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Roderick Strong seems like the perfect fit for AEW. He is a brilliant wrestler with a strong following amongst hardcore fans. The NXT Superstar has been floundering in the WWE development brand despite being the leader of his own stable, Diamond Mine.
With WWE focusing on building younger stars, the former North American Champion is struggling to stay relevant, which is a far cry from ruling the brand as part of The Undisputed Era. Strong is currently the last man standing in the company as his former stablemates have moved on to AEW.
Earlier this month, news broke that the NXT stalwart had seemingly requested to be released from his contract, only for WWE to deny it. Strong has reportedly grown frustrated with many things over the past year, and it is hard to blame him.
AEW could provide the perfect home for the wrestler if he does manage to cross the great divide. Here are 5 AEW opponents that would be perfect for Roderick Strong if he makes the switch.
#5. Roderick Strong vs. Adam Cole
With most of the Undisputed Era now part of the AEW roster, it seems inevitable that Roderick Strong will cross paths with his former stablemates if he were to make the jump to the company. Former NXT Champion Adam Cole has openly expressed his desire to see his old teammate again. During a recent Q&A Session at Motor City Comic Con, he said:
“I would love nothing more than for Roderick Strong to come to AEW. I don’t know what he’s going to do, I don’t know where his head is at, but he knows that he has a home in AEW. Especially with me, Bobby, and Kyle. That would be amazing." (H/T Fightful)
While it is tempting to have an Undisputed Era reunion in AEW, what if Strong flips the script and feuds with Cole instead? Given the time they've spent together on-screen, they could make great rivals, drawing on their history in NXT as the backdrop for the animosity.
Both are excellent wrestlers, and given enough time, they will be able to tell a great story in the ring. It will also be interesting to see how Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly factor into the situation.
#4. Roderick Strong vs. Nick Jackson
Adam Cole is not the only wrestler Roderick Strong has a history with in AEW. Diamon Mine has fought several AEW wrestlers in the independent scene, ROH, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla.
In PWG, Strong crossed paths with current AEW EVPs, The Young Bucks. Earlier this year, the Diamond Mine leader posted a throwback photo of the trio on his Instagram story with this caption as he was cleaning his son's room:
"Found this while cleaning up Troy's room."
This could play into a potential storyline if Strong interacted with the former AEW Tag Team Champions on Dynamite. With Nick Jackson being the high-flier in the team, we'd love to see a showdown between him and the Messiah of the Backbreaker. It will be a classic battle between speed and technique.
If The Undisputed Elite were to implode and the former Undisputed Era members were to start a civil war against The Young Bucks, having Strong debut and immediately aligning himself with Cole could be the match that lights the feud.
#3. Roderick Strong vs. Sammy Guevara
Roderick Strong is the leader of NXT 2.0 faction Diamond Mine where the veteran mentors a group of young wrestlers, including Ivy Nile, Damon Kemp, and The Creed Brothers.
AEW star Sammy Guevara has undoubtedly benefitted from the wisdom and guidance of older wrestlers in the company, primarily Chris Jericho, who led The Inner Circle, which the Spanish God was part of.
Despite that, the former TNT Champion needs to work with more experienced performers who wrestle various styles to help polish up his in-ring abilities. That's not to say the high-flyer is not already supremely talented. But someone with the grappling prowess of Strong would help evolve the 28-year-old.
#2. Roderick Strong vs. TNT Champion Scorpio Sky
Roderick Strong has won gold in every promotion he's been a part of. He was a North American Champion, Cruiserweight Champion, and two-time Tag Team Champion in NXT alone.
You could bet on the 38-year-old having his eyes set on winning a few championships if he were to sign with AEW. The first on his checklist would be to win the TNT Championship, putting Strong in the crosshairs of current titleholder Scorpio Sky.
While Sky was already a two-time champion, his reigns had been short and underwhelming at best. This time he will need to face a whole host of more accomplished contenders to solidify his run with the TNT Title. Strong would be an excellent opponent for the Man of the Year member.
#1. Roderick Strong vs. Bryan Danielson
Before Strong and Danielson achieved success in WWE, they were two of the biggest independent wrestlers in the 2000s. Their history goes way back to Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. They not only faced each other but also teamed up together, calling their tandem the Hybrid Dolphins.
In fact, one of their most infamous matches was against the Young Bucks in PWG, which the AEW EVPs referenced in their autobiography, Killing The Business. In the book, Matt and Nick Jackson accused the two wrestlers of being incredibly stiff, which almost caused their match to dissolve into an actual fight.
Whenever Strong and Danielson face each other in the ring, it promises to be a brutal affair with violent strikes coupled with beautiful mat wrestling. Both are masters of their craft and can create art in the ring if left to their own devices. AEW would be the perfect stage to see the two indie darlings cross paths again as grizzled veterans.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
