Wrestling On FanNation

Swerve Strickland Legitimately Injured Ahead Of AEW Forbidden Door, Could Miss Time

Former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland could need time away from the ring after Forbidden Door this Sunday.
Rick Ucchino|
Swerve Strickland
Swerve Strickland | Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

Swerve Strickland is just days away from facing Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Unified Championship at Forbidden Door, but he could miss some time away from the ring after that match is over.

It was noted on a recent episode of AEW Dynamite that the former AEW World Champion had been consulting company doctors about a knee injury, and it turns out that angle had a fair amount of truth to it.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select is now reporting that Swerve has been dealing with a knee problem for years, but he may now be in a spot where he has to get it fixed.

"Fightful Select confirmed that Swerve is actually working with a torn meniscus, and that it isn’t anything new. He’s actually had a tear in his meniscus since 2019 when he was training at the Performance Center. At the time, he rested it for four weeks and was back on television."

Swerve has reportedly been getting help from the Jacksonville Jaguars medical staff recently, AEW President Tony Khan is the Chief Football Strategy Officer and co-owner of the team, but surgery could be on the table after Forbidden Door comes to a close.

AEW has been hit by the injury bug in 2025

Swerve Strickland retained the world title in a phenomenal main event against Will Ospreay
Swerve Strickland & Will Ospreay | AEW

Swerve Strickland is unfortunately not the only AEW star battling through an injury right now, as Will Ospreay will also apparently require surgery in the near future.

PWInsider's Mike Johnson has reported that Ospreay's comments on AEW Dynamite Wednesday night were legitimate and that the Aerial Assassin is facing an uncertain in-ring future due to a neck problem.

If both Swerve and Ospreay do have to miss time, they'll join Adam Cole as the latest top male performers to hit injured reserve. The former TNT Champion had to relinquish his title at All In London after suffering a concussion prior to his scheduled match with Kyle Fletcher.

Switchblade Jay White could be out the rest of the year, according to Tony Khan. Orange Cassidy reportedly suffered a torn pec over the summer, while Pac, Eddie Kingston and Buddy Matthews are all working their way back from varying leg and ankle issues.

Harley Cameron just returned on AEW Collision last Saturday after having surgery on her nose, but there is still no word on when Jamie Hayter will be cleared to compete after she was hurt at Double or Nothing earlier this year.

The Takedown on SI wishes everyone the absolute best recovery possible.

The Latest on WWE, AEW & More

WWE Star Reveals The Storyline That Made Her Love Professional Wrestling

R-Truth's Latest Album Cracks Billboard Top-10 List

Mercedes Moné Reveals Reaction To WWE Star Naomi's Pregnancy (Exclusive)

Mysterious Details Surrounding Hulk Hogan's Death Has Brooke Hogan Seeking Answers

Published
Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

Home/AEW