Swerve Strickland Battling Legitimate Torn Meniscus Ahead of Forbidden Door Title Match
The injury woes inside AEW continue, and this time they’ve struck one of the company’s biggest stars. Former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland is reportedly working through a legitimate torn meniscus as he prepares for his upcoming championship clash at Forbidden Door.
The news was first mentioned on commentary during the August 13 edition of AEW Dynamite, where doctors were said to be evaluating Strickland’s knee. A report from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select has since confirmed that the injury is indeed real — and not just a storyline wrinkle.
A Lingering Issue
Strickland’s knee problems trace back years. According to the report, he originally suffered a meniscus tear during his time at the WWE Performance Center in 2019. After a brief four-week recovery back then, he was able to return to the ring. But the fast-paced, high-impact style that has made him one of AEW’s most dynamic performers has only added strain to the old injury.
Now, the situation has flared up again at a crucial moment in his career. AEW sources note that Strickland is receiving treatment not only from AEW’s medical team but also from staff associated with the Jacksonville Jaguars — the NFL franchise owned by AEW boss Tony Khan. Surgery has not been ruled out, which could mean significant time away from the ring if the issue worsens.
A Career on Fire
Since arriving in AEW, Strickland has become one of the company’s defining stars. After his release from WWE, he reinvented himself, leading the Mogul Embassy and later elevating his career with a blood-soaked rivalry against “Hangman” Adam Page that fans still talk about as one of AEW’s best.
That run of momentum carried him to the top. In April 2024, at Dynasty, Strickland etched his name in history by defeating Samoa Joe to capture the AEW World Championship — becoming the first African American man to hold AEW’s top prize.
Although his reign was cut short, Strickland remains firmly in the title picture. He is now slated to challenge Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Unified Championship at Forbidden Door on August 24 in London — a main event spot that underscores his status as one of AEW’s most important stars.
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🎙️ Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
The timing of this injury couldn’t be worse for AEW or for Swerve Strickland. He’s on the cusp of potentially headlining another landmark pay-per-view against Okada, yet a torn meniscus is no minor issue — especially for a performer whose style relies on speed, precision, and explosive offense.
AEW is clearly rolling the dice here. By acknowledging the injury publicly, the company is setting the stage for either a gutsy underdog performance or the possibility of writing him off if surgery becomes unavoidable. Either way, Swerve’s resilience and charisma have already cemented him as one of AEW’s true franchise players.
If he makes it through Forbidden Door, fans will be watching closely to see whether this is the beginning of another run at the top — or the start of a grueling road to recovery.
