Identity of Swerve Strickland’s Decoy on 11/20 AEW Dynamite Revealed

AEW Dynamite got a dose of chaos on November 20 when someone wearing Swerve Strickland’s signature coat stirred up trouble backstage.

The mysterious figure was confronted by The Hurt Syndicate’s Shelton Benjamin, who slammed him against the wall, mistaking him for Strickland. But things took a wild turn when MVP struck the man with his cane, and Benjamin followed up with a knee to the midsection—only to realize they had the wrong guy!

The twist didn’t take long to unravel. Indie wrestler Shayn Smith took to Twitter/X to reveal that he was the man behind the Strickland decoy. “Hey it’s me,” Smith wrote in response to a clip of the segment.

Smith, a Pennsylvania local, has been making waves on the indie scene with appearances in promotions like H20, 1CW, and NYWC. He’s no stranger to AEW either, having competed on the November 2 episode of AEW Collision, where he teamed with Joe Keys in a losing effort against Brian Cage and Lance Archer of the Don Callis Family.

AEW Dynamite, held in Reading, PA, showcased Smith in a segment that immediately grabbed fan attention. While the mix-up with The Hurt Syndicate may have left Smith nursing a few bruises, the spotlight on national television added another big moment to his growing résumé.

With Swerve Strickland continuing to outmaneuver The Hurt Syndicate, it’s clear the mind games aren’t over yet. As AEW builds toward its Full Gear pay-per-view, fans are left wondering if Strickland has even more tricks up his sleeve—or if The Hurt Syndicate will strike back with devastating consequences.