Swerve Strickland has opened up about his experience working under Triple H during his time in WWE NXT, revealing that getting answers about his character direction wasn’t always easy.
While appearing on the Kings of the Ring podcast, the AEW star reflected on the period when WWE was preparing ideas connected to the Evolve brand and eventually forming the Hit Row faction. During that time, Strickland said he was actively trying to speak with Triple H about creative direction, but those conversations didn’t come easily. Strickland explained that he kept approaching Triple H with ideas and questions about where his character was headed, but felt those discussions were being avoided.
“The birth of it was really interesting because they had their own thing going on when they were supposed to have Evolve then. That got delayed for years. I didn’t expect it to take so long for Evolve to become a thing that was on Tubi.”
Strickland continued by explaining that the group that eventually became Hit Row was initially connected to WWE’s plans for Evolve, which had been discussed internally long before it launched on television. While trying to get clarity on the direction of his character, he said his attempts to connect with Triple H often went unanswered.
“Triple H, me and him were just going back and forth. He was dodging me when I was coming up with creative questions and stuff.”
According to Strickland, the situation shifted when Stephanie McMahon took notice of his work as a heel in NXT. Once that happened, he said the company began pushing harder behind him and ultimately placed the Hit Row faction around him.
“And then finally, I think it was Stephanie McMahon that really told me he was her favorite heel on the show.”
That moment led to WWE approaching him with the idea of forming the group that would eventually feature Top Dolla, B-Fab, and Ashante “Thee” Adonis. While Strickland admitted he wasn’t used to leading a faction at the time, he eventually embraced the role.
“They were like, ‘Hey, I think we’re going to put this group behind you. How do you feel?’ I wasn’t really experienced with groups at the time. I didn’t really do groups.”
Strickland said his career up to that point had been spent traveling across the independent wrestling scene, constantly moving between promotions and countries. Because of that, running a stable wasn’t something he had much experience with.
“I was independent, jumping from city to city, country to country. So running a group was just not my thing. I didn’t know how to.”
Despite the early uncertainty, Strickland said the faction eventually clicked once everyone found their roles. Hit Row quickly became one of the most recognizable acts in NXT before the group’s run was cut short.
“But the group became more like them backing me. Then we became a real group, like all four corners together. The time was good, it was fine. I just wish we had more time together with it, but you know, things happen.”
Hit Row went on to leave its mark during its short run in NXT before the group’s momentum came to a halt after WWE roster changes and releases reshaped the brand. Looking back now, Strickland’s comments offer a glimpse into the creative process behind the scenes during one of the more unique factions to come out of the NXT era.
What do you think about Swerve Strickland’s comments regarding Triple H and the creation of Hit Row? Should the group have lasted longer in WWE? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion.
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