley coming to AEW. Ricky Starks to Saints. But many fans werent having it, arguing that stars like Rhodes and Punk were already established long before their AEW runs.
Seeing the heat his take was getting, Strickland took to Twitter, writing, God forbid you like your job.
Thats when a fan jumped in, asking, I miss something? Another user responded, He said Punk and Cody is bigger because AEW.
Strickland wasnt about to let that slide. Quote-tweeting the response, he corrected the claim, writing, Wrong, I said increased their value.
The debate continues, with fans still divided over whether AEW truly helped elevate Punk and Rhodesor if they would have reached the same heights regardless.
Love it or hate it, Swerve Strickland isnt walking back his words. Hes standing firm on AEWs role in elevating top talent, and if fans dont like it, thats their problem. Whether you agree with him or not, theres no denying that Cody, Punk, and Mone have all seen their stock rise in recent years. But is AEW really the reason? Or is Strickland just stirring the pot?
What do you think? Did AEW increase their value, or is Swerve giving AEW too much credit? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
