Roderick Strong Reflects On Uncertainty Ahead Of AEW Debut, Calls It A Big Moment

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WrestleZone recently spoke with Roderick Strong, who was asked for his standout moments from his respective runs in ROH, WWE, and AEW:

“When I beat Jay Lethal for the TV title [in ROH], joining Undisputed Era [in WWE], and debuting in AEW. That [his AEW debut], I don’t know, it was the same thing like a lot of people do. You just worry so much about going out there, and people were just gonna be, like ‘What?’

“So getting that kind of reaction and being able to do that with Adam, and it was like two days after my son’s birthday. And I was debuting down south where one of my friends are from, and his family is going through some stuff. It was just, yeah, it was a big moment.”

WrestleZone’s Bill Pritchard noted how common it seems like talent share that sentiment now. AJ Styles said it about his WWE debut at the 2016 Royal Royal Rumble, and a lot of wrestlers have said they have the same fear that the fans won’t remember them in a new setting. Roderick Strong agreed, noting how a long time off compounded those feelings.

“Yeah, and just to know how true it is. Because I mean, I obviously hadn’t been — I’d never taken that much time off ever in my career combined. And then being in the situation, feeling those feelings. I felt the exact same thing, like ‘I can’t believe I really feel this right now.’ You hear about it all the time. And it’s like, oh man, [it’s overwhelming].”