AJ Styles possibly jumping to AEW has already led to a lot of strong opinions and now Swerve Strickland is weighing in. Earlier this month, Ricochet took direct shots at Styles during an appearance on The Adrian Hernandez Show, questioning whether The Phenomenal One could even keep up in AEW and flat-out saying he didnt think Styles had the guts to make the jump. But in a February 23, 2026 interview with Monopoly Events, Swerve Strickland offered a far more confident response when asked about the possibility of Styles joining AEW. When the interviewer brought up dream matches and asked whether Swerve would want to face Styles in AEW, Swerve flipped the narrative immediately. Instead of chasing a marquee matchup, Swerve made it clear he sees himself as the destination now. Still, there was no disrespect in his tone. In fact, Swerve went out of his way to give Styles his flowers. He continued, crediting Styles as one of the architects of the modern in-ring style that so many AEW stars now embody. Swerve even pointed to the ripple effect Styles has had across multiple eras and companies. Then came the part fans were waiting for would he welcome Styles to AEW? Unlike Ricochets hard no, Swerve left the door wide open. As of now, theres been no confirmed AEW offer, though Fightful Select previously reported that many within AEW expect the company would pursue Styles if he became available. Meanwhile, Styles is set to receive a tribute on the February 23, 2026 edition of Monday Night Raw, and beyond that, his future remains unclear. One thing is certain: while Ricochet questioned whether AJ Styles belongs in AEW, Swerve Strickland just made it clear that if Styles shows up, he wont be chasing him hell be waiting for him. If AJ Styles shows up in AEW, should Swerve Strickland be first in line or is there a bigger dream match waiting? Let us know in the comments. Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication. G Add as a preferred source on Google
