Roderick Strong

[8.0] "I love Killswitch Engage. Thank you, Roderick Strong, for using End of Heartache as your entrance music. Love to hear him shouting, love to watch him square up with his wife, love to watch him succeed. Reliable workhorse, the last of his kind to hold the International title before it ended up as the pre-world-championship belt. Averages 7/10 on singles matches, wonderful to have around."

[9.0] "It's an absolute travesty that Strong is rated as lowly as he is on this site. He has been among the best in the world for years now and is one of the front runners for best wrestler of the year in 2015. He never fails to deliver in matches, and his mic work has improved dramatically compared to where it was before."

[8.0] "Roddy has always been a solid wrestler, his feuds in ROH with Danielson, Davey, Lethal, Joe, James Gibson are all great reDragon is one THEE best tag teams in that promotions history, and that's before he hits WWE, his time with Undisputed ERA was great, his time in the Cruiserweight classic is a fun time as well, The Diamond Mind was a great team as well, his tag team and rivalry with Pete Dunne is highly underrated imo, then he hits AEW and its just another level of great, his feud with Orange was a fun time, Paragon was a little lackluster but the idea was cool in theory. Roddy is just an all-round great talent to have, I don't see him as a world champion, but I wouldnt be against it by any means."

[5.0] "I am sorry but this man is nothing compared to his former self. The man hasn't been the same for YEARS and he's keep getting worse somehow. It's tough to see especially that he was one of my favorites at one point"

[9.0] "I feel like Roderick Strong will forever be a top mid carder or top tag guy i'm not saying he can't be a main event guy but I feel his time has passed to become a world champion in AEW or while in WWE. If he was still in WWE I think he would have been a great us champion."

[9.0] "He's so underrated, messiah of the backbreaker! Always makes an impact and puts on great matches no matter where he's at and can even be the standard bearer of a company. Great piece to have on a roster and is one of the greatest of all time no doubt about it."

[8.0] "Always nice to see Roddy in a ring. From ROH, to NXT, to AEW, he's been a consistent wrestler throughout his life, He doesn't wow me every time I see him in a ring, but he has had some good matches consistantly, especially during the NXT days."

[9.0] "Roderick Strong is an amazing wrestler, decent on the mic, but he makes up for it with his in-ring work. One of the most underrated talents NXT had and he's bene doing well in AEW. Hope he gets a singles push again soon"

[9.0] "Roddy is just amazing. He was one of my favorites in NXT and even if he's been underutilized he's still fun to watch whenever he's wrestling in AEW. He's technically amazing and will forever be one of my favorites."

[9.0] "I don't really need to say much when it comes to Roderick Strong. True love of the game guy, always tries his best, and damn near does it every time. Roddy is one of the most exciting in-ring wrestlers I've ever seen, I hope he keeps going for another 5 years."

[9.0] "An amazing and underrated wrestler. It's a personal hot take of mine to say that he and Adam Cole should never have been paired together, and Adam Cole should not have been pushed over Roderick Strong."

[9.0] "Such a underrated high talent wrestler that was never able to be at the spot which he was The guy at the promotion. The promotion which he got the most respect working at probably was the PWG which is a indie place. He spend almost and decade at WWE just to be at NXT being a forever midcarder wrestler, at ROH he was part of the Generation Next not being the most exciting and important key from that stable, and now at AEW he is basically Kyle teanmate at Paragon while he is holding a pretty fun relationship with the Conglomeration. I guess he is just the perfect midcarder and never digget a lot to be more than that, and that is completelly fine. He is still pretty fucking good, didn't age into a point that he became bad even working for straight twenty years."

"Roddy has constantly been one of the best NA had to offer in the last 20 years. What this dude does at 40 years old, in ring and characterwise is insane. Your favourite wrestlers favourite wrestler. 10/10"

"Quietly goes about his business, Roderick Strong - while being excellent at what he does, and never has a bad match. I find myself backing him no matter who he fights as he's so good. Although I see he was trained by Jim Neidhart and Scoot Andrews, you'd swear Dean Malenko had an influence in there. He is as much the dependable top level guy as Dean was, if not more and he's a major asset to AEW. I just wish he was 5-6 years younger and there might be the prospect of a belt run for him as he is very worthy."

[9.0] "I never really used to take notice of Roddy, but now with the Continental Classic underway, I've begun to realise just how insanely good of a ring technician he is. He has a brilliant look and great moveset. He should get another International Championship reign someday."

[10.0] "An insanely consistent wrestler. If his mid-10s PWG run was all I knew of him I'd still be rating him highly because it's one of my favorite world title runs of all time, but that's well over a decade into his career after he had so many killer matches up and down the card of ROH and other indies with so many other legendary contemporaries. His NXT run had some more great matches in an era of NXT I'm mostly not a fan of just because he rules, and in AEW he's had yet still more excellent performances with no signs of slowing down. You really can't bet against Roddy having a killer singles or tag match on any show; the man has an endless gastank and some of the best strikes & power moves of any guy you'd not call a hoss. I fully expect this man to be hitting End of Heartaches and Sick Kicks at full power into his 50s. What a beast."

[10.0] "There are certain people that I'm willing to watch any match of. No matter where it is, who the opponent is, etc. Roderick Strong is on that shortlist for me, alongside guys like Shawn Michaels and Bryan Danielson. The guy just knows how to have entertaining matches with everyone and is also a great tag team wrestler with Kyle O'Reilly. I still remember seeing him vs Bryan Danielson from ROH Vendetta 2005. That was my first ever Roderick Strong match and I've been a fan ever since. He's also way funnier than he gets credit for. I'm not gonna say he's an incredible promo or anything, but I don't get why everyone needs to be anyway? This dude delivers every time he's out there and that's all that matters to me. His PWG title run also might be the best reign in the history of the company, imo."

[10.0] "Without a doubt Roderick Strong is the most consistent wrestler of the last 25 years, always putting 100% into his matches and seemingly can go with literally anyone. From his freaky strength, to his incredible bursts of energy, to his high octane style of simply wanting to win, how can anyone not love Roddy? Be it his tiny little boots, his hatred for his opponent's backs to demonstrating the most lightning of attacks to the face. He puts in 100% and it never feels like he is trying too hard, he just comes across as incredibly talented and has rarely slowed down. Easily one of the very, very best."

[10.0] "Top 10 in ring wrestler ever and anyone who says otherwise is just wrong. This guy can wrestle a broomstick and if you give him 5 minutes he'll make it a banger match. So underrated and deserves another world title reign in his career"

[8.0] "Roddy is great in the ring very consistently. I really enjoy his work and he adds to any match he's in."

[10.0] "One of the best Mid/upper Mid-carders of all time. Roddy Strong is just so consistent and has been his entire career."

[10.0] "This rating is way too low for Strong. Fantastic in-ring wrestler, fantastic run in mid-2000s Ring of Honor and then his run in NXT I believe was his peak. His time in AEW has also been pretty good but was getting a little spooky in late 2024 to the beginning of 2025, but now we're getting a great resurgence with his tag team with Kyle O'Reilly. He is a Claudio Castagnoli type wrestler, someone who is known for being the reliable hand for getting in the ring with ANYONE and getting a really good to great match. No need for a promo or an elaborate story, just throw him out there and it'll work. Except, he is better than Claudio, and has higher peaks than him. He'd be under Tomohiro Ishii though, who is also that type of wrestler, and perhaps the best ever of that archetype. His rating should be what Claudio has, absolutely a top tier wrestler for over 20 years."

[9.0] "In my opinion, possibly THE archetypical 2000s/2010s indie wrestler. The kind of guy you'd go see a local ROH show just because he had a match on the card and you knew it'd be sick. Still putting on pretty great matches in the 2020s and doing some fun character stuff but unlikely to be "the guy" as a cable TV wrestler the way he could be the guy for ROH or PWG back then."

[8.0] "A great wrestler, definitely gets the nod, always fun when fighting someone size appropriate for his "move set" his main drawback seems to be the mic work isn't quite there. would love him in the G1"

[8.0] "Pound for pound one of the best strikers, and choppers, around and deceptively powerful for a guy about 200lbs. In terms of intensity, aggression and technical excellence, he's actually got a bit of a certain Canadian about him. His various backbreakers and suplexes are near always spot on and delivered safely. Showed he has some personality during his stint in a wheelchair. And his miraculous recovery. As reliable and impressive as he is in ring, suspect he's sort of settled for being one of the group, which suited him fine in NXT."

[9.0] "Roderick Strong is considered one of the best in-ring worker & his catalog of matches definitely proves that point! He's an incredibly gifted all-rounded wrestler who lives up to the title of the "Messiah of The Backbreaker" be able to target your back through various crisp attacks & moves that'll keep you intrigued! He's run of "Neck Strong" in AEW was a career highlight which made me looked into him more just him screaming wrestlers name was too hilarious to not appreciate! He's definitely an unsung competitor within the wrestling community!"

[7.0] "He is prone to be overshadowed by others around him due to a bad wrestler on the mic. But what he lacks in mic work, he more than makes up for it with brilliant in-ring performances and a very nice presence."

[9.0] "He makes magic in the ring. Seriously everything this guy does looks good and he sells his ass off. Dude has it all, only reason I would not give him a 10 is because of a lack of promo skill but honestly his in ring is so good it almost negates that. Perfect to have in any work rate centric promotion and will give you a good match with just about anyone."

[9.0] "Roderick Strong, much like Cesaro, is a wrestling monster. He's agile, fast, precise, impactful, capable of putting on great matches at any moment and against any opponent, endowed with immense ring psychology and knowledge of his abilities, all he needs is a little more acting talent and charisma to be the perfect wrestler. With the right accompaniment, he could truly be at the top of his game, and every moment he spends in the ring is a feast for the eyes."

[8.0] "A boots and trunks wrestler and that is no bad thing. He has been very very good for a long time now. Is he particularly compelling as a character? Not really but I will rarely have a bad time watching one of his matches."

[9.0] "A great technician wrestler. He is the Messiah of the Backbreaker. I like the gimmick, good promos and very very good on ring. He had also a great career, Undisputed Era on NXT was amazing."

[9.0] "Roderick Strong is a top caliber wrestler. One of the best in-ring workers and great technician. He's had a lot of great matches with Danielson, O'reilly, ZSJ, Adam Cole, and the briscoes. He can also work in tag matches. He is a workhorse."

[8.0] "(Sorry english is not my firtst language) He is kinda underrated in my opinion and was always in someone shadow, its kinda sad that always was someone better at his place"

[10.0] "One of the best wrestlers in NA and the world the last 20 years. Current output is putting him even further along as he's got one of the bast match catalogues of 2024 at 40 years old. One of the sickest mfers to ever live and an absolute highlight of almost any card he's been part of, one of those kind of wrestlers that if someone finds em boring I just feel bad for them. They will never know good taste"

[6.0] "Roderick Strong is oh so boring to watch. I understand he's a great wrestler, but that's not enough... especially nowadays. Reminds me of Dean Malenko, somebody who could wrestle your socks off but aside from that he's very vanilla. And no, the whole "ADAM" thing he shouted does not exactly count as being charismatic. Might come across like I'm a hater, which I'm honestly not, I do admire his ability as a wrestler but he's just the kind of guy who's capable of making you fall asleep or do something else whenever he's in a match."

"What a phenomenal wrestler to have on your roster! If you need a quick 10-15 minute match to energize a crowd, this is your guy win or lose. The Messiah of the Backbreaker has quickly shot up my list of favorite wrestlers. Thank you AEW for reviving and rescuing this man from the warehouse!"

[8.0] "Roderick Strong, the Messiah of the Backbreaker. He is an amazing talent that may be slowing down due to age, but it doesn't prevent him from putting on a show almost every time he steps in a ring. His accolades make him a legend and deserves more than he has. His gimmick while the Devil storyline was going on was amazing and funnier than most AEW comedy. And now that he's in the Undisputed Kingdom, he'll become more over and perhaps become a champion once again. Overall, Roderick Strong is one of the greatest wrestlers that competed in ROH and is one of the best advocates of neck health awareness. Amazing talent."

[10.0] "I absolutely love when this man would yell Adam Cole's name even if he was just standing there beside him. Prayers up for Strong's neck though, I hope it heals soon. Other than that, I think he's one of the best wrestlers to ever work. Just unbelievably fantastic. He is THAT guy."

[8.0] "Great worker. Great history of matches. I hate how NXT dragged him His last few months during the NXT run with diamond mine. However I believe hes the reason why the other members were even able to develop at a decent rate. His run now with AEW is awesome"

[8.0] "Strong is a top tier worker. In the ring he can strike and mat wrestle with the best. On the mic he is alright as he is with his charisma."

[6.0] "One of the better workers from that indie era. Lots of good matches in ROH and later NXT, but severely lacking in size, charisma and promo ability. A good workhorse to have in a group but can't really be the focal point of a storyline in a big promotion."

[9.0] "One of many examples of ROH all-time best who can feel disapointment how their WWE run looks like. Big insufficiency."

[7.0] "Strong is a solid wrestler. If you ignore his lack of charisma, dry promos, and boring look, he's a tremendous in-ring performer. The best thing he has going for him is his match quality which is usually pretty good purely because of how consistently powerful his moveset is. He has a sick finisher and his focus on backbreakers makes him unique in a sense. I've never gone for Strong for character or mic work, just purely his matches which are fun to watch, so i have to give him props for that."

[10.0] "One of the best from the 2010 American indie generation, from the mid 2000s ROH period and also one of the best in the continent in the past 15+ years. He still has another five good years in him, WWE should not continue to waist him away in NXTs midcard, He should either stay in NXT as a main eventer or go to the indies (from a fan s perspective not an economic and career perspective, as that is where he will deliver his best performances). Going to the main roster does not seem promising to me, best he will get is to be a US or IC championship challenger, not a bad position in general but not the height Roddy can reach. Fucking legend."

[8.0] "A very good wrestler who WWE needs to use a hell of a lot better. Instead of just being relegated to developmental, he should be on the main roster, and he would be a star instantly."

[8.0] "Amazing wrestler and charismatic when he isn't asked to be a white meat babyface. Dude is so funny with his shitty lil boots and all the backbreakers he pulls out. His problem will forever be cutting promos which just doesn't make sense when you see all his interviews and how natural he feels in all of them. One of the few guys I've bothered keeping up with the past few years in wrestling and I hope either wwe or whoever else gives him a run on top. That 2015 he had was one of the best of the decade and he still has it in him"

[9.0] "One of my favorite wrestlers ever. Easily the most talented member of the Undisputed Era in-ring wise, the Messiah of the Backbreaker never gets enough credit for how hard he hits. A wrestler with one of the most believably devastating movesets in the business, he can drop you in a million different ways and make them all hurt. An excellent seller and asshole heel, if you're talking about his lack of mic talent, you clearly haven't checked out anything he did in PWG against Kyle O'Reilly or Zack Sabre Jr. A brilliantly brutal heel at his absolute best with some of the best chops in the business today. His 2015 is up there with Joe's 2005 and Flair's 1989."

[7.0] "Roddy can be an absolute workhorse when he wants to, dishing out brutal power moves and impactful strikes with minimal effort. He also has a nicely serious and competitive attitude when he wrestles, showing that behind his cheeky smiles there's still an athlete there that wants to get the win. There are still some times where Roddy seems to become a bit amateurish with how his moves connect, or the technique he delivers them with, but for the most part he will work hard to put on a good performance that upholds the idea of a wrestling match being a test of athleticism and physicality. I especially like his back-targeting work, appropriately gaining him the title of the "Messiah Of The Backbreaker". I don't foresee Roddy rising to any higher heights than he's already had, and who even knows if he'll last in NXT 2.0 now that that developmental promotion no longer cares about work-rate and has turned towards focussing on hokey gimmicks. If that's the case, Roddy should be proud of the career he's had, and I'd love to see him go somewhere like NJPW or AEW and mix it up with wrestlers closer to his level. I'm still yet to see his (apparent) peak work from the mid to late 00s and early 10s, but from his work I've seen in the early 00s and the mid 10s to the current year, I feel confident calling Roddy an all-around very good wrestler."

[10.0] "This guy is a phenomenon. Very underrated. Give Roddy a match, and he doesn't go under four stars. Not good on the mic but he puts on a manager and he's good."

[7.0] "Roderick Strong is a fantastic wrestler. He moves incredibly well and has a very unique moveset based around an opponent's back. Great in the ring, however, he has absolutely no charisma and he isn't a good promo. He also doesn't stand out in terms of appearance either. Excelled as a supporting member of the Undisputed Era, but struggles to stand out on his own."