Since Roderick Strong debuted for WWE’s developmental brand, NXT, last Fall, he’s yet to really click as a stalwart in the main event picture. From his debut as Austin Aries’ partner in the 2016 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic to his match with Eric Young at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, Strong has had great showings week in and week out.
But, he hasn’t been developed much as a character, which is crucial to the WWE style of pro wrestling. That appears to be changing. Several weeks ago, NXT ran a two-part series on Strong – in case you need to catch up:
It seems obvious now that they were laying the groundwork for a babyface push, but you never really know in the WWE. It could’ve been storytelling – trying to share Strong’s amazing story with the NXT Universe in an effort to draw cheers out of them and nothing more. It could’ve been ammunition to get heat on his rivals at the time, Sanity. Excuse me, SAnitY…I think? Anyway…they could’ve just been trying to throw things at the wall to see what sticks.
At NXT TakeOver: Chicago, he became the first man to successfully pin Young and successfully escape the grasp of SAnitY. That’s a pretty big win in the landscape of NXT, considering no one has been able to really stick it to SAnitY mano y mano.
On last week’s episode of NXT, Strong came out and stated he wanted an opportunity at the NXT Championship. It seems the championship feud push is underway. Of course, that didn’t go unnoticed by the champion, Bobby Roode.
At this point, I think it’s safe to say that this sticks. You’ve found it, NXT. There’s potential for a hot feud here, and it’s time for NXT to go all in on Strong as the brand’s biggest hero. He looks like a top babyface, no? Strong is the story people root for and Roode is the perfect heel to wrench our hearts over it.
The GLORIOUS champion has just a touch of old school Ric Flair and Evolution Triple H in him. NXT has been reshaped to his image, and it couldn’t come at a better time. NXT hit a lull after the call-ups of guys like Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe, and Shinsuke Nakamura over the past couple of years. Triple H has acknowledged how difficult it is to keep NXT afloat when there seems to be a revolving door of talent.
But, after TakeOver: Chicago, “Bobby Roode’s NXT” is starting to take off. Roode has had some quality matches against Nakamura and Hideo Itami. But, neither of those feuds have been the hot type of program that pushes NXT back towards the fever pitch it reached in 2014-15. Roode-Strong has that sort of great potential.
We’ve been waiting for the next big NXT babyface to come along, and I think we’ve found him. If that first promo between Strong and Roode wasn’t an indication, let’s make it clear: it’s time to get Strong atop the NXT card opposite Roode.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. A strong advocate of GSD (get shit done) and #BeBetter, he’s down to talk Tennessee Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide football over a beer any day. Check him out covering the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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