All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Stephon “Swerve” Strickland is no stranger to big moments and the pressure that comes with them.
A 15-year veteran in the pro wrestling industry, he has had countless big moments, whether it was in smaller promotions like Lucha Underground or the bright lights and big stages of Wembley Stadium in England and soon-to-be Globe Life Field in Texas.
Strickland has consistently found a way to turn his entrance theme song, “Big Pressure,” into even bigger moments.
Last April, Strickland was set to challenge for the AEW world championship, the wrestling promotion’s top prize, and entered the ring dressed in Killmonger-inspired gear. Swerve has mentioned before that he chose the Black Panther villain’s gear because he not only needed the mindset of a warrior but also that of someone willing to do whatever it takes to capture the throne. Ultimately, it was that moment that led to Strickland getting his own Reebok collaboration.
That same mindset and approach explains why Allen Iverson and his signature line were a perfect fit for Strickland to choose from.
Iverson, a Basketball Hall of Famer, often carried that warrior mentality onto the court. It led to more than a dozen editions of his shoe, a seven-time All-NBA selection, league MVP, plus a universal cultural love and appreciation that few athletes ever receive.
Much like Iverson changed the game on and off the court, Strickland aims to do similarly with wrestling, and his Reebok collaboration is the first step. This is the story of how Strickland turned a career of big moments into a must-have shoe, plus much more.
Our conversation has been lightly edited and condensed.
AEW
You’re the first Black world champion in AEW history, and now you’re the first Black athlete from AEW to receive your own sneaker. How did we get here?
I always like to remind people that I wasn’t the first Black champion of any kind in AEW. Those honors go to Scorpio Sky and Nyla Rose, respectively. When I arrived at AEW, I knew that those accolades had already been achieved, so I started looking for ways to do something that would forever be associated with me. When it came to the AEW world title, the spot just molded itself to me. It became “Swerve should be the first Black world champion.” The same thing applied when Keith Lee and I became the first Black AEW World Tag Team Champions.
Those moments, such as the AEW World title win, the feud and Texas Death Match with Hangman [Adam] Page, and All In [events] with Bryan Danielson, all brought the sneaker idea to me. So why not commemorate those moments with a pair of shoes? That’s why the Killmonger gear inspired the design of the shoes. It’s one of the biggest moments in my career, and now fans have a chance to share that moment in a unique way.
Given the importance of Reebok to the culture, does that make this shoe extra special?
To have a cosign from Allen Iverson and Reebok is special. Shaq and Allen Iverson are back at Reebok, helping to bring the brand back to the forefront. Angel Reese is there and will have her first signature shoe soon. It’s a beautiful thing to see all of the waves coming together at the same time.
AEW
Were you given a specific model, or did they allow you to pick whatever you wanted?
I was given Allen Iverson’s signature line to choose from. They gave me about five models to choose from. The Answer 1, 2, 3, and, if I’m not mistaken, the Answer 5s were also an option. When I was looking at them, there was just something about the Answer 3 that stood out to me. I knew that I could do so much with them.
What were some of the things that the model allowed you to do?
I placed my emblem on the outer back heel of the shoe. Being able to put “Big Pressure” (Strickland’s theme song) inside of the tongue. Having the Iverson “I3” logo on the shoe was essential to me. I wanted to honor the shoe and Iverson.
The Answer 3 isn’t the shoe that immediately comes to mind when most think of Iverson. It’s usually the Question or the Answer 4.
Once again, it’s about creating moments and making them identifiable. I wanted the shoe to be associated with Swerve. It has its history, but I wanted to be one of the first things that would come to mind when you see that model.
Iverson was an agent of change in the NBA, and you represent that for AEW, which makes this a perfect marriage.
Iverson was a trendsetter. He and AND1 had people wearing headbands, durags, and shooting sleeves to school. That’s always something I wanted to do in wrestling. To have that crossover appeal, where you see it in the wrestling ring and go, “I wanna wear this in my everyday life.” Mercedes (AEW star Mercedes Mone) recently posted a photo of her wearing them, so now women see that they can style these.
There are numerous personal touches throughout the shoe. You mentioned “Big Pressure” earlier; your catchphrase “Whose house?” is on the tongue. What’s the most significant thing on the shoe?
It’s my emblem on the heel. I always chased having a logo that could be my version of the Bat-Signal in the air. To have my face on a shoe, which can go south quickly and be cheesy, endorsed by Allen Iverson, Reebok, and sold at Champs Sports, has just checked off so many boxes. I never intended for this; it just naturally happened, and that’s honestly how the whole process was.
Moments and having a natural fit are recurring themes in your life and career.
Everything should feel and flow as naturally as possible. I just let things fall into place. If things are telling you to go a certain way, why fight it? If everybody involved feels good about the product and, more importantly, the company feels good about the person they’re promoting, then it’s a win-win situation. I want people to feel good about this product and purchasing it. We take a similar approach in AEW, focusing on making people feel good about consuming our product and spending their time or money on it.
One hundred and sixty dollars for a sneaker is not easy money. I don’t want people to feel like they lost out or wasted $160. I want them to get their money’s worth.
That’s not the worst price, as most Jordans are $200 or more. However, in this economy, people will still feel it in their pockets.
Absolutely. I don’t take that for granted at all. People chose to invest that money into something I’ve done, which I greatly appreciate. That’s why it doesn’t matter if you’re a WWE superstar like (WWE wrestler) Big E or a young Charlie with 10 followers; the least I can do is acknowledge that you went out of your way to make a purchase to support me.
Being the No.1 selling shoe at Champs Sports blew my mind. People are always going to buy Jordans and the like. They’ve earned their place in the culture, but this felt like a special moment that people wanted to be a part of.
I always thank AEW and (AEW president) Tony Khan for putting me in a position to be there and for allowing me to be that guy. It doesn’t happen anywhere else for me. This company and these people believed in me so much to push the button for this to happen.
If Reebok/AEW comes back to you and says, ‘Let’s do another pair,’ do you have an idea?
I’ve been thinking about it. I have an idea, but unfortunately I have to keep that close to the vest. However, know it’ll be something special. That’s the beauty of me as a performer: You never know which way I’m going to go.
If someone comes to you for advice about pursuing their dream after being inspired by your shoe, what would you tell them?
The first thing to understand is that, depending on how big or outlandish your dream may seem to you or others, you must ask yourself what you are willing to sacrifice for it. Because you’re going to have to lose something — time, money, relationships, sleep. The payoff has to be bigger than those things you lost and sacrificed along the way.
I have two daughters, 15 and 13 years old, and I have sacrificed a lot in my relationship with my oldest. She’s the first, so she was the one who felt a lot of pain from my absence due to the grind of pro wrestling. Knowing that I’ll have to deal with this later, I’m having those conversations with her now. That was my biggest sacrifice, but the payoff for it was being able to buy her and her mother a new house. It was to provide something for them and to ensure their safety.
That’s why I say this is my passion. A passion is something that you grind for and love that doesn’t always love you back. It’s easy to love something that constantly rewards you, but what happens when it doesn’t love you back or reward you?
I’d tell them to find that passion for whatever they’re chasing, whether it’s being a better parent, getting a promotion, or whatever it may be. Just know that the sacrifice will be there. Sometimes, you have to take a break, and then things fall into place. Sometimes, you keep pushing and grinding and finally get that “lucky” break, but you have to put in the work and make the sacrifices.
Who on the AEW roster would you like to see get a shoe next?
It has to be a woman.
Mercedes? Maybe Willow Nightingale?
Mercedes is the biggest one and the go-to. It would be interesting to see where she would take it. Toni Storm is also another person deserving of a shoe. Toni is a storyteller. To see how she would do a timeless sneaker would be interesting. You can’t go wrong with either one, and they would likely sell out.
AEW is heading toward its biggest show of the year, All In. For those who may not be fans of pro wrestling or AEW but the shoes have caught their attention, what would you say to them to encourage them to check out All In or AEW in general?
This is another historic moment. AEW’s first stadium show in the U.S. As I mentioned earlier, that support is tremendous for us and helps us create a brand. Your support would truly help us take the next step, and we would love for you to be a part of it. Because you matter, we (AEW) matter. We will not let you down when it comes to the time, the money, the energy, the travel, the enjoyment, the entertainment, and just general love and appreciation that you put into it as a fan or us as performers.
This is a love letter to professional wrestling from All Elite Wrestling. All In July 12, Arlington, Texas. Whether you can make it there or watch it at home, we appreciate your support. If what you already see doesn’t sell you, over the next couple of weeks you’ll be sold.
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