Swerve Strickland

Stephon Strickland (born September 30, 1990) is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Swerve Strickland. He is also known for his tenure with WWE from 2019 to 2021, where he performed under the ring name Isaiah "Swerve" Scott.

Strickland began his career in 2008 as Shane Strickland, working for several independent promotions until 2019 such as Major League Wrestling (MLW), Evolve Wrestling, and Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW). He is a one-time MLW World Heavyweight Champion, one-time Evolve Champion, and one-time CZW World Heavyweight Champion. From 2014 until 2018, he performed in Lucha Underground as a masked wrestler named Killshot. In 2019, he signed a developmental contract with WWE, where he worked as Isaiah "Swerve" Scott in NXT and was part of the Hit Row stable; he won the NXT North American Championship once and was soon promoted to the main roster on SmackDown, but was released in November 2021.

Under the ring name Swerve Strickland, he signed with AEW in March 2022, going on to become a one-time AEW World Champion and one-time AEW World Tag Team Champion (with Keith Lee). He was the leader of the Mogul Embassy stable until May 2024.

Stephon Strickland was born in Tacoma, Washington, on September 30, 1990. He is the cousin of former NFL linebacker Fred Strickland. His father, who was a sergeant first class cook in the United States Army, moved the family to Germany when Strickland was two months old to live on a U.S. military base in Frankfurt. Strickland spent the first seven years of his life in Germany. The family later returned to the U.S. and settled in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, where he attended Donegal High School. He danced in talent shows and excelled in football, basketball, and track and field.

Shortly after graduating high school, Strickland felt the need to follow in his father's footsteps and enlisted in the Army Reserve at the age of 17. He completed his Basic Training in South Carolina, then underwent 22 weeks of Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. He was then stationed in York, Pennsylvania, where he served as a 25U Signal Support Systems Specialist for eight years. He left the Reserve in 2015.

Strickland decided to become a professional wrestler when he was 18 years old. He began training at Ground Xero (Zero) Wrestling Training Academy in August 2008, doing so while still serving in the United States Army Reserve. He soon began getting bookings around the Maryland and Pennsylvania areas. He had Army Reserve commitments in York, Pennsylvania, which obliged him to wrestle only in that general area's independent circuit in the early years of his career. In September 2011, Strickland made his first appearance with the National Wrestling Alliance, losing to Phil Brown. In March 2012, he defeated Alex Payne in his debut for East Coast Wrestling Association. He would go to debut for World Xtreme Wrestling in a six-man match on September 15, 2012.

Strickland made his Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) debut on February 4, 2012, in a dark match. On March 10, 2012, at Aerial Assault, Strickland participated in the main event, a Best Of The Best 11 Qualifying Aerial Assault Elimination Match won by Samuray del Sol. On November 10, 2012, at Night of Infamy 11, Strickland participated in a CZW Wired TV Open Challenge, but was defeated by the champion A. R. Fox. At Best of the Best 12, Strickland participated in the Best of the Best tournament, but he was defeated in the first round by Alex Colon.

On September 14, 2013, at Down with the Sickness, Strickland participated in the main event a Chris Cash Memorial Fatal 4 Way Ladder match for the CZW Wired TV Championship, but the match was won by Colon. At Cage of Death XV, Colon defeated Strickland in a title match. On March 8, 2014, at High Stakes, Strickland defeated the CZW Wired Champion Devon Moore to win the title for the first time. At Best of the Best XIII, Strickland retained the title against Moore in a Ladder match.