Swerve Strickland Invokes Horror Classics In Discussing AEW Home Invasion Angle

Apart from the fact that they're all horror movies, what do "Jaws," "The Blair Witch Project," and "Paranormal Activity" have in common? The answer was provided recently by AEW star Swerve Strickland while guesting on "Insight with Chris Van Vliet." It turns out Strickland used all three classic films to inspire his home invasion angle with "Hangman" Adam Page and Page's family.

"'Blair Witch Project' was so ahead of his time, because ... they didn't show you anything," Strickland said. "[Same with] Jaws, like the idea of just going to the water is now a fear of and causes a lot of anxiety to a lot of people go into the beach now. And there's nothing out there. But the idea that something could be out there is your imagination. You're letting the viewer really take hold, like 'Paranormal Activity.' ... You have no control of your life. It's not the house. It's the person, it's haunted. You can't control that."

Borrowing from those ideas, Strickland latched on to the cultural idea of the "man of the house" feeling incapable of protecting his family to get into the head of Page's character and build a highly personal storyline that culminated in a brutal Texas Death Match at AEW Full Gear.

"You're helpless. You can't do anything," Strickland said. "That's a real fear of men."

The depths to which Strickland when to attack Page psychologically served as a justification for many of the controversial contest that followed. The match had both fans and fellow wrestlers feeling squeamish at times, especially when Page went so far as to actually drink Strickland's blood. Strickland ultimately won the match, notching his second consecutive victory over Page — the first one came in a regular singles match at the WrestleDream pay-per-view on October 1.