Swerve Strickland says that wrestlers like Cody Rhodes and CM Punk gained more value because of AEW

While speaking on The Bootleg Kev podcast, AEW star Swerve Strickland commented on the company’s impact in the professional wrestling industry…

“I feel like when we talk about competition and wrestling, the competition is the fact that we can get that talent, and we can also match the deals, and it’s an option. So when it comes to, like, that’s where negotiation power is what makes Mercedes who she is, and that brings her stock. For the talent now where the talent can make that choice we have the option we can steer the ship and power and generate our value and like Shannon Sharpe said on Club Shay. Value is what someone’s willing to pay for you in your service so now it’s like okay our value goes up. Sasha Banks had value. Mercedes has more value now because of All Elite Wrestling existing. The same thing going the other way Cody had more value because of what All Elite Wrestling was able to do and perpetuate. Same with Punk same with Moxley coming to AEW. Our values increasing going back and forth. Ricky Starks to Saints his value increased for them to draw that interest for him, and it’s just only powering everybody’s value to go up more.

So, hopefully, that increases the value of pro wrestling in general. So everything goes up and so I feel like Mercedes was the one that to do that big for the women. Now, it makes Becky Lynch look like a little, hmm maybe? It makes New Day go, hmm maybe? Charlotte Flair, I wonder, maybe?” (quote courtesy of BloodySlam.com)