Blake Christian and Lee Johnson are finding momentum in NJPW’s Super Junior Tag League, and The Swirl are making no effort to hide how far they believe that momentum can carry them.

Following Night 5 of the tournament, Christian and Johnson delivered a pointed warning aimed at the AEW tag team division. The Swirl defeated HOUSE OF TORTURE’s Dick Togo and SHO in their latest league outing, improving their tournament record to 3-1 and bringing their total to four points.

The result was important in a round-robin format where every victory can shape the race for a place near the top of the standings. But Christian and Johnson’s comments afterward showed that they are viewing the NJPW tour as more than a set of tournament matches. They see it as an opportunity to become a more established team, build confidence, and eventually return to AEW with a far more aggressive claim to the division’s biggest prizes.

“When Blake and I get back to AEW, all of you teams, you are fucked,” Johnson said. “Not only are you fucked, you are royally fucked because Blake and I have not only gotten a whole lot better, but we have gained a whole lot of confidence.”

For more background on this topic, read Excalibur Reflects on Early Jim Ross Chemistry Test Ahead of AEW Launch.

That confidence has become the central message of The Swirl’s run. Christian and Johnson are not presenting themselves as a team content to collect experience outside AEW. Their post-match remarks made it clear that they believe the work being done in Japan can alter their standing when they next enter the AEW tag team picture.

Johnson went further by naming some of the division’s most recognizable teams and setting a standard for the opposition The Swirl are willing to face.

“With that said, we don’t care if it’s Edge and Christian. We don’t care if it’s your Young Bucks. We don’t care if it’s FTR,” Johnson said. “When we get back, you are royally fucked. Because we are not just a part of your story. We are the damn story.”

A Strong Start in Super Junior Tag League

The Swirl’s 3-1 record gives the team a solid early platform in Super Junior Tag League. Their win over Togo and SHO was particularly meaningful because HOUSE OF TORTURE is a familiar force in NJPW competition and a difficult pairing to navigate in any tournament setting.

Christian and Johnson now sit on four points as the league continues. The tournament remains their immediate priority, and both men emphasized that their focus is not solely on what may await them in AEW. The possibility of pursuing IWGP championship success is at the center of their current campaign.

“But our mindset is on this IWGP tournament, winning those championships,” Johnson said. “That’s our current mindset.”

That distinction matters. A warning toward AEW’s tag teams can generate attention, especially with major names directly referenced, but The Swirl have a concrete goal in front of them in NJPW. Their record has placed them in a competitive position, and the team is framing each match as part of a broader effort to prove they can win at a championship level.

For Christian and Johnson, Super Junior Tag League also provides a setting in which their chemistry is being tested repeatedly. Tournament wrestling requires teams to produce results against varying styles and opponents in a compressed stretch of competition. The Swirl’s claim that they have improved is therefore tied to what they are doing inside the ring, not merely to their verbal challenge after the match.

The Young Bucks Are the Stated Target

While The Swirl’s long-term ambitions extend across the AEW division, Christian and Johnson did identify the team they most want to chase. The Young Bucks currently hold the AEW World Tag Team Championship, making them the clearest championship target for any team hoping to rise to the top of the promotion.

Johnson said he hopes The Young Bucks retain their titles, because he would like the chance for The Swirl to take those championships directly from them.

“I hope the Young Bucks win, because I would royally love to take those titles from them,” Johnson said.

The Young Bucks are scheduled to defend the AEW World Tag Team Championship against Mark Davis and Jake Doyle at AEW Full Gear in November. That match will determine who stands atop the division afterward, but The Swirl’s message leaves little doubt about their desired destination. If Christian and Johnson carry their NJPW form back into AEW, they intend to put themselves in the championship conversation regardless of who leaves Full Gear with the belts.

The comments also put added emphasis on Christian and Johnson as a pairing rather than as two wrestlers operating independently. AEW’s tag division has long been shaped by teams with extensive shared history, and The Swirl are trying to establish that their own connection is becoming a strength capable of matching more decorated opposition.

Whether that warning produces a direct confrontation remains to be seen. For now, it is a statement of intent rather than an announced match. No AEW bout involving The Swirl and The Young Bucks, FTR, or any other named team has been confirmed. Still, Johnson’s words establish exactly where The Swirl want to go once their NJPW obligations allow them to refocus on AEW.

Championship Credentials Already in Place

Christian and Johnson are not entering this push without gold. The Swirl currently hold the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship alongside Jay Lethal. That reign provides an existing championship foundation and reinforces the team’s argument that they should be taken seriously in a tag environment.

The six-man title, however, is a different challenge from the two-man competition that defines Super Junior Tag League and the AEW World Tag Team Championship picture. The current NJPW tour gives Christian and Johnson a chance to spotlight their work specifically as a duo. Their pursuit of IWGP championship glory is likewise focused on The Swirl standing on their own as a tandem.

That is why their language after defeating Togo and SHO was so direct. Christian and Johnson were not simply celebrating a league win. They were declaring that the version of The Swirl competing in Japan is meant to be a more dangerous version of the team that AEW’s tag division has seen before.

Confidence can be difficult to measure, but tournament points can be counted. At 3-1 with four points, The Swirl have given themselves a legitimate chance to keep climbing. Every remaining Super Junior Tag League match will either strengthen or challenge the claim that they are ready for the next step.

Two Goals, One Message

The Swirl’s current direction is built around two connected ambitions. The first is immediate: continue winning in Super Junior Tag League and pursue the IWGP championships attached to that tournament path. The second is broader: return to AEW and challenge the teams they believe are standing in the way of their ascent.

Christian and Johnson have made the hierarchy clear. NJPW is the present focus, while AEW remains a target waiting beyond the tournament. But their warning ensures that the AEW division is now part of the discussion around every result The Swirl earn in Japan.

They have already put HOUSE OF TORTURE behind them on Night 5. With a 3-1 record and four points, The Swirl have momentum. They also have a message for the teams watching from AEW: Christian and Johnson believe this tournament is making them better, more confident, and more prepared to fight for the biggest tag team prizes available.

The next league matches will reveal how far their NJPW campaign can go. If The Swirl continue to add victories, their stated goal of chasing IWGP gold will become increasingly real. And whenever they do return to AEW, they have made one thing unmistakable: they do not intend to arrive as supporting players in anyone else’s story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.