AEW secures Strickland's long-term future with big contract

AEW president Tony Khan. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

AEW secures Swerve Strickland's long-term future with massive new contract

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Aug 27, 2024 9:15 AM ET

Swerve Strickland has become a star since joining AEW in 2022. He has quickly risen the ranks and is now one of the biggest names on Tony Khan's roster. Strickland was part of the main event at AEW All In 2024 in Wembley Stadium.

According to Fightful Select, Khan has moved quickly to lock down one of his star talents. Strickland has reportedly signed one of the "biggest contracts in AEW history." The contract signing was performed on-air, with the clip circulating throughout social media.

"We’re told the contract is a multi-year contract that will keep him with the company until at least 2028, though we aren’t sure of the exact length of the deal," Fightful Select reported. "It was confirmed to Fightful that this is considered one of the biggest deals in the company’s history. AEW sources had long maintained that they'd been over the moon with Swerve's performances in and out of the ring. He's expected to remain a performer at the top of the card during his deal."

Swerve Strickland has re-signed with AEW.#AEWAllIn pic.twitter.com/2E6TrQPpNK
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) August 25, 2024

Strickland lost the AEW World Championship at AEW All In 2024 to Bryan Danielson via submission. However, it's widely expected that he will regain the title soon with Danielson expected to retire from full-time wrestling at the end of the year.

Nevertheless, Strickland's title loss hasn't dampened his impact on AEW since signing. He was the first black world champion in company history. He has stayed true to his character throughout his tenure, consistently improving while participating in some of the most memorable pay-per-view matches of the past few years.

Khan's decision to extend Strickland's contract is wise. AEW has lost multiple talents to WWE over the past few years. Losing another of its top stars would be a hammer blow to the company's development. With Strickland locked down for the foreseeable future, AEW has another elite talent to headline major events and draw in new fans.

It will be interesting to see what's next for Strickland and how AEW continues building him up as his star continues to rise.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

More must-reads: