Report: WWE Shocked By Roderick Strong's AEW Debut

Months after he was written off WWE NXT TV, Roderick Strong popped up in a new promotion this week as he made his All Elite Wrestling debut on the April 26 edition of Dynamite in Sunrise, Florida. The Messiah of the Backbreaker made the save for Orange Cassidy, Bandido, and former Undisputed ERA stablemate Adam Cole from the Jericho Appreciation Society.

After Strong had fought off the JAS, he and Adam Cole shared a heartfelt embrace in the middle of the ring to end the segment.

While many expected Roderick Strong to join All Elite Wrestling if he ever left WWE since his wife Marina Shafir worked there and he had many friends in the promotion, that expectation didn't extend to WWE. According to Dave Meltzer, a lot of people in the organisation were shocked by Strong's AEW debut. 

Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio: "That was a shock to a lot of people in WWE. I know there were people who knew his contract was up, but most people didn't know that [he was joining AEW that night]."

Strong previously asked for his WWE release in 2022 but his request was denied. He remained involved with the Diamond Mine until he was written off TV in September 2022, reportedly due to an injury. Strong had since been cleared for an in-ring return but wasn't booked by NXT until his departure.

H/T to WrestlingNews.co