Roderick Strong‘s debut on AEW Dynamite defied the notion that surprises can’t happen any more in professional wrestling. It also marked the end of his six-plus years with WWE, as he last appeared on NXT in August 2022 before dealing with an injury and quietly disappearing.
According to Fightful Select (subscription required but recommended), Strong requested his release from WWE some time last year, which was initially rejected. His deal was believed to extend into next year, but the report noted that was hardly confirmed.
Fightful spoke with WWE talent who said they had not received any updates about Strong’s status prior to his departure, making his situation quieter than usual for a soon-to-be WWE departee. The only other indication of his departure was 2K, the company behind the popular WWE 2K video game franchise, being instructed to exclude Strong from the game.
Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer added that despite people knowing Strong’s contract was up, his AEW debut still surprised people in WWE.
Remarkably, nothing preceded the departure or arrival of Strong. No build-up, drama, or suspense beforehand, especially since he was still listed on WWE’s roster page as of April 26. It all added to the moment, however, when he arrived to save Adam Cole from the Jericho Appreciation Society on Dynamite. Shock and awe enhance moments, so the lack of details made for a more memorable debut on AEW Dynamite.
Strong reuniting with Cole could be the first step towards rekindling the Undisputed Era, which dominated NXT for a time with Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish. Though O’Reilly is injured and Fish no longer works for AEW, it may be intriguing to see these four reunite for another go-around.
Either way, Strong deepens and already loaded AEW roster, and he’ll have every chance to thrive and become a major player immediately.