Swerve Strickland’s First Post-Win Promo on AEW Collision: Why It Missed Dynamite

The new AEW World Champion, Swerve Strickland, is set to make a grand entrance on Saturday night as he kicks off the AEW on TNT double-header with his first interview since winning the title.

On Thursday, it was revealed that Swerve Strickland’s highly anticipated interview will open this week’s episode of AEW Collision, airing live at 8:30pm EST right after the NBA on TNT coverage.

The announcement hyped up the moment, stating, “The NEW AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland kicks off AEW Collision with his FIRST Live Interview since AEW Dynasty, THIS Saturday, IMMEDIATELY following NBA coverage on TNT. Live Coast to Coast following the NBA!”

According to reports from Fightful Select, AEW strategically saved Swerve’s promo for this weekend’s show instead of showcasing it on the recent AEW Dynamite episode. Instead, they scheduled him to face off against ROH World Television Champion Kyle Fletcher in an eliminator bout.

This decision was made to build momentum for Swerve’s first interview since his victory over Samoa Joe at AEW Dynasty 2024, hoping to attract a larger audience with the lead-in from the NBA on TNT.

AEW officials are optimistic that this episode of AEW Collision will benefit from the high viewership expected from the NBA Playoffs game between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, leading directly into the show at the special start time of 8:30pm EST.

Aside from Swerve’s interview, fans can also look forward to matches like Unified Trios Champions Bullet Club Gold vs. Action Andretti & Top Flight, and “Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Anna Jay on this week’s AEW Collision episode on April 27.

Join us on Saturday night for live coverage of AEW Collision and witness the exciting start of Swerve Strickland’s reign as the new AEW World Champion.