Add as a preferred source on Google Swerve Strickland, who hasn’t appeared live on AEW Dynamite in a few weeks, blamed the company’s own management for his absence from programming.
In a video posted this Wednesday, the former AEW World Champion stated that he is not in Asheville, North Carolina, the site of tonight’s Dynamite, due to a decision by AEW’s management. According to him, his recent videos were filmed outside of the arenas.
“I’m not on AEW right now. I’m not on AEW Dynamite tonight in Asheville. I’m at home because of AEW management. They want to keep me off TV.”
Strickland also thanked Tony Khan for the promotional work done for Warner Bros. Discovery and for his appearance at the NFL Draft, but said it’s keeping him away from his real goal.
“You guys are stopping me from doing my job, which is getting in the ring and hurting people. The longer I’m away from the ring, the longer I’m away from the gold.”
Swerve Strickland says AEW is deliberately keeping him off TV because they’re scared of what he will do to Bandido & entire locker room.
— Drainmaker (@TheDrainmaker) May 13, 2026
“AEW management is responsible for that. You’re keeping me away from doing my freaking job and that’s hurting people.” pic.twitter.com/QVtv8t4Qq9
The comments are directly tied to Bandido. On the April 29 episode of AEW Dynamite, a vignette showed Swerve targeting the ROH World Champion, burning a wanted poster with the luchador’s face on it, in a segment alongside Prince Nana.
Swerve also claimed that AEW fears what he could do not only to Bandido, but also to the rest of the locker room, pointing to what he did to Kenny Omega earlier this year.
With Double or Nothing set for May 24 at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York City, the rivalry between Swerve and Bandido is expected to pick up new chapters soon.