Swerve Strickland recently reflected on his relationship with Bray Wyatt and the special tribute to the late wrestler during AEW All In, where JoJo Offerman, Wyatt’s partner before his passing, performed his entrance. In an interview with Wrestling Figure News, Swerve shared how Wyatt’s impact on wrestling television still resonates deeply with him.

He said: “Bray Wyatt changed wrestling television, and I don’t think people will fully realize the magnitude of his impact for some time. What he was doing was unique, different, and far more captivating than many people understood at the time. For me, I didn’t realize just how big of a deal it was until I had to step up and create compelling television myself. I took a lot from his work, especially how he made it so meta-physical, breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the audience. He’d leave small hints, like his puppets representing different parts of his life, depression, anxiety, and each item had its own significance. It was so cool. I wanted to take those creative pieces and put my own spin on them. Even if I could only capture 10% of that creativity, I wanted to make it my own.”

Swerve went on to express how Wyatt’s passing affected him personally. He explained: “It was painful for me when Bray passed. We weren’t close for years, but I was around when The Fiend was really taking off. He was always there for me, especially during my time on 205 Live. He’d give me hugs, mess with me about my pinstripe boxers, and even show up in full Fiend gear at the urinal, asking, ‘Sup, man?’ He made such a big impression on me in that short time.”

Strickland made sure to pay tribute to Wyatt’s legacy by incorporating those personal moments into his AEW All In performance. He concluded: “Having JoJo perform at All In this year, with the fireflies on the titantron and her singing ‘Ain’t Nobody,’ was my way of showing appreciation to the Wyatt family and keeping those little pieces of storytelling alive.”