AEW Facing Major Problem With Swerve Strickland
AEW is trying to position Swerve Strickland as a heel, but the fans do not seem ready to accept the change.
Strickland brutally attacked Kenny Omega after their match on the February 18 edition of Dynamite, signaling a turn to his dark side. He then delivered an intense promo on the February 25 episode of Dynamite, establishing himself as a heel.
During the promo, Strickland received a mixed reaction from the crowd, with both cheers and boos. The reaction suggested that the audience is not prepared to see Strickland undergo a major character shift at this point.
Fans Love Swerve Strickland As A Babyface
Speaking on a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained the situation. Meltzer stated that AEW turning Swerve Strickland into a heel is going to be a tough job because the fans are not ready to accept that change.
According to Meltzer, the crowd reactions show that Swerve Strickland remains popular, making a heel turn difficult to execute right now.
“The fans want to do ‘Whose house? Whose house?’ They want it so bad they’re not allowed to do it. It was a weird one because it was like they didn’t really cheer him, but there were some cheers. They didn’t really boo him, but there were some scattered boos.”
“It’s like the people don’t want to boo him. They want their Swerve that they can go, ‘Whose house? Swerve’s house,’ and all that. And I don’t want this version. So it’s going to be real tough for him. I’m not saying it’s impossible. It’s going to be tough for him. And this was a real example because it was like he was really trying to get heat and he was getting just a little of it at best.”