Swerve Strickland says that Mogul Affiliates is unlike anything the wrestling industry has seen before.
Strickland debuted at AEW Revolution 2022. He gradually formed an alliance with Keith Lee, and the duo (collectively known as Swerve in Our Glory) won the AEW World Tag Team Championship in July. They later lost the gold to The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam 2022.
Throughout their feud with The Acclaimed, Strickland became increasingly aggressive, and Lee walked out on him during their rematch for the titles at AEW Full Gear. Strickland then abandoned Lee during their match at ROH Final Battle 2022, and he later unveiled Mogul Affiliates on the December 21 episode of AEW Dynamite. The group includes Parker Boudreaux, Trench (Granden Goetzman), and, to a lesser extent, Rick Ross. They attacked Lee upon their arrival, and the faction has established itself as a force to be reckoned with. Boudreaux and Trench helped Strickland beat Brian Pillman Jr. on the February 3 episode of AEW Rampage, and Dustin Rhodes saved the second-generation star from a post-match attack.
In a digital exclusive interview AEW posted on their Twitter page, Strickland was asked about his dark side, which particularly became apparent when Mogul Affiliates debuted. He responded by wondering whether this new version of him is the person he was meant to be. Strickland brought up the downfall of his team with Lee and stated that he's willing to do what it takes to be successful.
“[People] think these guys are changing me. Maybe this is something I’ve always been. You ever thought about that? Has anybody in AEW ever thought about that? Maybe this is what Swerve always was, or what I’m destined to be. I’m noticing that nobody’s willing to take it to lengths they have to to be successful. The ones that do get all the glory. Speaking of glory, Swerve in Our Glory is dead because of Keith Lee not being able to do what was necessary to win, to be successful. To win championships, to get this money. I am. I see the vision, I see it, way before anybody else does. All the doubters, I see them. I see them every day, every week, taking all this mess about Swerve and Mogul Affiliates. This is a brilliant idea. Why are these guys with him? I don’t care. I know what this is about," Strickland said.
Strickland shifted gears and turned his attention to Rhodes and Pillman Jr. He noted that, like other second-generation wrestlers, their fathers helped them get into the business. Strickland stated that he had to work for his success, and he asked Boudreaux and Trench about their backgrounds. They made it clear that they didn't have that kind of help either. Strickland emphasized that Mogul Affiliates will be the first generation of something that has never been seen before.
"Now as far as Dustin Rhodes and Brian Pillman Jr., some other privileged guys getting everything they wanted, getting hand-fed all the success, all the legacy, all the glory from all their fathers, getting them them into the business. I had to work for mine. I didn’t have a third-generation, second generation, first generation father or mother to get me to where I am. I had to do it on my own. Parker, did you have that? Trench, did you have that? No, none of them had anything. We’re more in common than anybody thinks. We gonna build this from the ground up. This is the first generation of something that you’ve never seen before, something that AEW has never seen before, something the wrestling industry has never seen before. Right now I’m loving what we’re doing. Whoever’s in the way, [mimics shooting and laughs]," Strickland said.
In an interview, Strickland discussed Mogul Affiliates and their influence in the culture. Click here to see what he had to say.
Chris Jericho recently stated that the ratings go up whenever Strickland is on TV. Check out his comments here.
Catch up on our coverage of AEW Rampage here. For a full review, check out our post-show podcast on our YouTube channel.
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