WATCH: AEW champion Swerve Strickland issues open challenge

AEW champion Swerve Strickland issued an open challenge on Collision this weekend.

Strickland wants to be known as a fighting champion.

Did he bite off more than he could chew?

And new… Swerve speaks

“Man, oh, man, what a week we’ve had here in AEW,” Swerve said.

“We have a new TBS Champion with Willow Nightingale.

“Adam Copeland got misted in the face by the House of Black.

“Then we had Bryan Danielson and Will Ospreay tearing the house down. And then Jack Perry returned to AEW and struck Tony Khan, our CEO, our founder of AEW, a man that put all his faith in me. And the EVPs, the AEW World Tag Champions The Young Bucks stuck him in the middle of the ring with a piledriver.

“I’ve done some terrible things in AEW, but something about four elite athletes beating down a non-fighter like Tony Khan sounds like a b-tch move to me. But the most important thing happening this week was Swerve Strickland beating Samoa Joe at Dynasty and becoming your new AEW World Champion! The best in the world is whoever is holding this championship right here. Last week it was Samoa Joe but this week it is Swerve Strickland.

“The night that I won that championship, I went to my oldest daughter, she looked me in the face and told me she was proud of me and said she felt like she didn’t know me. All the missed birthdays, dance recitals, holidays, I can’t make up for lost time, baby girl. But I can set the example and blaze the trail as AEW World Champion and make sure this was all worth it.

“AEW has set people in front of me, and I’ve knocked them all down. I’m in a giving mood this week. I say we have an open challenge tonight! We’re entering a new era in AEW. This is the Dynasty Era. Who’s house!?”

Just then BCC’s Claudio Castagnoli’s music hit, and Claudio walked onto the ramp. Claudio entered the ring and circled Swerve.

Claudio: “You’re on.”

Swerve: “I guess I’ll be seeing you tonight Claudio in who’s house?”

Claudio: “It’s gonna be mine.”

“I’ve just heard from Tony Khan. It is official. The title is on the line tonight!” said Tony Schiavone.

Swerve Strickland meets the challenge

The two men chain wrestled to start the match. 

Claudio caught Swerve midair and countered with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker to take charge. 

The duo brawled onto the ramp and up to the stage area. Swerve clocked Claudio with a clothesline back into the ring andfollowed up with a cross-body press.

He staggered Claudio with two reverse neck breakers. Swerve hit a third neck breaker, this time using the middle rope to put more pressure on Claudio’s neck. Claudio grabbed Swerve off the apron and then press-slammed him against the concrete staging.

The champ fights back

The champ rallied with a pump kick to Claudio. 

Swerve served up a flying European Uppercut to Claudio. Swerve planted Claudio with a flatliner for a near fall. 

He launched off the stage and crashed onto Claudio with a thrilling moonsault!

Swerve landed a 450 splash on Claudio for a near fall! Claudio stomped Swerve! The champion got right back up and he and Claudio traded European Uppercuts in the centre of the ring! Claudio had a head of steam and wiped out Swerve with a lariat.

The fans chanted “Fight forever! Fight forever!”

Swerve showed his incredible strength, hoisted up Claudio with a vertical suplex and planted him! The champion jumped from the top rope with the Swerve Stomp. Claudio was kicked out at the two-count! Claudio dodged the House Call kick and countered with the Giant Swing!

He put Swerve in the sharpshooter and Claudio transitioned to a cross face in the centre of the ring. Claudio used the hammer and anvil strikes on Swerve. Claudio turned Swerve inside out with a running lariat for a near fall!

Swerve escaped a Neutralizer attempt from the Swiss Superman and spiked Claudio with a DDT! 

Swerve attempted the Swerve Stomp, but Claudio caught him and countered with a European Uppercut for a near fall!

“Claudio caught the Swerve Stomp,” said Tony Schiavone in disbelief.

It was Swerve who then rocked Claudio with a release German Suplex. 

Swerve finally hit the Swerve Stomp! Swerve finished Claudio with the House Call and pinned Claudio!

“What a way for Swerve Strickland to make his first defense of the AEW World Title, but boy, he had to earn it,” said Nigel McGuinness.

“We’ll find out at Dynamite on Wednesday night who Swerve will face at Double or Nothing on Sunday,” added Tony Schiavone.