Swerve Strickland's Return to AEW: 3 Possible Scenarios for All In: London

Swerve Strickland's return to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is uncertain, but Tony Khan could bring him back in several ways for All In: London.

What happened?

Swerve Strickland entered the 2026 Owen Hart Cup with the goal of recapturing the AEW Men's World Title in his crosshairs. After defeating Bandido in the opening round of the tournament at Double or Nothing 2026, and after beating Brody King in the semifinal round at Dynamite: Summer Blockbuster, the "Most Dangerous Man" of All Elite Wrestling took on Will Ospreay in the finals of the Owen at Forbidden Door 2026, where he unfortunately lost to The Aerial Assassin.

Why it matters for Swerve Strickland

Swerve has been missing from All Elite Wrestling programming since getting bested at Forbidden Door, and he has not even been announced for a match on the Tony Khan-led promotion's upcoming PPV, Redemption 2026. This has given birth to a lot of conjecture regarding the former World Champion's status for All In: London, the company's much-anticipated stadium show which will be held next month.

What comes next?

Swerve is one of the Jacksonville-based promotion's most prominent and beloved performers, and chances of TK leaving him off of the card for Wembley are slim, if not negligible. That said, let us consider three directions AEW could be planning for Swerve for All In: London.

1. Swerve Strickland returns for the Men's Casino Gauntlet Match at AEW All In

Barring the original 2023 edition, every subsequent iteration of AEW All In has featured on its card a Casino Gauntlet Match for a future World Championship opportunity. At All In: London in 2024 the bout was won by Christian Cage, who held on to his World Title contract for several months until finally cashing it (albeit unsuccessfully) during Jon Moxley's defense against Adam Copeland at Revolution 2025.

2. For the first-time ever in AEW - MJF vs Swerve, one-on-one

Every interaction between Strickland and Big Hebrew on All Elite Wrestling programming so far has indicated that there is no love lost between the two stars. Despite their interpersonal hostilities, a one-on-one match between the two could be a major draw for All In: London.

3. Swerve Strickland returns to challenge for the AEW World Title

Although Friedman was unable to capture The Cowboy's strap in August, he finally used his contract at the end of the year at Worlds End 2025, inserting himself into a three-way World Title match between Hangman, Swerve Strickland and defending champion Samoa Joe, ultimately picking up the win and regaining the belt.

Swerve Strickland's return to AEW is uncertain, but Tony Khan could bring him back in several ways for All In: London. The possibilities are endless, and fans will be eagerly awaiting the announcement of Swerve's status for the highly anticipated stadium show.

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