Swerve Strickland believes All Elite Wrestling could have done more to prepare Darby Allin for his AEW World Championship victory over MJF.
While Strickland praised Allin’s performances since winning the title, he suggested the original setup for the championship change may not have fully positioned Allin at the same level as previous top stars.
Speaking during an appearance on The Bootleg Kev Podcast, Strickland reflected on Allin’s surprising AEW World Title victory on the April 15 episode of AEW Dynamite.
“I feel like there could’ve been more done for Darby for that moment,” Strickland said. “I feel like it anchored Darby a little too much.”
Strickland compared Allin’s presentation to the lengthy showcase matches AEW previously built around MJF, including a 46-minute Texas Death Match and a 38-minute match against Kenny Omega.
“I’m not saying Darby’s not qualified to compete with that, but you’ve got to make Darby qualified to compete like that,” he explained. “I feel like they didn’t do him a favor with that.”
Swerve Strickland praises Darby Allin’s AEW title defenses
Despite criticizing the initial setup, Strickland made it clear he believes Allin’s championship reign has quickly overcome those concerns through sheer consistency and performance.
“But Darby is so talented that now his run is making up for that,” Strickland said.
Since defeating MJF for the title, Allin has already defended the AEW World Championship against Tommaso Ciampa, PAC, Brody King, and Kevin Knight in rapid succession.
Strickland also praised Allin’s demanding in-ring schedule and willingness to consistently work high-profile matches on television.
“He just killed it with Kevin Knight. Now he’s about to go against PAC. Then Wednesday, possibly against Okada,” Strickland said. “Who’s setting their schedules up to go like that on TV?”
He added, “He’s just so undeniably talented that you can’t — it’s undeniable.”
Strickland also briefly addressed the upcoming Hair vs. Title stipulation between Allin and MJF at Double or Nothing, although he admitted he was unsure how much fans truly cared about MJF’s hair.
Wrestling fans have debated stranger stipulations before, but this one definitely raised a few eyebrows — and possibly a few hairlines.
For now, Strickland’s comments paint a picture of a champion who may not have received the perfect creative runway, but has quickly forced audiences to believe in the reign through performance alone.
Read More: MJF Signs Hair vs. Title Contract Before Brutal Attack on Darby Allin On AEW Dynamite
