Swerve Strickland Makes History At AEW Dynasty

AEW World Championship Match!

Samoa Joe (c.) vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)!

Samoa Joe backed Swerve into the corner. Samoa Joe cracked Swerve with a knee to the midsection, taking the wind out of Swerve’s sails. Swerve wasted no time with a dropkick. Swerve went for a tope, but Swerve caught him and countered by planting Swerve onto the announcers’ desk!

Samoa Joe stripped back the padding from the arena floor. Swerve flipped over the top rope and rocked Samoa Joe with a knee to the head. Samoa Joe powerslammed Swerve onto the concrete! Back in the ring Samoa Joe battered Swerve with stiff shots. Samoa Joe headbutted Swerve. 

The champion swept out Swerve’s legs with a low kick. Swerve got back up, but Joe wiped him out with a back elbow. Outside the ring, Joe swung at Swerve, but Swerve dodged the strike, and Samoa Joe connected with the steel ring post! Swerve went to work on Samoa Joe’s injured arm.

“Swerve Strickland sees a weakness in the champion and he’s trying to exploit it,” said Nigel McGuinness.

Swerve planted Samoa Joe with a German Suplex. Swerve chopped Samoa Joe, who was teetering on the top turnbuckle. Swerve took Samoa Joe’s arm and drove it into the mat below! rammed him against the turnbuckles. Samoa Joe followed up with the Muscle Buster for a near fall!

“Joe’s look of disbelief tells the story,” said Jim Ross.

Samoa Joe grabbed his World title and was about to bring it into the ring, but Swerve cut him off with the House Call kick! Swerve followed up with a 450 guillotine onto Samoa Joe’s neck! Swerve climbed back up to the top turnbuckle and smashed Samoa Joe with the Swerve Stomp! Swerve covered Samoa Joe, but Samoa Joe kicked out at the two-count!

Samoa Joe dug his thumbs into Swerve’s eyes. Samoa Joe picked up the championship belt and Prince Nana jumped onto the apron, trying to alert the referee. As the referee had his back turned, Swerve picked up the title belt and swung it at Samoa Joe, but Samoa Joe countered with his Coquina Clutch submission. 

“Swerve is fading away!” said Jim Ross.

“Because of the damage to Joe’s arm, I don’t think Joe can put complete pressure onto Swerve,” added Nigel.

Swerve grabbed the thumb of Samoa Joe and managed to get to his feet. Swerve isolated the arm of Samoa Joe. Swerve grabbed one of Joe’s arms and pulled back on the other arm. Swerve cracked Samoa Joe with the House Call and covered Samoa Joe, but Samoa Joe kicked out at the two-count!

Samoa Joe and Swerve jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Swerve jumped over Samoa Joe, landed on his feet, and then power bombed Samoa Joe off the turnbuckles! Swerve sprung off the top turnbuckle and landed on Samoa Joe with the Swerve Stomp! Swerve Strickland covered Samoa Joe and pinned Samoa Joe!

“Swerve! Swerve! Swerve is your new champion!” said Jim Ross.

“You just witnessed a moment!” added Nigel McGuinness.

“Swerve Strickland wrestled the perfect match, and he was rewarded for doing so with the richest prize in our sport. Swerve Strickland can call himself not just the World Champion of All Elite Wrestling but the first ever African American World Champion of All Elite Wrestling. History has been made tonight!” said Excalibur.

And new All Elite Wrestling World Champion…Swerve Strickland!