AEW's Swerve Strickland Shares Photo With Top WWE NXT Star
AEW star Swerve Strickland has posted a photo with WWE star Carmelo Hayes, accompanied by a lyric as the caption.
The former WWE star seemingly met the "WWE NXT" star at a gym, with Strickland adding a caption from the J. Cole song "Middle Child": "They act like two legends can't co exist" 😂🤜🏿🌟🤛🏿
"They act like two legends can't co exist" 😂
🤜🏿🌟🤛🏿 pic.twitter.com/H1HlTOygzl
— The Realest Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) March 16, 2024
Strickland and Hayes were at the same time in WWE for a brief period, before the former's release from the promotion in 2021. Hayes had joined WWE in early 2021, quickly rising up the ranks in "NXT," during which time he came face-to-face with Strickland, with the two meeting in the ring just once. The singles match between the two came on the October 12, 2021 episode of "NXT," where the WWE star cashed in his Breakout Tournament contract against Strickland, who had defended the "NXT" North American Championship against Santos Escobar minutes before Hayes' cashing in of his contract. Hayes won that match and began his first run with the title, which he has won twice in his WWE career so far.
The duo couldn't have a rematch as Strickland — along with the rest of Hit Row and other WWE stars — was let go by WWE just a month later. Both Strickland and Hayes have had a phenomenal year or so, with both stars finding success in their respective companies. Hayes has held the "NXT" Championship and has wrestled on "WWE Raw," while Strickland has had a shot at the AEW World Championship, and has been targeting the world title for some time now.