AEW Star Roderick Strong on How Being ‘Neck Strong’ Translated Into Success

Roderick Strong could always get it done in the pro wrestling ring. When the bell sounds the decorated champion remains one of the most technically sound competitors out there. Though in this business that is just half of what’s needed to reach the next level. You’ve got to be multifaceted and be able to connect with the audience through your onscreen persona.

And after wrestling for more than half his life, the 40-year-old All Elite Wrestling star is in the midst of arguably the most creatively fulfilling period since he started. Strong looks for the big payoff at Revolution as the leader of the “Neck Strong” movement challenges Orange Cassidy for his International championship at Revolution on March 3. Adding to the significance of the opportunity is Strong knowing Sting will have his historic last match on the same show.

Here the member of the Undisputed Kingdom opens up about his experience in AEW.

You’re coming up on your first year in AEW. How would you describe your time there so far? 

Roderick Strong: Fast but slow at the same time. I feel I got comfortable quickly there. It has just been a really fun experience. So far, I’ve been able to do different things in my career than I ever thought I would be able to do. New challenges, and challenges in different ways. I know AEW has a fantastic in-ring product. For me, I didn’t realize that most of my year would be done talking. To me, it makes me happy for the future because there is so much to do wrestling-wise still. It has been a blast and some of the most fun I’ve had in my career. I’m just very happy.

AEW

Would you say it’s safe to say you’ve found yourself? 

I do. At first, it was hard to believe. I just haven’t been put in a situation to be a character. I think there was a lot of my career I wanted to be me. But now to be true to myself, but being a character and playing off of things is a different challenge. Doing that gave me such an opportunity to make myself vulnerable in different ways I never thought I would in wrestling. It gave me a character to attach to and not bring the extra baggage.

What is the source of the different elements of what we’re seeing from you on TV?

I have a dry sense of humor and pull from that. A lot of it comes from me and the guys talking. I trust them to give me honest feedback and ideas. I don’t have to know it all. I found that doing what was asked of me excited me. People want to do what they want to do, and that’s fine. There are times I want to do that, but the real thrill is being asked to do something and be able to do that job to the best of my ability. Having the right people around me to have those conversations helps my thought process. My wife and the guys have helped me a ton with it.

At what point did you feel the whole “Neck Strong” character was clicking? 

When people started screaming Adam’s name like I did for Adam Cole before the shows. That was surreal. Also, staff, production people, and other people in the back. I knew then it was becoming more than I expected it to become. It’s funny how it has worked out. My wife made me realize I yelled more than I thought I did. She’ll catch me out back yelling one of my dog’s names. I didn’t even realize I did that.

Do you yell now more now? 

I wouldn’t say more. It’s funny because someone suggested the yelling of the name. Then I started thinking about when my son gets upset, he’ll yell a random word in a sentence. Or he’d yell the first word in a sentence and talk calmly. It would always crack me up. He was my inspiration for yelling the name and then lowering the tone with what I said after.

Do you get a lot of requests now on Cameo for people to yell their names? 

Yeah. It became a little bit too much for me for a point and time. It’s not like I’m doing, “Hey guys Cameo.”  have a yell. Then it’s about finding the right place to do it. It meant a lot so many people were into it. I do enjoy it because it’s just ridiculous how loud I yell.

How was it being part of this long-term story with the Undisputed Kingdom, MJF, and Adam Cole and The Devil reveal? That type of arc which really hooks fans is hard to pull off these days. 

The whole Adam and Max stuff, to be in the middle of that. It felt special because what those guys were doing was good. To be the disrupter was awesome. To do something with Adam means a lot to me. We’re at a different stage of our careers. He is unfortunately going through recovering with his ankle. The fact we still get to work together is awesome. I’ve enjoyed our times together prior, but we are in a different stage of our lives. With Mike Bennett, Matt Taven, and even Wardlow, we are grateful for the opportunity. When the idea came up of doing this and making it more than it was, it was exciting for me. I have a lot of respect for those guys. There is always this influx of talent coming in, and the whole situation gave me something to attach to. We’ve capitalized on everything.

AEW

You had a neck scare last year. At 40, how are you looking at your career now with such a physical style? What do you make of the landscape today and all the high-risk moves? 

I wrestle one way and one way only and that’s all out. So when I can’t do that anymore that will be something I would be worried about continuing to even wrestle. If we’re speaking just indies, it’s a lot of people trying to make their name. I understand that. I don’t have to work that style to the same extent because one is based on time, and it’s not the wrestler I am. Understanding myself and my lane.

Knowing I can go out here and have epic matches with different people. My goal is to be in those spots but give those matches a different feel than what you’re going to see. With that neck scare and before the other neck scare. With my son and wife, it did make it difficult for a minute, and a little scary. Over time I have the confidence that I’m still meant to do this. My body will let you know. I listen to it more nowadays. It’s a matter of taking care of myself and doing things to keep my health in order. I just want to do my best

Your wife Marina Shafir is of course in AEW. Has there been any talk of you working together? 

No. It almost happened in WWE, which would have been cool. Since she started wrestling, we haven’t done anything together because our characters are our characters. It would have to make sense. Maybe one day though. We have done some matches together, which is very fun.

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How do you feel about Sting’s last match? 

Every interaction I’ve had with him has been great. It has been brief but great. I just have so much respect for him and the way he has handled this part of his career. I feel like he set such a high standard and attitude and willingness to compromise. He has done so much for Darby Allin. Darby has done a lot for Sting during this time when he came back to wrestling and wrote the last part of his story. I have so much respect for him. It’s going to be sad, but I hope he understands how high a standard he set for people who are on their way out.

What does it mean to be on the same card and facing Orange Cassidy? 

I feel so honored about that. To me, until I’m holding that International title in my hands, that is the thing I’m most excited about. I get to be on that card. It’s going to be a special night for everybody.

AEW Dynamite, Wednesdays, 8/7c, TBS

AEW Rampage, Thursdays, 10/9c, TNT