AEW's Swerve Strickland Touts Himself As The 'American Story'

Tickets for next year's AEW All In are officially on sale, with the company holding a live-streamed promotional event earlier this week featuring some of its biggest stars. That includes former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, who spoke to the Texas crowd about his career following a brief confrontation with Bobby Lashley.

"There's a man, Stephen A. Smith — I'm quoting him by saying, 'I'm not the American dream. I'm the American story,'" Strickland said. "I got to this progression not just by hoping and wishing and luck. I got it from hard work, consistency, and perseverance."

Encouraging others to take inspiration from his story, Strickland continued by stating that he has never stopped believing in himself and has opted not to take no for an answer throughout his career. Whenever the wrestler runs into "a roadblock," Strickland said that he always got up and continued pushing forward with more intensity.

Looking ahead to next year's stadium show, Strickland declared that, at All In, they're going to make Globe Life Field into Swerve's House. That show is set to take place on July 12, 2025.

In addition to Strickland and Lashley, Monday's promotional event featured appearances from Sting, Mercedes Mone, and the Costco Guys — "Big Boom" AJ and his son, Big Justice. According to AEW CEO Tony Khan, ticket revenue for All In surpassed $1 million from presale alone. It will be the company's first stadium show in the United States, and the first time any promotion outside of WWE has run a stadium in the country since the days of WCW.

As it's still eight months away, there's no telling what matches could be scheduled for the event. However, it will be the promotion's biggest show of the year, so it's safe to assume that the card will be loaded up with AEW's top stars.