Roderick Strong opens up on his goals and adjusting to life in NXT
WWE.COM: You've had the chance to settle into NXT life for the last couple months. What has the experience been like for you?
STRONG: It has been fantastic. Everything from the
coaches, the facility and the camaraderie of everyone training there is
amazing. I feel like it has helped me grow so much already in the little
time I have been here.
WWE.COM: You joined NXT as a 16-year-veteran. During
your pre-NXT career, you've competed against everyone, from Kevin Owens
to AJ Styles to Seth Rollins. What was it like for you to see these men
eventually make it to WWE and achieve top tier success?
STRONG: I couldn't have been happier for them. They
all worked very hard to get to where they are and to see it pay off is
great. I look forward to wrestling them again, but this time on the
biggest stage of them all.
WWE.COM: Was your goal always to make it to WWE, or were you happy with what you had achieved?
STRONG: Honestly, it has always been a goal, but
wasn’t always my top priority. Like a lot of the guys that I looked up
to in the business, I wanted to travel the world and establish myself.
As a competitor, I always have to test myself on the biggest stages and
against the best there is to offer. The only place for me to end up to
truly fulfill that goal is WWE and NXT.
WWE.COM: So, we’ve established it was your goal, but did you really think you would end up here one day?
STRONG: Yes. When I first got into wrestling, guys
my size weren't really being signed to WWE like they are today. But
deep down, I knew if I worked as hard as I possibly could, it would
eventually happen. Timing is everything, that's for sure.
WWE.COM: Let’s take a step back. How did you get your start?
STRONG: My father is the reason I'm a wrestler
today. He was trained by Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, and competed under
the names Billy the Kid and Elvis Wesley on the Florida Independent
scene. At the time, I was living with only my dad, so he brought me to
training. From the first day I was around wrestling, I fell in love with
it, but not in the way a lot of people do by just being a fan. Being in
that environment and starting in the ring at the age of 12 gave me an
escape from a pretty crazy life at the time, and it let me be whoever I
wanted to be. It really became my happy place.
WWE.COM: Much like your dad, you spent quite a bit
of time on the Florida Independent scene before applying your trade all
over the world. What was it like to see the growth of NXT in Florida and
beyond before you got here?
STRONG: The fact that NXT runs as much as it does in
Florida and out of state is unbelievable. It’s giving so many people
the opportunity to work on their craft every weekend in front of live
crowds, but at the same time giving them something to work toward with
out-of-state shows. Plus, it is only going to get bigger!
WWE.COM: Tell us about some of the experiences you've had prior to joining NXT?
STRONG: Over the last 16 years, I've traveled all
over the U.S. and the world, including Canada, Japan, Mexico, U.K. and
South America, working for many different companies, like IPW Hardcore,
IWA Mid South, Rev Pro, PROGRESS, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Ring of
Honor. I also had the chance to make history by becoming one of the
first Americans to work for Dragon Gate in Japan. I also went on to work
for Pro Wrestling NOAH and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
WWE.COM: In addition to competing on NXT, you’re
also training during the week at the WWE Performance Center. Has it been
challenging to start from square one despite your experience?
STRONG: It really hasn't been challenging at all. I
guess some would think [it] would be a negative, but I get to work on
every aspect of my game daily and it has only made me better. Plus,
every day I step in [the Performance Center], I am surrounded by great
coaches who are there to help me become the best I can be, and that's
exciting.
WWE.COM: What's your motivation every time you compete?
STRONG: [My motivation is] proving that the
12-year-old kid who believed he would do this for a living was right,
and to prove to myself that I can do this at the highest level possible.
WWE.COM: Where do you see yourself in two years?
STRONG: In two years, I see myself fighting those
Superstars you mentioned earlier, this time on Monday or Tuesday nights,
and continuing to show the WWE Universe why I am one of the best in
this business.
Also read:
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