Summary

Swerve Strickland had nothing but respect for Darby Allin when the subject of Allin's Mount Everest climb came up in a recent interview.

Allin stepped away from AEW last year to complete the climb and planted an AEW flag at the summit. He later returned at All In, where a pre-recorded message from the top of Everest played before he came down from the rafters to back up Hangman Page against the Death Riders.

Speaking on The Cruz Show, Strickland said he admired what Allin pulled off, even if it is something he has no interest in trying himself.

Quote from Swerve Strickland

"I'm a fan of Darby Allin, you know, for climbing Mount Everest. I would never do that. Never, bro. I would never think of trying that. First of all, you're going to die if you do that. He said he literally walked past bodies on the trail up there."

What Darby Allin's Everest Climb Still Says About AEW

Strickland's comment is a reminder of how unusual Allin's Everest climb was, even by wrestling standards. AEW has long leaned into Allin's willingness to take risks, and the mountain expedition became part of that presentation when he returned at All In.

It also says something about how peers inside the company view him. Strickland was not building an angle here, he was reacting like someone impressed by a co-worker doing something almost unthinkable. That tone fits with another part of the same interview, where Strickland spoke candidly about what separates wrestlers who stand out from the pack.

Sources

Swerve Strickland on The Cruz Show