It has been two months since former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland last competed in an AEW ring, and recent reports suggest his return might still be a few months away. Strickland has been sidelined since his match against Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada at the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view in August.
Following that match, Strickland was attacked by the returning Wardlow. An angle involving a knee injury Strickland suffered leading into the Okada match was used to write him off television. Strickland underwent surgery on August 27 to repair a torn meniscus, an injury he originally sustained back in 2019 during his time in WWE NXT.
While AEW President Tony Khan recently stated he expected Strickland back “sooner than later,” a report from Fightful Select indicated a more specific, though still tentative, timeline. According to the report, there is an “optimistic hope” that Strickland could return to action this winter, potentially in December, provided there are no setbacks in his recovery process.
Strickland’s original return storyline seemed set with Wardlow, who attacked him at Forbidden Door. However, Wardlow himself suffered a torn pectoral muscle during that same angle and is also expected to be out for a significant period. This leaves Strickland’s first feud upon his return currently unclear. We wish him a speedy recovery.
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