AEW star Swerve Strickland was recently spotted with CJ Perry at Rolling Loud as a picture has surfaced online.
CJ Perry is a former WWE superstar who jumped ship to AEW similar to Swerve Strickland. Another former WWE star Mercedes recently made her AEW debut. ‘The CEO’ chose to join AEW over WWE was reportedly driven by her desire for a higher salary. According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, the former 7-time WWE Women’s champion aimed for a salary on par with her contemporary, Becky Lynch.
However, WWE’s offer fell short of her expectations. In contrast, AEW President Tony Khan presented substantial financial package, making her the highest-paid woman in professional wrestling. Despite not reaching the rumored $5 million per year figure circulating online, the offer from AEW proved to be more lucrative and appealing to Mercedes.
In an interview with Bootleg Kev at Rolling Loud, Swerve Strickland commented on Mercedes Mone joining AEW and the reported dollar figure associated with her signing. Swerve Strickland added that he wants Mone’s AEW signing to drive revenue growth for women’s wrestlers in general.
“We’re in the process of building a dynasty here at AEW. Mercedes’s addition is monumental not only for AEW but for women’s wrestling as a whole. She’s a trailblazer in every sense of the word. I’ve never witnessed a female free agent generate this level of buzz before. She’s the top talent, and she’s deserving of it. Hopefully, her success will prompt other promotions to invest more in female wrestlers and elevate the industry as a whole.”
