Once a part of WWE from 2019 to 2021, Swerve Strickland left the promotion to pursue a career in AEW. Shortly after joining Tony Khan's promotion, Strickland rose in ranks and became one of the top names in the promotion.
A former World Champion and enjoying a top run in the company, Strickland recently opened up during his interview with Baller Alert, where he discussed the salaries and compensations between his current and former wrestling promotions. When asked which promotion pays their wrestlers more between AEW and WWE, Strickland noted that Khan's promotion does it “by far.”
“AEW by far because it’s guaranteed,” Swerve Strickland claimed. “They [WWE] got their select few up top. They’re just like untouchables, but a lot of those guys are starting to retire now. Cena just retired, AJ Styles just retired. Those are like the top earners. [Undertaker] 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,” Strickland added while commenting on Khan's management style. “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.”
Turned heel recently, Strickland is now scheduled to face Brody King at AEW Revolution 2026 on Mar. 15, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
