Jim Ross Comments On AEW Signing Former WWE NXT Star Roderick Strong

As of April 26, Roderick Strong is "All Elite," after debuting on "AEW Dynamite" to make the save for his old pal Adam Cole. With Strong's WWE contract situation up in the air as recently as March, his debut came as a surprise. One person who was not blindsided by his availability, however, was AEW commentator and senior advisor Jim Ross. Recently onn"Grilling JR," he spoke to the value Strong holds now.

"I was aware he was available, I just wasn't aware of what he wanted to do," Ross said. "He's a hell of a good guy, I like him. He's another one of those guys that you value having around your other talents and having in the locker room." Strong signed with WWE in 2016, becoming a familiar face down in "WWE NXT" and winning the Cruiserweight Championship and North American Championship as well as the Tag Team Championships twice — alongside Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Bobby Fish as part of The Undisputed Era. Cole, O'Reilly, and Fish made their respective AEW debuts in 2021, but Fish is the only one not currently with the company.

Outside of WWE, Strong is a former ROH World Champion as well as World Tag Team Champion, and has competed in various promotions across the globe. As for what he can offer AEW, Ross believes it's a little bit of everything. "He's a very experienced hand, he can work with anybody," he added. "He can be a heel, he can be a babyface. And him coming in and being a support person for Adam Cole, fits just perfectly."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Grilling JR" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.