Swerve Strickland Explains Why AEW Pays Better Than WWE

Swerve Strickland goes into detail as to why AEW pays its wrestlers better than WWE.

Former WWE Superstar Swerve Strickland signed with the company back in 2019 and was immediately assigned to the NXT brand. He would eventually be called up to the main roster as a member of Hit Row before the faction was released in November 2021. Following this 90-day non-compete, Strickland would make his AEW debut at Revolution in March 2022.

In his time with All Elite Wrestling, Strickland has managed to make the company his home with a reign as both World Champion and Tag Team Champion alongside Keith Lee. Despite WWE's interest in bringing Strickland back to the company, he has chosen to firmly remain with AEW.

Swerve Strickland AEW — Swerve Strickland | AEW Twitter

Strickland credits Tony Khan's mindset for the reason talent are paid better in AEW

Strickland was a recent guest on Baller Alert, and when asked if WWE or AEW pays its talent better, Strickland didn't hesitate to say that AEW pays its talent better "by far" due to their guaranteed contracts, noting that only the very top talents in WWE are making that kind of guaranteed money.

"AEW by far," Swerve Strickland declared. "By far, because it's guaranteed. They got their select few up top, like top, top, top, just like, untouchables. But a lot of those guys are starting to retire now. Cena just retired, AJ Styles retired. Those are like the top top earners. Taker can't go no more. So, that pyramid is starting to get really pointy and small up top.

"If I could compare the two, Tony Khan owns AEW. He's also a part-owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Fulham soccer team in the UK. He treats the roster not like talent, but athletes. There's player coaches and there's system coaches. He's a player's booker. He's in tune with his talent and his roster and where to put those guys. He utilized this very well, and it's like a scheme on a football team.

"So that's why me and him gel very, very well. Because he knows my strengths, he knows where I belong. He knows how to utilize all his players in the right way. So, therefore, he knows how to pay them too and motivate them in certain ways."

Swerve Strickland could do something unforgivable at AEW Revolution

In order to solidify himself as the most dangerous man in AEW, Swerve Strickland could do something this Sunday at Revolution that could be deemed unforgivable in the eyes of many fans.

Sure, Strickland has already been announced to take on Brody King in a match that could easily steal the show this weekend. But that's not what fans should be keeping an eye on when it comes to Swerve on Sunday evening.

Swerve Strickland (left) and Hangman Page (right) engage in a promo battle on AEW Dynamite. — Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page | Ricky Havlik - All Elite Wrestling

Hangman Adam Page will be competing in the main event of the show against MJF in a Texas Deathmatch for the AEW World Championship. If Hangman loses, he will no longer be able to challenge for the AEW World Title for the rest of his career.

Strickland was a deciding factor at All In: Texas in assisting Page in defeating Jon Moxley in a Texas Deathmatch to capture the AEW World Championship for a second time. However, this time things could go terribly wrong.

If Swerve decided to cut his long-time rival out of the AEW World Title picture to give him an easier path to the title, as well as long-term revenge for burning down his childhood home, this could be something that the AEW fanbase would never forgive him for.