Whenever he’s in the main event of WWE NXT, Roderick Strong puts on a show, regardless of the opponent he’s scheduled to face. But whenever he’s in a title match, Strong loses despite coming oh-so-close to a victory. When will Strong find an edge that will allow him to claim what’s his: the NXT Championship?
If you made a shortlist of the best in-ring talents in the WWE today, Roderick Strong would undoubtedly be on there. Whether it’s Drew McIntyre, Bobby Roode, Andrade “Cien” Almas, or even former United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate, Strong brings his “A” game against any and all comers, showing no fear even against the likes of Lars Sullivan.
But despite all the plaudits from commentators and fans, Strong has nothing to show for his performances. He’s taken McIntyre to the brink a couple of times, and he nearly knocked off Almas, who boasts incredible TakeOver victories over Johnny Gargano and McIntyre. When Strong finally defeated Roode, he only did so after Roode already dropped the NXT Championship.
The man formerly known as “Mr. ROH”, Strong has been in WWE NXT since October 2016. He’s had two television matches for the NXT Championship, and he lost both of them. Strong had a match against Almas on Oct. 25 – a month before Almas would defeat McIntyre for the NXT Championship – but lost in a nail-biter after Zelina Vega’s involvement.
There’s a common theme with Strong’s title matches or his matches against eventual champions. He gives his opponent everything he has, he pulls out all the stops, and he comes agonizingly close to a victory. But he either loses after making a critical mistake or, more likely, getting screwed out of the win.
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After Strong’s losses to McIntyre and Almas, he was approached by the Undisputed Era, comprised of Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O’Reilly. Like Strong, all three of them are former Ring of Honor stars and among the best in-ring talents ROH has produced in recent years.
Cole, the leader of the group, is the only three-time world champion in ROH history and has a chance at becoming the biggest star the company has produced.
The trio recruited Strong to their side, with Strong even teasing that he would join them by accepting their wristband.
At NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Strong teamed up with the Authors of Pain in the WarGames main event, leading to some speculate that he would eventually side with the Undisputed Era during the match. He and Cole were even the ones who started the match.
Instead, Strong remained loyal to the Authors of Pain, and he hasn’t been approached by any member of the Undisputed Era, who have been busy with their own storylines. Fish and O’Reilly are the tag team champs, while Cole, who was the star of the WarGames match, completed a grueling rivalry with Aleister Black.
Meanwhile, Strong defeated Tyler Bate for the opportunity to face Pete Dunne for the United Kingdom Championship.
He will almost certainly lose that match against Dunne, meaning that it will be yet another instance in which Strong came up short in the end.
At that point, he’ll have to seriously question whether or not he belongs. When Cole approached Roddy in an effort to recruit him to “CFO” (stands for Cole, Fish, and O’Reilly), he told Strong, “You’re not a loser”, reminding the former leader of “The Decade” in Ring of Honor that he belongs as a future NXT Champion.
The question is, does Strong believe he can do it without the help of Cole, Fish, and O’Reilly? Recall that Strong faced Cole on NXT television, and he seemed to have Cole beat. But Fish and O’Reilly made the save, so Strong only won by disqualification. At four different house show tapings, Strong has lost to Cole, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Most fans will tell you this about Strong: he’s an incredible wrestler who leaves them on the edge of their seat during his matches, but he leaves them disappointed on the mic. Strong is seen as a generic babyface, and, in most cases, a boring one. His work in his feud with Roode was incredible and made his final victory over Roode one of the most impactful victories of any WWE wrestler in 2017, but a large part of that was due to Roode’s excellent work as a particularly grating and egotistical heel.
Strong has to feel that he’s at a crossroads right now. All of his best efforts end up coming short, and it isn’t because he lacks ability. There’s a storm brewing inside of Strong, who has to become increasingly frustrated with his inability to win “the big one”.
Could he take up the Undisputed Era’s offer? Will he finally start to take matters into his own hands, realizing that being the “same old Roddy” just isn’t good enough? Just how much patience does he have with doing things the “right way”?
There’s a complex story to be told here, because for as boring as Strong may seem as a character, there’s something intriguing bubbling beneath the surface. When Strong finally goes to the dark side, a wrestling machine and an underrated character may be unleashed on NXT television.
We already know Strong is more than capable of putting on the best match on a show against any opponent with some of the smoothest wrestling on this planet, but we don’t know if he can carry a main event-level program promo-wise. But with a new character, that concern may no longer be valid.
He’s been in NXT since October 2016, and his portrayal has consistently been that of a down-on-his-luck-but-talented (and cookie-cutter) babyface. Those are the types of wrestlers who tend to turn heel, especially when a turn has already been teased and when the company is smart enough to know what they have in said wrestler. Strong is respected, but he isn’t over, which is yet another indication that a change in direction could happen.
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One day, Strong will grow tired of waiting for the end of his broken heart. And that day just might be sooner than you think, and it might be even more “welcome” than you think.