Swerve Strickland drags a meniscus tear and his immediate future in AEW remains uncertain

What seemed like a simple angle on AEW Dynamite ended up being a very real situation. Swerve Strickland was evaluated by the company's medical staff and, according to Fightful, through their Patreon subscription section, is dealing with a meniscus tear that he has been carrying since 2019, when he was still training at the Performance Center. Back then, he rested for four weeks before returning to television, but the discomfort never fully went away.

Currently, the medical team of the Jacksonville Jaguars is assisting in his recovery, although the possibility of him needing surgery is not ruled out. If surgery is confirmed, Strickland would have to take time off from AEW programming. Earlier this year, there was even consideration for him to take a break after All In, but that ultimately did not happen.

The physical issue becomes a major question mark heading into AEW Forbidden Door, where Strickland is scheduled to compete for the AEW unified title against Kazuchika Okada. If he chooses to compete, it will be under very limited conditions; if he decides to address his injury, the event's lineup could undergo a significant change.

A potential absence of Strickland would be a tough blow for AEW, as in the past year he has established himself as one of the company's main faces. His meteoric rise to the world title has positioned him as a central figure in major storylines and as a champion capable of attracting a large audience.

His presence has been crucial in shaping the new era of All Elite Wrestling, serving as one of the brand's cornerstones at a time when the competition with WWE is fiercer than ever.