Roderick Strong Says ‘Neck Strong’ AEW Run Helped Him Grow As A Performer

AEW

Former ROH World Champion Roderick Strong says “Neck Strong” AEW run last year has helped him grow as a performer.

After facing Samoa Joe in the Owen Hart Cup, Roderick Strong underwent a character change where he started to wear a neckbrace and was confined to a wheelchair.

Alongside Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, Strong tried to raise awareness for neck health with their “Neck Strong” campaign.

This run allowed fans to see a different side of the long time veteran before Roddy, Taven, Bennett and Wardlow joined forces with Adam Cole to form the Undisputed Kingdom.

Speaking with Alicia Atout, Roderick Strong was asked about this “Neck Strong” run in AEW. He answered:

“It made it fun. It made it extremely fun. I’ve always wrestled and performed and wanted myself to be out there.”

“But within this, it gave me an opportunity to use part of me but also become something else.”

“That was something that I was really having a hard time figuring out. This whole situation created an opportunity for me to grow as a performer.”

“I’m very old-school. I was 12 when I started, so in that day and age, they took everything so seriously.”

“So for me, I’m like, for this to work, I have to do what a lot of people don’t do nowadays and just commit to it, like all the time. Every single thing I did because I just knew.”

“Even when I would go to take my son to jiu-jitsu, depending on what day of the week it was, I would wear it, just because you never know,”

Roderick Strong has since returned to the ring and picked up several victories in recent weeks ahead of challenging Orange Cassidy for the AEW International Championship at AEW Revolution on March 3.

For the full lineup for the AEW Revolution pay-per-view event, click here.

Transcription via Fightful

Want to stay up to date with all the most important Wrestling and WrestleTalk News? Join our newsletter mailing list by clicking here, and selecting your preferences!

• Neck Strong
• Undisputed Kingdom
• Roderick Strong
• AEW

Share this article with friends