Former NXT superstar Roderick Strong made a big splash in the wrestling world with his surprise debut on AEW Dynamite. The wrestler showed up unexpectedly to save his former Undisputed Era teammate Adam Cole from an attack by the Jericho Appreciation Society, much to the delight of fans in attendance and watching at home.
However, his appearance in AEW had some unintended consequences for his status with WWE. Strong had been listed on WWE.com as a member of the NXT roster, but following his AEW debut, he was removed from the active roster page.
Reports suggest that Strong had actually requested to be released from WWE in 2022, but the request was denied at the time. Some within WWE believed that Strong’s contract was set to run until 2024, which would mean that he was released from his contract rather than his deal expiring.
It’s worth noting that Strong had been sidelined with an injury since August 2022, so it was unclear whether he was still out injured or if WWE creative had not found a way to bring him back onto WWE TV.
After his debut in AEW, the company announced that Strong had signed with them, much to the surprise of fans and AEW talent alike. Meanwhile, WWE had remained silent about his status, but they recently instructed 2K to not include him in the WWE 2K23 roster.
The unexpected debut and signing of Strong with AEW have sent shockwaves through the wrestling world, with fans and insiders speculating about what his future holds in the company. Regardless of what happens, it’s clear that Strong’s talent and popularity will continue to make waves in the industry.
