There are so many elements to creating an unforgettable wrestling entrance, but it’s clear that AEW’s Swerve Strickland has the process down to a science. Look no further than Strickland’s epic entrance at tonight’s AEW Double or Nothing, which saw the star debut some insanely slick Predator gear, which came complete with an actual Predator helmet and weapons, including the trademark clawed gauntlet. It was a rather amazing way to start off Anarchy in the Arena, and you can watch the entrance for yourself in the video below.
The entrance was pretty great even before fans saw the gear up close, as the lights were dimmed and the entrance ramp was flooded with red lasers and smoke. Emerging from the smoke was Strickland, and as the lights came up, fans got to see the full gear in all its glory, though it got even better.
As the lights came up, the LED screens behind him were all in Predator vision mode, displaying that trademark heat signature visual from the films as Strickland’s name was emblazoned on top. Strickland would eventually take the helmet off as he made his way to the ring, and it all made for an unforgettable start to what was going to end up being an equally unforgettable match.
Anarchy in the Arena matches are known for taking place all over the arena, and this one kept that tradition alive with brawls in the crowd, outside the arena doors, and in the ring. The two teams battled it out everywhere, and as you have also come to expect from this type of match, things didn’t take long to get brutal.
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Some memorable moments of this in action include Jon Moxley attacking Powerhouse Hobbs with a fork to the head, Samoa Joe slamming Claudio Castagnoli’s head with a trash can lid, Willow Nightingale smashing a bottle over Mina Shafir’s head, and Katsuyori Shibata kicking Wheeler Yuta with a barbed wire-covered boot.
Things continued to get more chaotic as the match went on, with Castagnoli swinging Strickland into a large speaker, a host of people being smashed through tables, and Nightingale having her earring locked to a chain around the ring post. Then there was a battle of the staple guns, which had Strickland stapling Moxley on the throat, Yuta on the body, Castagnoli on the head, and Matthew Jackson on the groin.
Strickland then upped the ante and put on his new shoes, though they were adorned with thumb-tack cleats. Then Strickland delivered a stomp from the top rope onto Jackson in a moment that looked absolutely painful, closing out an epic brawl.
AEW Double or Nothing
- AEW Women’s World Championship Match: “Timeless” Toni Storm (C) def. Mina Shirakawa
- AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (C) vs. Sons of Texas (Sammy Guevera & Dustin Rhodes)
- Men’s Owen Hart Cup Final: Will Ospreay vs. Hangman Adam Page
- Women’s Owen Hart Cup Final: Mercedes Moné def. Jamie Hayter
- Anarchy in the Arena: Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, the Opps & Willow Nightingale def. Death Riders & Young Bucks
- AEW Continental Championship Match: Kazuchika Okada def. Speedball Bailey
- Stretcher Match: Ricochet def. Mark Briscoe
- FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) def. Nigel McGuinness & Daniel Garcia
- Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher & Josh Alexander) def. Paragon (AEW TNT Champion Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong)
- AEW Double or Nothing Buy In: Anna Jay & Harley Cameron def. Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
- AEW Double or Nothing Buy In: Bandido, AR Fox and Los Titanes Del Aire def. RPG Vice & CRU
What did you think of Strickland’s Predator gear? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
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